All about the money
FAU’s Student Advice and Career Service is an important port of call for any questions relating to student financing. You can get information about BAföG funding and find out how to apply for scholarships and study grants.
Student Advice and Career Service
Halbmondstraße 6, Room 0.021, Erlangen
Tel.: +49 9131 85 23333 or 24444
www.ibz.fau.eu
The traditional way: BAföG funding
BAföG is an abbreviation of Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (Federal Education and Training Assistance Act). In order to receive BAföG funding, you have to first file an application either online or in person at the Amt für Ausbildungsförderung (Training Assistance Office). All the information you need is available at www.bafoeg-bayern.de. Money is provided by the State on a monthly basis to those who are eligible, generally for the whole of the standard duration of the degree programme.
However, you should remember to submit a repeat application (Weiterförderungsantrag) on or before 31 January or 31 July respectively. Whether you are entitled to BAföG and how much you will receive depends on several factors: For example, where you are from, where you live, your income and assets and the income of your parents. It’s definitely worth finding out about! The Training Assistance Office is happy to give you advice on all issues relating to BAföG.
Information on BAföG
www.bafög.de (German)
Amt für Ausbildungsförderung
Hofmannstrasse 27, Erlangen
Phone: +49 9131 8002900
Andreij-Sacharow-Platz 1, Nuremberg
Phone: +49 9131 800259
www.werkswelt.de
50/50 with the Germany scholarship
With the Germany scholarship (Deutschlandstipendium), FAU provides scholarships for its best students in engineering, business, economics, sciences, law, medicine, humanities and social sciences. Funding amounts to 300 euros per month and is initially granted for two semesters – the winter semester and the subsequent summer semester – but can be extended annually with effect from the winter semester until the end of the standard duration of the degree programme. Half of the funding (150 euros) is provided by companies, foundations or private individuals, with the second half being provided by the German Federal State. Academic achievement, voluntary work, international experience, and other personal qualities are all relevant when deciding who is to be granted one of these scholarships. Applicants on an undergraduate degree programme must have a grade of at least 2.0 (good) in their course achievements to date. Applications can be filed between 15 June and 15 July.
The team for the Germany scholarship
support-stipendien@fau.de
www.fau.info/deutschlandstipendium
Exam results aren’t everything
If your BAföG application doesn’t work out, you can try applying for a scholarship from foundations or from organisations that fund gifted students. In these cases, you must have an exceptional academic record and it usually has to be evaluated and approved by two university lecturers.
However, many foundations are not so much looking for young geniuses as for candidates who can commit to something and are willing to accept responsibility and get involved. Running a youth group in a sports club is just one example of this. Aside from the large religious, state and political foundations, Germany also has many organisations and private foundations that focus on very specific groups – such as students of particular subjects. In addition, FAU offers a variety of oneoff grants such as book grants. Visit the Office for Scholarships to find out what options are available to you.
Admissions Office and Office for Scholarships
Halbmondstraße 6-8, Erlangen
Phone: +49 9131 85 24087
support-stipendien@fau.de
Go global, not broke
If you need a little cash injection for your semester abroad, you can apply for an Auslands-BAföG or for funding from the EU’s Erasmus+ programme. Scholarships that allow you to support yourself while abroad are available from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Many FAU institutes have partnerships with foreign universities and organise student exchanges to places such as Rennes, Riga, Parma, and Tokyo. Whichever funding route you want to take, your first stop should be the Central Office for International Affairs. If everything goes according to plan, you’ll be jetting off before you know it.
Central Office for International Affairs
Helmstraße 1, Entrance A, Erlangen
www.fau.eu/international
An online guide to starting at FAU
Congratulations! You’ve decided to study at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen- Nürnberg. That’s a great choice! Plus, you’ve just found the perfect companion to show you around: Our magazine frisch! an der FAU can tell you (nearly) everything you need to know about our university.
You can find more articles from the frisch! on this website.