Free State of Bavaria One-Year Scholarship 2027/28

The Free State of Bavaria One-Year Scholarship 2027/28 supports eligible graduates from selected Central, Eastern and Southeastern European countries. The scholarship can finance Master’s study, PhD study, or a one-year research stay at a state or state-funded higher education institution in Bavaria. Recipients receive €992 per month, equivalent to €11,904 per year. The deadline for first-time applications is December 1, 2026.

Quick Overview

Programme: One-year scholarship program sponsored by the Free State of Bavaria
Funding Year: 2027/28
Study Options: Master’s programmes, PhDs, or one-year research stays
Location: State or state-funded higher education institutions in Bavaria
Scholarship Amount: €992 per month / €11,904 per year
Eligible Citizenship: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine
First-Time Application Deadline: December 1, 2026
Scholarship Start: October 1, 2027

About the Free State of Bavaria One-Year Scholarship

The scholarship programme promotes academic exchange and scientific cooperation between Bavaria and Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe.

Funding is available for postgraduate study, including Master’s programmes and PhDs. It can also support a one-year research stay in Bavaria when the stay forms part of a PhD pursued in the applicant’s home country.

The scholarship is generally awarded for one year. It can usually be extended twice, allowing funding for up to three years. Funding cannot continue beyond completion of the degree or PhD.

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Benefits and Financial Coverage

The scholarship provides monthly financial support during the funding period.

✓ €992 per month
✓ €11,904 per year
✓ Twelve monthly scholarship instalments
✓ Scholarship holders with at least one child may apply for an additional family allowance of €160 per month

The programme page states that students with at least one child can receive €1,152 per month, equivalent to €13,824 per year.

Travel costs are not included. Scholarship holders are responsible for arranging and paying for travel to their university location in Bavaria. Visa arrangements must also be clarified with the relevant German Embassy or Consulate.

Eligibility Criteria

First-time applicants must meet the requirements stated in the official call.

• Hold citizenship of Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia or Ukraine.
• Have permanent residence in their home country when applying.
• For Master’s study, applicants must not have reached 30 years of age by the first scholarship award on October 1, 2027.
• For PhD study, applicants must not have reached 35 years of age by October 1, 2027.
• Justified exceptions to the age requirement may be possible under the programme rules.
• Have German and/or English language skills appropriate to the planned study or research project, usually at C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• Demonstrate well above-average academic performance at their university in the home country.
• Be enrolled at the selected Bavarian university during the scholarship period. Enrollment is not required when submitting the scholarship application.

The selected programme must mainly take place in Bavaria and require the scholarship holder to move to Bavaria for the duration of the programme. An exchange year in Bavaria completed as part of a Master’s programme in the home country is not eligible. Fee-based continuing education programmes for experienced professionals are also excluded.

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Selection Criteria

The selection process considers academic performance and other aspects of an applicant’s profile.

The official call lists criteria including:

• Previous academic achievements, such as grades, scholarships, prizes, publications or lectures
• Motivation for pursuing postgraduate study in Bavaria
• Relevance of the planned study to the applicant’s previous degree and professional goals
• German and/or English language ability
• Additional foreign-language skills
• Practical experience, including internships and part-time work
• International experience
• Participation in conferences, seminars or further training
• Voluntary work and other forms of engagement

PhD applicants must also provide information about their proposed research project. Confirmation of supervision from a Bavarian higher education institution is required for PhDs and one-year research stays completed as part of a PhD in the home country.

Required Documents

First-time applicants must complete the StipSys online form and upload the required documents in PDF format. Each uploaded file can be up to 5 MB.

The main application documents include:

• Motivation letter in German or English, 1–2 pages
• Proof of German and/or English language skills
• University degree certificate and transcript of records with the required translation
• Proof of citizenship, such as a passport or identity card
• Curriculum vitae in tabular form in German or English
• Supporting documents for voluntary work, internships, further training, publications and similar activities, with a maximum of 10 documents

For Master’s applicants, an existing reference or letter of endorsement from a professor or programme coordination office at the selected Bavarian higher education institution may be included. However, it is not an application requirement.

PhD applicants in Bavaria must additionally provide:

• A two-page project description and timetable
• A letter of endorsement from a professor at a Bavarian higher education institution

Applicants planning a one-year research stay in Bavaria as part of a PhD in their home country must additionally provide a two-page project description and timetable, a letter of endorsement from a Bavarian professor, and a recommendation letter from their PhD supervisor at the home institution.

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Application Process

Applications must be submitted online through the BAYHOST/BTHA StipSys form.

Applicants should prepare all supporting documents before completing the online form. The official instructions state that the form cannot be saved temporarily and that inactivity may cause the session to end automatically.

After completing the form, applicants register with StipSys and submit the application. Successful submission generates a confirmation email and a separate request to activate the StipSys account and verify the applicant’s email address.

Complete applications must reach BAYHOST by the deadline. Late or incomplete applications, as well as applications submitted by email or post, will not be considered. Applicants with Czech citizenship are directed to contact the Bayerisch-Tschechische Hochschulagentur/BTHA.

Important Dates

The official timetable for the 2027/28 funding year includes:

• First-time application deadline: December 1, 2026
• Application review and evaluation: December 2026 – March 2027
• Selection committee meeting: April – May 2027
• Selection results sent by email: May 2027
• Scholarship programme begins: October 1, 2027

The official call also lists regular 2027 university application deadlines of June 15 for other institutions and July 15 for research universities, while noting that some Master’s programmes may use different deadlines.

For current scholarship holders seeking an extension, the programme page lists a separate extension application deadline of February 28, 2027.

Official Link

Submit your application through the official application link below.

Apply for the One-year scholarship program sponsored by the Free State of Bavaria