Germans and foreign students, who acquired their university admission qualification in Germany are asked to address themselves to the Social Advice Centre of the Student Administration Hanover, if there should be any further questions concerning the scholarships.

Foreign students are asked to address themselves to the Advice for Foreign Students/KED, that cooperates with the Student Administration in allocating of scholarships:
Advice for Foreign Students/KED
Kreuzkirchhof 1–3, 30159 Hanover
Phone +49 (0) 511 / 35 37 49 - 31, Harald Bremer
bremer(at)ked-niedersachsen.de
Tue 15:00–17:00 h
Thu 10:00–12:00 h

Directive for the Allocation of Scholarships of the Student Administration Hanover for Study Fees According to § 11 NHG

1. Introduction

The Student Administration Hanover supports students from families in a financially difficult situation by granting scholarships for study fees according to § 11 NHG. This contributes to the equality of opportunity in university education.

The scholarship fund is composed of appropriated incomes from interest, of commission earnings from procuring KfW loans, and of donations. A scholarship amounts to 1000 € for the study fees during the two semesters following its allocation.

The number of the scholarships granted per year corresponds to the number of students studying at universities in the domain of the Student Administration Hanover and liable to its contributions, divided by 1000. This means that one scholarship is granted per each inchoated 1000 students. The scholarships are split up analogously in regard to the number of students at the single universities, based on the estimated number of enrolled students during the winter semester of the appropriated period – provided, of course, that there is a sufficient number of applications from the individual universities.

Students of the private Fachhochschule für die Wirtschaft (FHDW - Business University of Applied Sciences) are not liable to pay study fees according to § 11 NHG. Notwithstanding, they are eligible to apply for a scholarship for the FHDW’s tuition fees if they provide evidence that they, or their parents, have paid the predominant proportion of their tuition fees. This scholarship of the Student Administration Hanover amounts to 1000 € for two semesters, as well.

2. Allocation Criteria

2.1 Those students may apply for the scholarships, who
• are not older than 35 years,
• are liable to pay student services fees to the Student Administration Hanover and who
• are finishing their first course of studies within the standard duration of study.
The scholarship cannot be attained for more than two years in succession.

2.2 Students with German nationality and foreign students who acquired their university admission qualification in Germany may apply for a scholarship if they fulfil one of the following criteria:
• The students are coming from a family with many children. The parents have to support at least 3 children and are exposed to additional burdens (debts, chronic disease, payment of study or tuition fees for at least two children studying at German universities, etc.) As a rule, this situation of financial distress is proven by being entitled to child allowance and the evidence of probable cause concerning the special exposure.
• Both of the students’ parents receive German social benefits such as unemployment benefit II, social welfare or basic maintenance support and are exposed to additional burdens (debts, chronic disease, payment of study or tuition fees for at least two children studying at German universities, etc.) As a rule, this situation is proven by notices of granting and the evidence of probable cause concerning the special exposure.

2.3 Foreign students who acquired their university admission qualification in Germany can be considered for our scholarships according to their overall proportion at the universities of Hanover. Since educational residents, who come from countries outside the European Community and are thus not entitled to receive a Lower Saxony Student Loan according to § 11a NHG, are especially burdened; four additional scholarships have been arranged. These scholarships can be granted to this group of students regardless of the university’s proportional share but depending on need. (1) Educational residents from every country of origin are allocated by the Student Administration in cooperation with the Advisory Service for Foreign Students (BaSt) at the KED Church Developmental Support (Kirchlicher Entwicklungsdienst) Hanover. Students in need coming from this group are asked to apply to the BaST at KED directly.

3. Procedure

3.1 Students can apply for a scholarship by means of a form at the Social Advice Centre or at the BAföG Loans & Grants Department of the Student Administration Hanover. Furthermore, a valid certificate of enrolment for the upcoming summer semester as well as a proof of payment of the study fees and evidence concerning article 2.2 have to be included. The application has to submitted entirely by March 31st of the legal year.

Students of the private Fachhochschule für die Wirtschaft (FHDW - Business University of Applied Sciences) have to provide additional evidence that they, or their parents, have paid the predominant proportion of their tuition fees.

3.2 An allocation committee of the Student Administration Hanover, which consists of the head of the Social and International Affairs department, the head of the BAföG Loans & Grants department, and a social advisor, all of the Student Administration, decides on the allocation and makes a choice between those applications which were submitted in time.

3.3 The applicants will be informed by May 15th of the legal year whether they will receive a scholarship. The scholarship capital will be paid via cashless money transfer.

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(1) The number of additional scholarships depends on the number of applications which have been handed in by educational residents outside the EC and which meet the requirements of the allocation directive as can be seen in the following scale:

The universities in Hanover also offer scholarships for study and tuition fees. You can find links to these scholarship offers on the »Hanover Science Initiative« website (www.science-hannover.de) on the page about scholarships for study/tuition fees.