Financing your ISM Studies

Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship)

The ISM also participates in the nationwide Deutschlandstipendium, which is a German public-private scholarship. Particularly talented and high-achieving students are supported with 300€ per month. Half of the funds come from the German federal government, the other half is financed by companies, foundations or private individuals. Get more information here.

Application periods:

-  June 1 -  July 31 of the respective year  (for fall term)
-  December 1 - January 31 of the respective year (for spring term)

Scholarships from foundations

Foundation Scholarships

There are many foundations where scholarships can be applied for by our international students. You can find information on scholarships and types of funding on the following websites: mystipendium.de, stipendiumplus.de, stipendienlotse.de.

In addition, there are numerous private foundations without denominational or party ties. To get an overview, we recommend a look at the website e-fellows.net.

Dortmunder-Volksbank-Foundation Scholarship

The Dortmunder-Volksbank-Foundation awards for each - spring and fall term - a semester abroad scholarship in the amount of 2500 Euro unique to 4th semester (Bachelor) or 3rd semester (Master) students of ISM in Dortmund. In the 3rd Bachelor semester and 2nd Master semester the students choose from the university network of the ISM another university, where they spend their integrated term abroad.

Often the choice of a foreign university depends on the costs, course content and location of the partner university. Therefore, the Dortmunder-Volksbank-Foundation in cooperation with the ISM Funding Committee want to enable highly qualified students to choose the desired university without financial worries. For more information, please visit our Study Financing Brochure (PDF).

Scholarships for students from Ukraine

Scholarship for students from Ukraine (DAAD)

The ISM takes part in an aid program with budget resources from the DAAD STIBET (DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service) aimed at students affected by the war in Ukraine.

General requirements:

Only students currently enrolled at ISM can apply for this scholarship. The scholarship grants financial aid of up to 934 Euro/month for the winter semester 2023. Please note that a combination with the scholarships of Philipp Schwartz-Initiative of the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung is not possible.

Please submit your application digitally per This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Öйú×ãÇò²ÊƱÊÖ»ú°æ Office). Only complete applications can be considered.

For further information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (full-time students) or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (exchange students).

ISM Education Fund

ISM Education Fund

Study first, pay later: The Reverse Generation Contract (UGV) is an innovative model for financing studies. During their studies, students do not have to pay any or only pay a part of the tuition fees. After completing their studies, and only if they have reached a stable minimum income, those receiving support make an income-related contribution back to the ISM education fund. The amount of the repayments is linked to the income earned and thus to the personal ability to pay.

To apply, you need to be a citizen of a EU-country or hold a permanent, unrestricted work and resident permit for a EU-country. Basic knowledge of German is required as well. If you meet these requirements, you can apply. When reviewing the applications, we pay close attention to your academic and practical experiences. The student contract with the university does not yet have to be signed.

These payments enable subsequent generations of ISM students to complete their studies without the burden of tuition fees. In this way, the "old" finance the studies of the "young". The ISM education fund is available to students from full-time programs.

Education Loan

Education Loan

From the 5th Bachelor semester and for all Master students, there is also the possibility of using the Education Loan of the German Education & Research Ministry. Students who are already advanced in their studies (from approx. 5th semester) receive the so-called education loans from the BMBF (Bundesministerium f¨¹r Bildung und Forschung/Federal Ministry of Education and Research) at very favorable conditions, also for their time of studying abroad. Please find the exact conditions of the education loan here.