Finance

It is out of doubt that, ideally, one would like to be adequately remunerated for one's performance. However, paying an adequate salary is not common at all institutions or the salary is rather small. Therefore, you should think about your finances and plan early so as not to miss important dates or deadlines to apply for financial aid.

Different funding schemes are available for internships abroad, and some of these can be combined. To find out which one suits you best, you should get in contact with the organisations concerned with sufficient time in advance.

Options for financing exist for example by:

  • ERASMUS+ [only available in German] mobility grants can help finance internships in companies, organisations or even universities in other European countries. Note however that they are not available for internships in European institutions/organisations, national diplomatic representations or organisations which administer EU schemes. Applications [only available in German] should be made to the International Office of OTH Regensburg.


  • The PROMOS [only available in German] programme ("Programm zur Steigerung der Mobilität von deutschen Studierenden") can provide funding for OTH Regensburg students wishing to spend time abroad for study, language courses or internships (the latter mainly outside Europe). Applications for PROMOS funding should be submitted via Mobility Online. To receive the registration link, please contact outgoing-praktikum(at)oth-regensburg.de.


  • The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers numerous funding programmes [only available in German]:

    Short term grants [only available in German] are available for internships which students arrange themselves directly with German representations abroad (embassies, consulates), German schools abroad, Goethe Institutes, the Max-Weber-Stiftung.

    Travel cost allowances [only available in German] are available for internships arranged through the exchange organisations IAESTE, AIESEC, bvmd or ZAD.

    The programme RISE worldwide arranges and funds research internships (6 weeks to 3 months) for undergraduates in engineering and the natural sciences, which are taking place usually during the summer vacation.

    The "Carlo-Schmid-Programm" [only available in German] can sponsor internships with international organisations, EU institutions and selected NGO’s.

    Grants are also available for a  combined study and internship semester [only available in German].

    German students can be sponsored for internships of six month stay in the Russian Federation through the programme „Russland in der Praxis“ (GoEast) [only available in German].

    The scholarship database [only available in German] shows in detail the scholarships offered by the DAAD for studies, research and internship abroad.


  • Students of OTH Regensburg who are preparing for their internship abroad are able to apply for the following grants coming from different foundations:

    "Josef-Stanglmeier-Preis" by the "Josef-Stanglmeier-Stiftung"

    Every year three students of OTH Regensburg with outstanding performance can receive the “Josef-Stanglmeier-Preis” for the financial support of an internship abroad. This award is endowed with 2.500,00 Euros. Detailed information together with the application form can be found here [only available in German].

    Travel cost allowance by the "Josef-Stanglmeier-Stiftung"

    Students of OTH Regensburg can apply for a travel cost allowance by the “Josef-Stanglmeier-Stiftung” to support and finance a stay abroad. The application for a travel grant has to be submitted via Mobility Online together with all additional required documents. To obtain the registration link to this platform, please contact outgoing-praktikum(at)oth-regensburg.de.

    Award by the "Otto Helmut und Alice Eckl-Stiftung"

    Every year selected students of the OTH Regensburg can receive a grant for a stay abroad. Additionally the students can obtain support for their projects abroad. Detailed information together with the application form can be found here [only available in German].


  • Bavarian International Academic Centres

    The Bavarian International Academic Centres invite applications for internships and offer funding options for certain countries:
    - Bavarian Academic Centre for China (BayCHINA) [only available in German and Chinese]
    - Bavarian Academic Centre for Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe (BAYHOST)
    - Bavarian-Indian Centre for Business and University Cooperation (BayIND)
    - Bavarian Academic Centre for Latin America (BAYLAT) [only available in German, Spanish and Portuguese]
    - Bavarian Academic Centre for France (BayFrance)

    Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO /DFJW)

    The Franco-German Youth Office (FGYO) [in German abbreviated as DFJW] can provide funding for subject-related internships in France.

    "Anke-Reese-Stipendium" (Asia) [only available in German]

    This stipend offers the possibility to receive financial sponsoring for a work placement within a non-governmental organisation in Asia.

    Germany and the USA

    Through the programme "Deutsch-Amerikanisches Praktikantenprogramm" [only available in German], applicants who have completed a recognized training, graduates or young professionals can be sponsored for a 2 to 12 month internship in the USA through the “Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)”.


  • Government-funded student loans ("BAföG") are also available to finance time spent abroad during your studies. It’s worthwhile applying to the responsible student loan office for a stay abroad [only available in German] (there are 17 such offices in Germany which deal with different countries worldwide) because different rates apply than with domestic student loans in Germany.


  • A survey of further foundations or scholarship providers can be found here [only available in German] as well as through the following links:

    Grants and scholarships database, e.g.:

    - of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) [only available in German]
    - of e-fellows.net [only available in German]
    - of EuropeanFundingGuide
    - of mystipendium.de [only available in German]
    - of Stipendien-Tipps.de [only available in German]

    Foundations, e.g.:

    - Dr. Jost Henkel Stiftung
    - Heinrich J. Klein Foundation
    - Robert Bosch Stiftung
    - Association of German Foundations
    - Stifterverband: Promoting Science and Education

    International grants through Eidam & Partner [only available in German]

    In return the student is required to conduct a survey in the destination country (distributing questionnaires).


  • In addition to the general funding programmes the opportunity might exist to take out an education loan by the Federal Office of Administration [only available in German] or KfW student loan.


Any Questions?

At the International Office of the OTH Regensburg, we gladly assist you with any questions you may have.

Contact for the internship semester abroad:

Zoom Office hours:

Mondays, 10-11 a.m.
(please find the Zoom access link in the ELO course "Auslandspraktikum (Internship abroad)")

 

Office Hours (in person):

Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m. in room D 115