StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarship
The SBW Berlin Scholarship is run by SBW Berlin gemeinnützige GmbH, a non-profit that supports talented young people from countries in particular need of development support to study in Berlin — and then to take what they learned back home. It is fully funded: a furnished room in a shared student flat in Berlin, a living allowance of €480 a month and tuition support, for up to 48 months (the regular programme duration), plus in some cases a travel contribution to and from Germany. There are only about 20 places in total, awarded as vacancies arise — which is why there is no fixed deadline and applications are accepted year-round.
What makes SBW Berlin different from an ordinary scholarship is the deal attached to it. You are not just funded; you are expected to run a social project in your home country — 2 to 8 hours a week with a non-profit — for the whole time you are funded, to attend SBW Berlin project meetings and workshops, and to report and present on your project. After graduation you are expected to work at least 18 months in your home country or engage in charitable activities in Germany until the repayment plan is fulfilled. And if you discontinue your studies or your project, or you stay in Germany, a repayment plan starts three months later, in 12 monthly instalments. Apply only if that deal suits you — and apply early, because university admission, uni-assist, language testing and the visa take months even without a deadline to chase.
Eligibility
- Be a foreign national from a country in particular need of development support (see the SBW Berlin guidelines).
- Be aged 18–30.
- Have professional or volunteer experience in the non-profit or social sector, supported by letters of recommendation from the social institution.
- Not have resided in Germany for more than 18 months before applying.
- Hold a university entrance qualification, with an average grade equivalent to a German 2.0 or better.
- Have a proven relatively low net income.
- Have no first-degree family members permanently residing in Germany.
- Apply before starting studies or while enrolled in the 1st, 2nd or at most 3rd semester at a state-recognised university — or for a master’s shortly before or after a bachelor’s.
- Intend to work at least 18 months in your home country after graduation, or engage in charitable activities in Germany until the repayment plan is fulfilled.
- Apply separately to a Berlin or Potsdam university — the scholarship does not include admission.
Benefits
- A furnished room in a shared student apartment in Berlin.
- A living allowance of €480 a month.
- Tuition support (subject to the scholarship rules).
- In some cases, a travel contribution to and from Germany.
- Funding for up to 48 months, reviewed periodically.
- Not included: health insurance — you arrange and pay mandatory public health insurance yourself (about €120–140 a month, per aggregators).
Documents to prepare
- A valid passport.
- A German student visa.
- Proof of admission to a Berlin or Potsdam university.
- Academic certificates and transcripts.
- A CV.
- A language proficiency certificate.
- A letter of recommendation from a previous tutor or academic supervisor.
- A description of a social or development project.
- Proof of financial need (bank statement).
- Evidence of previous work or professional experience.
- Note that this list is aggregator-sourced, not officially confirmed — the official page does not list the documents in full, so check the guidelines on the SBW Berlin site.
How to apply
- Go to the official page, sbw.berlin/en/sbw-berlin-scholarship/, and read the guidelines linked there.
- Secure the recommendation letter from your non-profit or social institution first — the application is two-step (per aggregators).
- Apply separately for admission to a Berlin or Potsdam university.
- Submit the SBW Berlin application with your documents — there is no application fee and no fixed deadline.
- Apply early: admission, uni-assist, language testing and the visa take months.
FAQs
There is no fixed deadline. Applications are accepted year-round and places are awarded as vacancies arise. The “31 December 2026” dates on some aggregator sites are not official — do not plan around them.
A furnished room in a shared student flat in Berlin, €480 a month in living allowance and tuition support, for up to 48 months, plus in some cases a travel contribution. Health insurance is not included.
Foreign nationals aged 18–30 from countries in particular need of development support, with non-profit or social-sector experience, a relatively low income and a German grade of 2.0 or better — who have not lived in Germany for more than 18 months and who apply before or early in their studies at a Berlin or Potsdam university.
Recipients must run a social project (2–8 hours a week) with a non-profit in their home country during their studies, attend SBW Berlin project meetings and workshops, write project reports and give presentations.
Only if you discontinue your studies or your project, or you stay in Germany after graduation. Then a repayment plan starts three months after the end of studies or funding, in 12 monthly instalments.
No — on the aggregator evidence, health insurance is not included. You arrange and pay mandatory public health insurance yourself (about €120–140 a month). One aggregator claims otherwise, but that claim conflicts with the others and is not used here.
Verified 27 Oct 2026: sbw.berlin/en/sbw-berlin-scholarship/ (official SBW Berlin page, opened and read) — eligibility (foreign nationals from countries in particular need of development support; age 18-30; non-profit/social-sector experience with letters of recommendation; not resided in Germany more than 18 months; university entrance qualification; grade equivalent to German 2.0 or better; relatively low net income; no first-degree family members permanently residing in Germany; apply before starting studies or in the 1st, 2nd or max 3rd semester, or for a master's shortly before/after a bachelor's; intention to work at least 18 months in the home country after graduation or engage in charitable activities in Germany); no deadline stated anywhere on the official page; LeapScholar, leapscholar.com/blog/sbw-berlin-scholarship-in-germany/ — €480/month, furnished shared flat, tuition support, up to 48 months, ~20 places, social project 2-8 hours/week, repayment plan 3 months after end of studies in 12 instalments, guidelines last updated 9 April 2025 still current July 2026; DAADScholarship.com, GreatYop, ScholarHunter, Careerical — corroboration of the €480 figure, rolling applications and eligibility; Talk2SamAfrica — aggregator document list. CONFLICTS: "31 December 2026" / "15 November to 31 December" deadlines on KAIST Scholarship and AlexandraGrants are not official — Fully-FundedScholarships.com says 31 December 2026 is only a practical planning target, not a fixed closing date. Some sites say "open to all countries"; the official criteria restrict it to countries in particular need of development support. Talk2SamAfrica's "medical and health insurance coverage" conflicts with other aggregators saying health insurance is NOT included — not claimed here. The €480 figure is widely reported but not stated on the official page read (it refers readers to the guidelines).
