Costs and funding
The cost of living in Passau
Your actual cost of living will vary depending on your lifestyle. In Passau, you can use the following guideline to estimate typical monthly expenses:
- Accommodation: 250 - 450 Euros
- Groceries / food: 200 - 300 Euros
- Books and other purchases: 50 - 100 Euros
- Health insurance: 115 Euros (if you are aged under 30) or 190 Euros (if you are aged over 30)
At the start of each semester, you will also have to pay the semester contribution, which includes a bus pass for city busses within Passau.
Proof of financing
If you need a visa or a residence permit to stay in Germany, you will have to prove that you have access to at least 934 Euros per month (as of January 2023). This financial requirement is tied to the maximum student grants and loans that German nationals may be able to access (BAföG). It is not adjusted for local variations in living costs, so you must have access to the same amount regardless of whether you study in a comparatively costly city such as Munich, or a comparatively affordable city such as Passau. Of course, in a city with lower living costs, it is up to you whether you spend the entire amount.
Funding options offered by the University
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 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.
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.
In addition, the Bayerische Hochschulzentrum für Mittel-, Ost- und Südosteuropa (BAYHOST) always announces scholarships for various purposes. You can find more information on the BAYHOST website. Currently (as of 28.07.2023), for example a scholarship for graduates from Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and Hungary.
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