The short answer
Several English-taught universities you can apply to through Craydel award automatic, grade-based tuition discounts of up to 50% (e.g. University of Europe for Applied Sciences, Gisma), and Constructor University offers up to €7,000 a year — often with no separate application. Prestigious external awards like DAAD are fully funded but competitive, and public universities are tuition-free (but German-taught).
Germany has one of the strongest scholarship pictures of any destination for African students — and much of it is automatic and grade-based, meaning your school or degree results alone can unlock a discount without a separate essay competition. This guide covers the university scholarships you can actually get through Craydel, plus the well-known external awards, honestly.
What scholarships can you get to study in Germany?
Two kinds. First, university scholarships at the English-taught universities you can apply to through Craydel — several award automatic, grade-based tuition discounts of up to 50%. Second, external/government scholarships like DAAD, which are prestigious, fully-funded and highly competitive. The university discounts are the ones most students realistically secure, and they stack with a lower-fee university and city.
University scholarships you can apply for through Craydel
These are awarded on your grades — a strong result can roughly halve your tuition. Exact thresholds vary by university and programme.
| University | Scholarship (grade-based) | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| University of Europe for Applied Sciences | up to 50% of tuition | Automatic on qualifying grades |
| Gisma University of Applied Sciences | up to 50% of tuition | Automatic on qualifying grades |
| SRH University | up to 20% of tuition | Automatic on qualifying grades |
| Constructor University | up to €7,000 / year | Automatic on qualifying grades |
| Schiller International University | course fee discounts up to ~€8,500 | On selected programmes |
| Arden University (Berlin) | course fee discounts up to ~€5,900 | On selected programmes |
Scholarship and discount values from Craydel admissions data (2026); awarded automatically on qualifying grades or on selected courses. Exact grade thresholds are confirmed per programme when you apply.
Find out which scholarships your grades unlock
A Craydel counsellor will match your results to the English-taught German universities that will discount your tuition — at no cost to you.
External and government scholarships
Beyond university discounts, Germany hosts some of the world’s best-known fully-funded scholarships. These are competitive and applied for separately (not through an agent), but worth knowing:
DAAD scholarships
The German Academic Exchange Service funds many postgraduate and development-related programmes for students from Africa.
Deutschlandstipendium
A merit grant at participating (mostly public) universities, part-funded by the government.
Public university route
Remember public universities charge no tuition at all — see our study-in-Germany-for-free guide.
External awards (DAAD, Deutschlandstipendium) are applied for directly through the awarding body; check current eligibility and deadlines on their official sites.
What to watch out for
Grade-based university discounts are real and largely automatic — but a “full scholarship” to a private university is rare, and no one can guarantee a competitive award like DAAD. Plan around a fee you can meet (helped by the blocked-account requirement of €11,904 for the visa), and treat any scholarship you win as a bonus. Be sceptical of anyone charging large upfront fees to “secure funding.”
Frequently asked questions
Are there scholarships to study in Germany?
Yes. Several English-taught universities you can apply to through Craydel award automatic, grade-based tuition discounts of up to 50% (for example the University of Europe for Applied Sciences and Gisma), and Constructor University offers up to €7,000 a year. Prestigious external awards like DAAD are fully funded but competitive and applied for separately.
How do I get a scholarship in Germany?
For university discounts, you usually don’t apply separately — they’re awarded automatically on your grades when you’re admitted, so strong results matter most. For external awards like DAAD or the Deutschlandstipendium, you apply directly to the awarding body with their own criteria and deadlines.
Can I study in Germany with a full scholarship?
Full funding exists mainly through competitive external programmes like DAAD, or via tuition-free public universities (which require German). At private English-taught universities the norm is a partial, grade-based discount of up to 50% — genuinely useful, but rarely a full ride.
Do the scholarships need a separate application?
The university grade-based scholarships are typically automatic — applied when your grades qualify, no separate essay. External awards (DAAD, Deutschlandstipendium) do need their own application. A counsellor can tell you which you qualify for.
Sources
- Craydel course, campus and admissions data (2026) — university scholarship programmes and course fee discounts (grade-based, up to 50% / €7,000+).
- DAAD — scholarship database and eligibility for African students. daad.de
- Federal Foreign Office — student visa financial requirement (blocked account €11,904). make-it-in-germany.com
Want this built around your grades and budget?
A Craydel counsellor will shortlist Germany universities that fit what you can actually afford — free.