Cost of living and funding options
The cost of living in Passau
You should budget for a minimum of €760 per month for accommodation, food, transport and other activities; this sum does not yet include your health insurance contributions! If you need a visa to come to Germany, this is the amount you must have available to you (e.g. paid into a blocked account) for each month. Nevertheless, your actual cost of living will vary depending on your lifestyle, and so you should treat this figure as an absolute minimum.
The University of Passau does not charge tuition fees. However, you have to pay a contribution of currently (as of summer semester 2020) €74.50 per semester at matriculation and re-registration. Much of this semester contribution goes to the student services association, which runs the refectory, cafeterias and halls of residence, among other things. The semester contribution also includes the fee for a semester bus pass for buses operated by Stadtwerke Passau (SWP).
Scholarships and student grants
Scholarships are usually awarded on the basis of academic performance; the applicant's financial situation only plays a minor role in the decision. For this reason scholarships (particularly scholarships which are granted by the University of Passau) are not awarded before the start of the period of study.
If you wish to apply for a scholarship before coming to Germany, please contact the German Embassy or German Consulate in your home country well in advance.
Funding options offered by the University
The International Office awards a small number of scholarships every year to international degree-seeking students who have been enrolled in a bachelor's programme for at least two semesters or in a master's programme for at least one semester.
Application deadlines:
- 28 February for a scholarship during the summer semester
- 31 July for a scholarship during the winter semester
If you have any questions concerning this scholarship please contact Stefanie Dallmeier, room VW 108, phone: +49 851 509 1165.
International students faced with financial hardship and are thus unable to finance their cost of living and their studies, may apply for a one-off grant of 500 euros under the 'Promotion of Internationalisation' programme. You must have studied at the University of Passau for at least two full semesters before you can apply for this grant. Application form for the emergency grant
Despite its name, which translates as 'Germany scholarship', this scholarship is available to all students, regardless of citizenship. This scholarship, with a stipend of 300 euros per month, runs for one year and you may re-apply in subsequent years. For further details, visit the Deutschlandstipendium page.
Funding options from external institutions
A very small number of students are eligible for support under the German Federal Education Assistance Act (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz, BAföG). Under certain conditions refugees, stateless persons and EU students with children can be awarded a BAföG grant. For details, contact:
Student Services Association (Studentenwerk)
Amt für Ausbildungsförderung
Innstr. 41
94032 Passau
Germany
Phone: +49 851 509 ext. 1904, 1905 or 1906
Graduates from German international and partner schools who are setting out on a degree programme in Bavaria may obtain scholarships from BayBIDS.
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides scholarships to international students, and its scholarships database also lists many scholarships from third-party institutions.
Students coming to Passau on the basis of the ERASMUS programme receive scholarships through their own university. Please contact the programme co-ordinator or the International Office at your home university for further details.
The Protestant Student Community (Evangelische Studierendengemeinde; ESG) has compiled a scholarship guide (in German) for students with undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral qualifications from Eastern European countries.
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