Six scholarships: Available for international students and doctoral candidates at OVGU.
Funding: €550–€992/month for students and €1,300/month for doctoral candidates.
Duration: Three to five months.
Eligibility: Good academic performance, acute financial hardship and expected graduation within 12 months.
Deadline:21 October 2026; submit one complete PDF by email.
Table of Contents
Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU) is offering six DAAD STIBET degree-completion scholarships for international students and doctoral candidates who are close to completing their degree and currently experiencing acute financial or social hardship.
Bachelor’s and Master’s students can receive between €550 and €992 per month, while doctoral candidates can receive €1,300 per month. Funding is provided for three to five months.
You must have good academic performance and expect to complete your degree or doctorate within the next 12 months.
Applications are open now and must be submitted by 21 October 2026.
OVGU STIBET Scholarship at a Glance
Information
Details
Scholarship
DAAD STIBET Degree-Completion Scholarship
University
Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
Location
Ready to Start Your German Study Adventure?
Explore our university finder tool to discover the perfect German university for your academic goals and preferences.
Naman Kumar has lived in Germany for over eight years and has spent more than five years helping international students navigate German universities, courses, scholarships, and admissions. Having studied in Germany himself and received scholarship support, he combines first-hand experience with practical guidance. He has supported more than 200 students in finding suitable study and funding opportunities in Germany.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Get the latest updates on studying in Germany, visa changes, and scholarship opportunities.
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and consent to receive updates from our company.
Magdeburg, Germany
Number of scholarships
6
Target group
International students and doctoral candidates
Study level
Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD
Subjects
All OVGU disciplines
Student funding
€550–€992/month
PhD funding
€1,300/month
Funding duration
3–5 months
Graduation requirement
Expected completion within 12 months
Employment allowed
Minijob up to €603 gross/month
Deadline
21 October 2026
Application format
One PDF by email
The scholarships are administered by the OVGU International Office through the DAAD STIBET programme and funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
What is the OVGU DAAD STIBET Degree-Completion Scholarship?
The STIBET degree-completion scholarship provides short-term financial support to international students who are close to finishing their studies but are experiencing an acute social or financial hardship.
The goal is to help you complete your degree instead of having financial difficulties interrupt the final months of your studies.
For the current call, OVGU is offering: Six scholarships for international students and doctoral candidates enrolled at the university.
How much funding can you receive?
The amount depends on whether you are a student or doctoral candidate.
Bachelor’s and Master’s students
You can receive: €550–€992 per month
Doctoral candidates
You can receive: €1,300 per month
The funding period is: Three to five months
The final total therefore depends on the monthly rate awarded to you and the length of your scholarship.
The official call does not state additional funding for:
- tuition
- travel
- health insurance
- accommodation.
You should therefore not assume these costs are separately covered.
Who can apply for the OVGU STIBET Scholarship?
You can apply if you are an international student or doctoral candidate at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and meet the programme requirements.
You need to demonstrate:
- acute social or financial hardship
- good academic performance
- expected completion of your degree or doctorate within the next 12 months.
For regular students, you must also be beyond your first two subject semesters.
Can international students apply?
Yes.The scholarship is specifically advertised for international students and doctoral candidates at OVGU.
The official call does not list specific eligible or excluded nationalities.
Your nationality alone is therefore not presented as the deciding criterion. You must instead meet the academic, financial and degree-completion requirements.
Can Bachelor’s students apply?
Yes. Bachelor’s students can apply if they are:
- enrolled at OVGU
- beyond their second subject semester
- performing well academically
- experiencing acute financial hardship
- expected to complete their degree within the next 12 months.
Students who have already registered their Bachelor’s thesis receive priority during the allocation process.
Can Master’s students apply?
Yes. Master’s students can apply under the same core conditions.
If you have already formally registered your Master’s thesis, OVGU states that you will receive priority when scholarships are allocated.
This makes the scholarship particularly relevant if you are in the final phase of your Master’s degree.
Can PhD students apply?
Yes. International doctoral candidates at OVGU are explicitly included.
Doctoral candidates can receive: €1,300 per month for three to five months.
Instead of a standard student transcript requirement, doctoral applicants need a statement from their academic supervisor estimating when the doctorate is expected to be completed.
Can I apply if I am in my first or second semester?
No. OVGU explicitly states that students in their first or second subject semester cannot be considered.
You need to have progressed beyond the second semester before applying.
Do I need to graduate within 12 months?
Yes. Your degree or doctorate must be expected to be completed within: The next 12 months
This is one of the central eligibility conditions.
The scholarship is designed as degree-completion funding, not general financial support throughout an entire degree programme.
What does “acute financial or social hardship” mean?
OVGU requires applicants to demonstrate an acute social hardship situation.
The university does not publish one fixed income threshold for eligibility.
Instead, your application letter must explain:
- your current financial or social situation
- your study progress
- how you have financed your studies so far.
You must also provide bank statements for all of your accounts so OVGU can assess your current financial circumstances.
Can I work while receiving the STIBET Scholarship?
Yes, within the stated limit. OVGU explicitly allows: Minijobs earning up to €603 gross per month
If you are currently employed, you must provide evidence of that employment with your application.
If you earn more than this amount, the current call does not explain how your eligibility would be affected, so you should confirm your individual case with the OVGU International Office.
Do I need a minimum GPA?
No fixed GPA or numerical grade threshold is published.
OVGU requires: Good academic performance
Your academic record is therefore an important part of the assessment, but there is no published minimum grade such as 1.5, 2.0 or equivalent.
Are students with a registered thesis given priority?
Yes. Bachelor’s and Master’s students who have already registered their final thesis receive priority in the scholarship allocation process.
This does not mean thesis registration is mandatory for every applicant.
However, if your thesis is already officially registered, make sure this is clear in your application.
What documents do you need?
You must submit your application as one complete PDF.
All applicants need
-an informal justification or cover letter
-tabular CV
- bank statements from the previous three months for all bank accounts
- employment evidence, if you currently work
- sworn declaration, where necessary.
Bachelor’s and Master’s students also need
A current academic transcript. If you have already registered your Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis, make this clear because such applicants receive priority.
Doctoral candidates also need
A statement from your academic supervisor that includes an assessment of the expected date of completion of your doctorate.
What should you write in your justification letter?
Your letter should directly explain why you need degree-completion funding.
OVGU specifically asks you to cover:
- your acute financial or social hardship
- your current stage of study
- your expected completion
- how you have financed your studies until now.
Avoid making the letter a generic scholarship motivation letter.
The purpose is not only to explain your academic goals but also to clearly demonstrate why short-term financial support is necessary for you to complete your studies.
Why does OVGU ask for all bank statements?
Because financial hardship is one of the main scholarship requirements.
You need to submit: Bank statements from the previous three months for every account you hold
Where necessary, OVGU may also require a sworn declaration.
Make sure you do not submit statements from only one account if you maintain additional accounts.
How to apply for the OVGU STIBET Scholarship
Step 1 — Check whether you are close enough to graduation
You need to expect to complete your degree or doctorate within the next 12 months.
Step 2 — Prepare your justification letter
Explain your financial hardship, study progress and previous sources of funding.
Step 3 — Collect your academic documents
Students should prepare their current transcript.
Doctoral candidates need a statement from their academic supervisor.
Step 4 — Prepare your financial evidence
Collect three months of statements for every bank account you hold.
Include proof of current employment if applicable.
Step 5 — Combine everything into one PDF
OVGU requires the entire application to be submitted as: One complete PDF
