Konrad Adenauer Stiftung International Scholarship Program: Study and Research in Germany

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung International Scholarship Program: Study and Research in Germany

The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) International Scholarship Program supports committed international students and doctoral candidates who want to study or conduct research at a German university. The official program page describes a combination of financial assistance, seminars, personal mentoring, university-group activities, and an international scholar network. The program is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and is designed for applicants who combine academic ability with social responsibility and an interest in democratic values, human rights, and public life.

This page is now a historical reference for the domestic application round whose deadline was 15 July 2026 at 12:00 noon CET. That deadline has passed. KAS still describes 15 July as the recurring annual deadline for the domestic procedure, but the official program page does not announce a new application date for the next round. Do not treat this archive entry as proof that applications are open, and do not substitute an unannounced future date for the closed round’s real deadline.

At a glance

What the scholarship supports

KAS presents the award as a complete support relationship rather than a one-time prize. For Bachelor’s, Master’s, or postgraduate programs, the official page lists scholarship funding of up to EUR 992 per month. The standard duration for these tracks is two years. Doctoral candidates can receive up to EUR 1,400 per month, with a standard funding duration of three years. The exact award remains subject to the program’s assessment and funding rules; the maximum figures should not be read as an automatic payment to every recipient.

Additional help may be available on request. KAS lists a health insurance subsidy of up to EUR 120 per month, a family allowance of EUR 276 when a spouse lives in Germany for more than three months, and a child allowance of EUR 250 per child when the required documentation is provided. Scholars may also request research travel grants for approved stays abroad, excluding conference visits, and may apply for partial reimbursement of university tuition fees up to EUR 750 per semester in exceptional cases.

The award does not cover every university charge. KAS specifically says that enrollment, re-registration, and exmatriculation fees are not covered; examples include semester-ticket and student-union charges. A realistic budget should therefore include housing, food, transportation, mandatory university charges, residence-related costs, and any expenses that do not qualify for an allowance or reimbursement.

The non-financial part is central to the program. Scholars receive individual guidance, take part in interdisciplinary seminars, and can participate in university groups supported by faculty advisers. KAS also describes a Network of International Scholars where participants exchange practical advice about studying and living in Germany and discuss international issues from different perspectives. The official page says scholars are expected to contribute to this community, not simply collect a monthly payment.

Who can apply

The program is primarily aimed at international students and doctoral candidates from non-EU countries who plan to begin or continue an academic program in Germany. There are several distinct entry points, and an applicant should check the correct one before preparing documents.

Bachelor’s applicants must have successfully completed at least two semesters of a Bachelor’s program at a German university. Master’s applicants must intend to enroll in a four-semester Master’s program at a German university. The official page also allows applicants to apply before their undergraduate degree certificate is available, provided they submit their academic transcripts and provide the certificate when it becomes available. Doctoral applicants must be fully admitted to a doctoral program at a German university.

KAS also supports research stays in Germany that last at least four semesters. The minimum period matters: a short visit or a program that leaves only three semesters of study generally does not fit the funding structure. KAS names three-semester programs such as some LL.M. degrees as generally ineligible. The program supports studies at traditional universities and at universities of applied sciences.

Academic results are only one part of the assessment. KAS looks for above-average performance, broad general education, interest in political and social questions, and a clear commitment to democracy and human rights. Regular volunteer or community engagement is strongly encouraged. The strongest application therefore connects a credible academic plan with concrete evidence of responsibility: community work, civic activity, student initiatives, cultural work, political participation, or another sustained contribution to public life.

German is a substantive requirement, not an optional advantage. Applicants need at least B2 proficiency by the start of their studies. KAS explains that seminars, mentoring, and other non-monetary support are conducted in German, even when the degree itself is taught in English. The official guidance gives examples such as a Goethe-Institut certificate, TestDaF, DSH, or telc certificate. Applicants should confirm that their specific proof is accepted before submitting.

There is no general age limit listed on the official page. There are, however, clear exclusions. KAS does not offer postdoctoral scholarships. It also excludes human medicine, dentistry leading to a state examination, and medical specialization programs. A person who has already completed a PhD cannot use this program for another postdoctoral research project.

