Claussen-Simon Foundation Master Plus scholarship 2025

Master Plus funding program is aimed at students of all disciplines who are beginning a master's degree program (full-time, on-campus, not dual) at a university in Germany. Applications for the Master Plus program are open for the summer and winter semesters within fixed application deadlines and only before the start of the program.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirments
• Interview Process
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineSeptember 29, 2025
• Study LevelMasters
• SponsorClaussen-Simon-Stiftung
• City to studyHamburg
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

Subscribe for Scholarship Alert!

Benefits

• Funding period: maximum 4 semesters (standard period of study)
• Financial support: independent of BAföG (student support for financial aid) or parental income; scholarships from 300 euros to a maximum of 992 euros per month (based on individual living costs) are possible.
• Budget for active conference participation at home and abroad
• Grants for stays abroad that are closely related to the research or study project (e.g. semesters abroad, research stays, archive trips)
• Non-material support: regular workshops, regional group meetings and networking meetings with other scholarship holders and alumni of the Claussen-Simon Foundation

Requirements

• You will begin your master's program at a German university in the coming semester  . At the time of your application, your master's program has not yet begun.
• You will study full-time and in a classroom-based program. Dual study or distance learning is not possible.
• At the time of your application, you are no older than 35 years.
• You have (presumably) completed your bachelor's degree with a grade point average of 1.7 or better. Alternatively, you are among the top 10% of graduates in your class in your subject (official proof from the Examination Office required).
• You do not yet have a master's degree or other equivalent university qualification.
• Extracurricular activities, such as social engagement, are encouraged.
• German is your first language, or you can demonstrate very good German language skills (B1) (DSH certificate, TestDaF, university course, adult education center course, or language certificate from the Goethe Institute).

These are formal application requirements. Due to our principle of equal treatment of all applicants, we cannot make any exceptions. Therefore, we ask that you refrain from inquiring about possible exceptions.

Interview Dates and Process

1. Activation of the online application portal at the start of the application period

2. Submission of complete application documents on time

3. We will review your documents and send you either an invitation to the selection interviews or a rejection.

4. If invited, you will receive information about the selection interviews at the Claussen-Simon Foundation in Hamburg, in exceptional cases also online, via email relatively shortly. | Dates: July 30 and 31, and August 1, 2025

5. Short-term notification of admission to the Master Plus funding program

Application Documents

• Completed form
• Signed CV, application photo optional
• Abitur certificate or university entrance qualification
• Bachelor's certificate including transcript of records, alternatively: current transcript of records of the bachelor's degree program
• Application or acceptance confirmation from the prospective university for the Master's program (e.g. screenshot of the university's email)
• Cover letter (max. 4000 characters, including spaces)
• Two regular, informal, and, if possible, recent letters of recommendation from university lecturers (the second letter can alternatively be from an internship/employment/volunteering experience); letters of recommendation can be uploaded via the application portal or, alternatively, sent separately and confidentially by the issuing person via email to [email protected]
• Specify a maximum of four relevant extracurricular activities in the form; appropriate supporting documents are desirable (internship, professional experience, language, volunteer work, social commitment, family commitment (e.g., care, upbringing), abroad, scholarship, competition, other)
• Financial requirements: tabular overview of the (expected) living costs, other expenses and income during the Master's program
• For applicants whose first language is not German: Proof of German language skills, at least level B1 or equivalent (DSH certificate, TestDaF, university course, adult education course, or language certificate from the Goethe Institute)

Application Deadline

September 29, 2025

How To Apply

Are you qualified and interested in this opportunity? Kindly go to Claussen-Simon-Stiftung on bewerbung.claussen-simon-stiftung.de to apply

• Applications are only possible during the application period via our application portal. The application period is specified on the Master Plus page. You can access the application portal by clicking on the "To the application portal" button above.
• The application process is entirely digital. You will be guided step by step through the application process and can upload all application documents to the portal. You can see which documents you need on this page under "Application Documents." You can save your application in the application portal during the application period and continue at a later date. Please note that you can only continue your application during the application period. Once the application period is over, the application portal will also be closed.

For more information, kindly visit Claussen-Simon-Stiftung scholarship webpage.