The Funding Application: How does it work?

You’ve just been admitted to the Hertie School? Congratulations! It’s time to apply for a scholarship through our brand-new Funding Application. We know funding is a key component in preparing for your studies, so we want to guide you through the scholarship application process. But first, some important information to keep in mind: 

• Only admitted students will receive access to the Funding Application – this way we can guarantee that your programme application is need-blind, and funding will have no impact on your admission decision. 
• Make sure you submit your programme application before one of our key deadlines: Early Bird (1 December) or Priority Deadline (MPP/MIA/MDS: 15 January for non-EU/EEA, 15 February for EU/EEA; Executive MPA: 1 June)
• Once you receive your admission letter, you will get access to the Funding Application. Keep an eye out for the email, you will have two weeks to complete the form and apply for scholarships. 
• If you do not submit the Funding Application and necessary documents by the deadline, you will not be considered for a scholarship. 

The Funding Application 

The Funding Application is the form used by students to submit applications for our full and partial scholarships as well as to provide insights into their financial situation. The application is divided into three sections: 

• A financial aid section to apply for our partial and full scholarships 
• A financial plan section to build the funding strategy for your studies – including savings, student loans, scholarships and other types of aid
• A background section about your financial background and previous studies

Here are useful tips from the Student Funding Office to help you fill it out!

1.    Financial aid
The financial aid section focuses on our full and partial scholarships. Here you will be able to apply for the full scholarship that matches your profile and directly upload your personal statement. At the same time, you can choose to be considered for a partial scholarship and even submit your application for a profile-specific scholarship, such as the German Foundations Scholarship. 
Don’t worry if you haven’t finished your scholarship essay yet, you will be able to save your progress and go back to upload your required documents. 

2.    Financial plan
We understand that the expenses associated with studying at Hertie require a substantial financial commitment. The financial plan allows you to start building your funding strategy and, at the same time, gives us insight into your financial situation to ensure a fair and equitable allocation of scholarships. Beyond considering funds personally available to applicants, we also consider potential access to external funding options such as loans and income-share agreements when assessing financial need.
In the financial plan, you are asked to provide information on: 

• Your savings and any financial contribution to your studies’ budget – please keep in mind that you only need to include the amounts you have secured for your studies. You don’t need to add savings tied up to other expenses! 
• The external sources of funding you are considering, such as student loans, scholarships or awards
• Your plan to cover living expenses in Berlin and, if required, a plan for your blocked account

Don’t worry if you haven’t secured all the funds at the time of completing the application, this form is a great starting point to build your financial plan and explore external funding options. Our Funding Navigator is a useful tool to assist in your search for funding.

3.    Background
We recognize that many factors influence one’s economic status. We want to learn about the circumstances impacting your finances in the background section. For example, a chronic health condition or financially dependent family members. 
On top of that, the short statement of financial need provides the space to explain your situation and include any information you deem relevant for your assessment of financial need. 

Completing the Funding Application

We are almost done! The last step to submit your application is a signature – you will need to download the Declaration of Finances attachment and sign it digitally. Once you upload the document, you have completed the Funding Application! 

Before you hit submit, make sure you upload all your scholarship documents, all financial information is in euros and no questions are left unanswered.  

Best of luck with your scholarship applications! 

Have any questions? Reach out to us

We’re here for you if you have any questions about the application process, so don’t hesitate to send an email to the Student Funding Office at studentfunding[at]hertie-school[dot]org or join one of our office hours.