Finances and Scholarship

The standard of living in the Federal Republic of Germany is high and, consequently, so too are the costs and expenses needed to be able to share in that standard. You should reckon with monthly expenses totalling at least € 600. Your will find that this will allow you only a very modest lifestyle. If you do not hold a scholarship or grant, you have to proof to the German foreign mission in your country as well as to the Alien's Registration Authority in Germany, that you can finance your stay in Germany. This means, that you have to provide proof that you have sufficient financial resources at your disposal for the duration of your studies ("Finanzierungsnachweis"). The minimum amount is approximately € 7200 per year, i.e., € 600 per month, but may differ from Authority to Authority. (Please note, that you are allowed to import as much foreign currency into Germany as you wish, but you should check on currency regulations and restrictions in your own country.)

Scholarships
There are a lot of possibilities for getting a grant. At least three are shown in the following:

1. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) grants four to seven scholarships to students of the Master course NHRE within the program "Postgraduate Courses for Professionals with Relevance to Developing Countries". You have to submit your application until the 15 October 2021 for the enrolment for the winter semester 2022/2023. Further information about the focus of the scholarship program can be obtained from here.
2. You can also apply at DAAD for an individual grant. Please have a look at this DAAD web page.
3. The program "Leadership for Africa" is starting off with refugees as well as nationals from Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania as well as from Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Senegal. If you are from these countries, you can check out this program as well.

Working in Germany
It is possible for international students in Germany to work part-time to cover your living expenses. Please note, that this normally does not cover your living expenses in total! Please check the maximum allowed hours to work as a student. The German authorities (responsible are local employment agency (Agentur fur Arbeit) and the foreigners’ registration office (Ausländerbehörde)) adhere strictly to the employment legislation applicable to foreign students in Germany. Any violation may lead to immediate expulsion from Germany. Although students from EU countries may work in Germany, jobs are not so easy to find.

Scholarship holders and foreign students who are not citizens of an EU country may only earn a kind of pocket-money; such work is carefully monitored. Please ensure that you give serious consideration to the proof of financial resources. (See also this DAAD web page).

The Master programs NHRE are tuition free. However, all students at the Bauhaus-University have to pay an administrative fee (the so called "Verwaltungskostenbeitrag") and a social contribution ("Semesterbeitrag") which contributes to social benefits such as free railway transportation within the region, free bus usage in Weimar and the student service organisation ("Studentenwerk"). The actual semester contribution can be found here. Further information is available on this page.

Student health insurance
As a student you are eligible for statutory health insurance at the lowest monthly rates. This regulation does not apply to students who are over the age of 30 (see below). The largest statutory insurance company is the "Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK)". A number of other "Ersatzkassen" insurance companies offer comparable staturory health cover. At present the monthly insurance premium at the "AOK" amounts to € 110 (see also the "AOK" web site ).
Some countries’ health insurance schemes are recognized in Germany, so you may be able to continue being insured in your own country. However, the decision if your countries’ health insurance is accepted as an adequate health insurance cover rests with the "AOK" in the town or city you are studying in. Please note also, that an accident insurance is not accepted as an adequate health insurance cover.

Are you over 30 years of age?
If you are over 30 years of age, you are not bound by the statutory health insurance regulations. However, this is not actually a privilege, since private insurance is significantly more expensive than statutory insurance. We recommend that you ask the "AOK" whether you might not be eligible for statutory or voluntary insurance cover after all.