How the application routes work

KAS separates applicants who already live in Germany from applicants applying through a country or regional office.

Applicants already living in Germany use the domestic selection procedure. The official program page directs them to the KAS Campus portal, where the application questionnaire and supporting documents must be uploaded. KAS states that the domestic deadline is 15 July at 12:00 noon CET each year. The Campus portal separately lists the International Talent Development application deadline as 15 July each year. For this page’s archived round, the date was 15 July 2026; that window is closed.

Applicants living in their home country or region apply through the relevant KAS office abroad. KAS warns that only selected offices participate in a given year’s international selection. The office may set its own instructions, contact address, document format, and local timetable. An applicant outside Germany should therefore find the current KAS office page first and follow its call for applications instead of assuming that the domestic Campus deadline applies.

The official page does not publish a next-round date. The recurring July wording is useful for planning, but it is not an announcement that a future application portal is open. Before applying in a later round, check the program page, the Campus portal, or the relevant KAS foreign office for a new call and current instructions.

Documents for a complete application

KAS’s official notes and checklist identify the following core materials for student applicants:

• the online application questionnaire in the KAS portal;
• a tabular curriculum vitae, without a photo according to the checklist;
• a motivation letter explaining the academic and personal reasons for applying;
• copies of previous examination certificates, where available;
• academic performance records from the home and/or German university;
• proof of German at least at B2;
• an informal academic reference from a university lecturer or a suitably qualified academic staff member; and
• an admission letter or current enrollment certificate, when already available.

The notes on applying say that certificates not issued in English should be supplied with a German translation. The academic reference should be recent; the official notes specify that it should not be older than two months. Recommendation letters may be submitted in the original language with a German translation, or directly in German or English, subject to the current instructions.

Doctoral candidates submit the student materials plus a dissertation exposé, a second informal academic reference from the doctoral supervisor, and confirmation that the supervisor will supervise the project. KAS’s notes describe a proposal of five to ten pages plus bibliography, with the motivation for the topic, the problem, the proposed approach, methods, and a work schedule. The proposal should preferably be in German; an English proposal is accepted as an exception when the doctorate will be written in English.

A good preparation process starts before portal registration. Make a document checklist for the correct route, request the academic references early, obtain the B2 evidence, and verify that scans are readable and translations are complete. The final upload should be checked against the current portal instructions rather than against an old third-party summary.

Selection and interview

After document review, suitable candidates may be invited to a selection meeting. KAS’s official notes describe a roughly 45-minute individual conversation, generally held in person, with a three-person committee. The discussion is intended to understand the applicant’s educational path, academic goals, and social engagement. For applicants abroad, a representative of the relevant KAS office may join the committee.

Preparation should focus on clarity rather than rehearsed slogans. Be ready to explain why the proposed program requires study in Germany, how the plan fits the applicant’s prior work, what the applicant has learned from civic or volunteer activity, and how the applicant hopes to strengthen connections between Germany and their home country. Doctoral candidates should be able to explain the research question, method, timetable, and supervisory arrangement in plain language.

The program’s values should be addressed through evidence. A statement that merely says an applicant supports democracy is weaker than a concise account of real work in a community, institution, student organization, professional association, or public-interest project. Academic ambition and social responsibility should reinforce each other in the application.

Planning after the closed round

This entry should be used to understand the program and prepare for a future call, not to submit a late application for the archived round. Keep the closed deadline, 15 July 2026, as the historical record. Do not change it to a guessed date for the next cycle. Instead, monitor the official International Talent Development page and the KAS Campus portal for a new announcement, and check the appropriate KAS office if applying from abroad.

When a new call appears, confirm four things before reusing any materials: the eligible country or route, the degree and minimum-duration rules, the required German proof, and the current document list. The stipend figures and allowances should also be checked again because KAS may revise funding rules. A prepared applicant can reuse a CV structure and planning notes, but should refresh transcripts, admission proof, references, language evidence, motivation, and the research plan for the newly published call.

Official links

• KAS International Talent Development program page
• KAS Campus application portal
• KAS notes on applying for the International Scholarship Program
• KAS application checklist for international students and doctoral candidates
• Applicant questions: stipendium-if@kas.de
• Portal technical support: campus.fachadmin@kas.de