Funding your studies: By the numbers

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We expect to award 90 partial scholarships covering 50% of tuition fees in 2024.

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We expect to award 25 full scholarships in 2024.

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We expect to award a total of 2.5 million euros in full and partial scholarships in 2024.

Funding your studies

Our mission is to educate the next generation of government, business and civil society leaders. We recognise that pursuing a graduate degree is a significant financial commitment for most students, and we strive to offer various support options to create an inclusive learning environment that prioritises merit over ability to pay.


Student voices

“After almost a decade of working, starting fresh with Masters was a major financial risk. The financial aid that I received from the Hertie School has helped me immensely and boosted my confidence that I can kickstart my career in a new direction.”

Diksha Choudhary, MPP 2022

“I decided to pursue the MPP at Hertie School to leverage my managerial, leadership, and analytical skills for more impactful work in the Brazilian public sector. The Scholarship for Public Servants in Brazil, funded by Republica.org, enabled me to do so.”

Marina Luna, Brazil, MPP 2022

“The Future of Europe Scholarship enabled me to further pursue my interest in European affairs. Had it not been for the scholarship, I would not have been able to study at the Hertie School.”

Toma Pavlov (Bulgaria), MPP 2019

“The scholarship from the Hertie School helps me to expand my intellectual boundaries and enables me to further develop my skills as an advocate for students from socially disadvantaged families.”

Neslihan Altun (Germany), MPP 2019

FAQs

What types of funding are offered to students by the Hertie School?

Full scholarships: These are competitive awards that cover 100% of the tuition fees. Eligibility for full scholarships is assessed based on an applicant’s profile, as well as their demonstrated interest in the scholarship-relevant topic. An essay is generally required to apply for one of Hertie’s full scholarships.  

Partial scholarships: These are reduction to the tuition fees that range from 10% to 50%. All applicants with demonstrated financial need can apply for Hertie School partial scholarships. 

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Who’s eligible for partial scholarships and how are they allocated?

All candidates with demonstrated financial need who apply by 1 May are eligible for partial scholarships.

Partial scholarships are allocated on the basis of need and merit within the pool of admitted students. The Admissions Committee ranks all MPP and MIA applicants based on the following criteria:

  • Personal suitability (CV, professional experience, entrepreneurship, international experience, civic engagement) [weight: 40%]
  • Academic excellence (strength of academic background, academic performance - grades/transcripts, general academic qualification, linguistic qualification) [weight: 40%]
  • Motivation (convincing motivation to study public policy or international affairs, motivation to study at the Hertie School, overall coherence) [weight: 20%]

The Admissions Committee ranks all MDS applicants based on the following criteria:

  • Academic excellence (Strength of academic background, academic performance - grades/transcripts, general academic qualification, linguistic qualification) [weight: 40%]
  • Quantitative and technical ability (Understanding of statistics, mathematics and/or programming, as proven through a relevant degree, coursework or extracurricular activities (e.g. competitions in programming, hackathons, personal data-related projects and research) [weight: 30%]
  • Personal suitability and motivation (CV, professional experience, entrepreneurship, international experience, civic engagement) [weight: 30%]

These rankings are the basis for the allocation of partial scholarships for students with financial need. We define financial need as the applicant's capacity to finance their living expenses and tuition from their own resources.

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What are the deadlines for the scholarships offered by the Hertie School?

Deadlines for the full scholarships vary depending on the specific scholarship. You can find all deadlines and application requirements in each of the full scholarship’s page.

Partial scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis. If you need financial assistance, we encourage you to apply for partial scholarships by the priority deadlines (MPP/MIA/MDS: 1 February, Executive MPA: 1 June).

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Do I have to be admitted before applying for scholarships?

No. You can apply for Hertie School full and partial scholarships while submitting your application. To actually receive funds, however, you must be admitted and enrolled at the university.

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When will I know if I got the full or partial scholarship?

After admission, it takes on average two to four weeks for the committee to decide whether you are eligible for partial scholarships (depending on when you have applied, see table below), and you will be notified via email.

Application submitted

Partial scholarship decision communicated

Decision deadline

October to December

December

Mid-February

December to 1 February

March

Mid-April

February to April

April

Mid-May

April to 1 May

May

Mid-June

 
The decision on full scholarship depends on the scholarship’s specific deadline.

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Is it possible to apply for both the full and the partial scholarship at the Hertie School?

Yes. It is possible to apply to both options. However, it is not possible to apply to two full scholarships.

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Is there a search tool to help me find sources of funding?

Yes. You can access our online Funding Navigator here.

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Does the Hertie school offer country-specific scholarships?

The Hertie School cooperates with some external funding organisations in some countries. You can find more information in our external funding page.  

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Are there student loan schemes that the Hertie School can offer?

No. However, we cooperate with student funds organisations such as Deutsche Bildung, Brain Capital or Lendorse. Please get in touch with those organisations directly if it is something you’d be interested in. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the structure of these initiatives and consider the clauses in the contract carefully to determine the funding option that will suit you best.

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Are there other funding options for students?

There is a wide range of outside funding sources available for students applying to master’s programmes. Funding options might include governmental offices, foundations, organisations, or banks. You can find more information about external funding here.

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Who do I get in touch with to find external funding options?

Upon admission, you can contact the Student Funding Office to get a personalised list of scholarships based on your country of origin and German language skills. The Student Funding Office also provides additional resources such as links to search engines and contacts of partner organisations.

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When should I start applying for external funding?

It makes sense to start your application process once you receive the letter of admission. Make sure to look for funding options as early as possible because deadlines vary significantly.

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Is German language proficiency a requirement?

It depends. While many scholarships offered in Germany require you to present a certificate of some level of German language proficiency (usually B2-C1) there are plenty external funding opportunities that do not.

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Can I combine Hertie School full or partial scholarship and external funding?

Yes. It is possible to receive a scholarship from the Hertie School and cover the rest of your tuition fees and living expenses with scholarships and loans outside of the Hertie School. In fact, this is how most of our students finance their studies.

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Am I allowed to work as a student?

Keep in mind that with a student residence permit you are allowed to work up to 20 hours/week during term time, and 40 hours/ week during the holiday breaks. You can easily find student job listings on sites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and company-specific pages. The Hertie School also regularly posts vacancies for internal student positions in academic and administrative departments. For more information about student jobs in Berlin, you can visit the page of Studierendenwerk.  

Please note that some organisations require that a scholarship receiver should prioritise their studies and only work a specific number of hours, usually 10 hours per week.

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What is the cost of living in Berlin?

Depending on your specific circumstances the average cost of living can vary. As a reference, the necessary amount to open a blocked bank account (often required for obtaining a German visa and/or residence permit) is 11,208 euros for annual expenses (equivalent to 934 euros per month).

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