Document Actions

FAQs PROMOS

1. Can internships in EU or associated countries be financially supported?

No, only internships with a minimum duration of six weeks in non-EU countries and countries that do not take part in the Erasmus-program can be supported. Please note: The following countries are part of the Erasmus-program: The 28 EU member states plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey and Macedonia.
Switzerland is not an Erasmus-country, therefore stays in Switzerland can be funded by PROMOS. Please note: if you are financially supported by a Swiss funding program, you are not eligible for a PROMOS-scholarship.


2. As a medical student: is it possible to receive a scholarship for the elective period (PJ) or clinical traineeship abroad? 

An elective period or clinical traineeship can be considered as the  mobility type ‘internship’ and is therefore eligible for funding.

 

3. Is an internship at a German institute (German Embassy, Goethe Institute etc.) eligible for funding?

Internships that are supported by a separate DAAD-programme cannot be supported by PROMOS. This concerns the following internships: Internships with international organisations (e.g. the UN), EU institutions, institutions and organisations managing EU programmes, the German Humanities Institutes, the Goethe Institutes, the German Archaeological Institute and German schools abroad. In exceptional cases, funding through the PROMOS programme is possible for these internships outside of Europe: for example, if students have applied for all possible DAAD funding and have been rejected. In this case, students can apply for a PROMOS scholarship.


3.a. Can internships and stays abroad outside of Europe for which the DAAD offers a funding programme line also be funded by a PROMOS scholarship?

Internships and stays abroad for which the DAAD offers a programme line for funding can only be funded by the PROMOS programme in exceptional cases. Namely, if students have applied directly to the DAAD for the appropriate scholarship and have been rejected. In this case, students must first have applied for other DAAD funding opportunities and also been rejected there in order to be able to apply for a PROMOS scholarship. The DAAD rejections must be submitted with the PROMOS application. In principle, double funding is not possible.

Example: A JLU student applies to the DAAD for a scholarship in the Lehramt.International programme and is denied funding. The second step would be to check whether another DAAD programme is suitable, e.g. the DAAD programme “Kurzstipendien für Praktika im Ausland”. If the student cannot be funded through either, he or she is eligible to apply for a PROMOS scholarship.

You can find an overview of the DAAD scholarship programmes here.

 

4. Is participation in a conference abroad eligible for funding?

No, conference participation is not funded by DAAD-PROMOS.

 

5. Can I apply for a PROMOS scholarship even though I am already abroad?

It is possible to submit an application while you are abroad; however, it is not possible to receive a scholarship with retroactive effect. For example: your stay lasts from January 1 until April 30. Assuming the selection meeting is held on January 25, you would receive a scholarship from January 25 to April 30.

 

6. Can I apply after having completed my study period/internship abroad?

No.

 

7. Do I have to be enrolled at the host institution when spending a short study period or when writing my final thesis abroad? 

No, an enrollment is not required. Please note: the PROMOS-programme does not offer exchange or research places; it merely provides financial support for an already confirmed place at your chosen institution. You will have to find out about the application process and prerequisites of the universities, research facilities and institutions yourself.

 

8. Does the FlexNow-document have to be signed and stamped by the examination office?

Yes. It is possible for the following courses of study to print out a FlexNow document online which is valid without signature:

  • B.A/ B.Sc. BWL/ VWL
  • M.A./M.Sc. BWL/VWL
  • Diplom (Business Administration)
  • B.Sc/M.Sc Biology
  • B.Sc. Agricultural Sciences, Nutritional Sciences, Nutritional Sciences and Home Economics, Environmental Management
  • M.Sc. Agricultural and Resource Economics, Food Economics, Livestock Sciences, Environmental Scienes
  • M.Sc. Beverage Technology, Oenology, Wine Economics
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Physics
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Mathematics
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Geography
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Humans- Climate- Paleoenvironment
  • B.Sc./M.Sc.Economic Geography and Spatial Development Policy
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Chemistry
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Food Chemistry
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
  • B.Sc. Physical Acitivity and Health
  • M.Sc. Biomechanics-Motor Skill-Human Motion Analysis
  • M.Sc. Clinical Sport Physiology and Sport Therapy
  • B.Sc./M.Sc. Psychology

 

9. Which documents do I have to submit if FlexNow is not used in my course of study or if I am in my first Master semester and the latest results are not yet available?

If possible, please hand in a student record showing your course achievement signed by your Dean’s office or examination office (=Prüfungsamt). Master students (see above) should provide a copy of their Bachelor's certificate.

 

10. Which proof of language skills will be accepted for a PROMOS-application?

The language certificate must concern the working language of your chosen host institution. The following language certificates will be accepted: DAAD-Sprachnachweis (you can take the DAAD-Sprachnachweis test at the ZfbK) TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, Cambridge ESOL Examination, UNIcert, PTE Academic, DELE and DELF, PTE. Your test results should not be older than 4 years at the time of application!
If you are planning to take the DAAD-language exam, we recommend that you register at the ZfbK in time, test dates are often fully booked.

 

11. Which information needs to be included in the written confirmation for an internship by the hosting institution or the acceptance letter for the final papers?

The institution’s address, contact person, the duration of your internship or research-stay (exact dates) as well as a short abstract on your intended workload.

For an internship, please submit additional information on the terms of your stay: Duration (minimum 6 weeks), working language, and if it is a paid work placement or not.

 

12. How are scholarship holders selected?

A selection committee consisting of the Vice-president for Learning and Teaching, one representative each from the university faculties, the scientific centers, the student body and the International Office selects applicants in a quality-oriented selection process.

 

13. What are the selection criteria?

  • Reasons for the stay abroad (letter of motivation)
  • Feasibility and plausibility of intention
  • Student record (academic achievements)
  • Language skills
  • Individual aptitude
  • Intercultural preparation (intercultural training, etc.)

In case of equal suitability candidates are preferred who have not received funding by PROMOS before.

 

14. Does the PROMOS-scholarship also cover tuition fees?

No. Tuition fees cannot be covered. The scholarship generally includes a monthly scholarship rate. The montly scholarship rate amounts to 300 € for most counries. A list of all countries and the respective amount can be found here.

A PROMOS application for Switzerland is only possible if you successfully applied (outside the Erasmus-Programms) for a place as a "visiting student" at a Swiss University. The confirmation needs to be attached to you application.

 

15. Am I excluded from funding, if I receive international BAföG? 

No, you can receive international BAföG and receive a PROMOS-scholarship at the same time. The international BAföG grants an allowance of € 300 per month. Nevertheless, you will have to notify the BAföG office of every scholarship, regardless of its amount.

 

16. DAAD-scholarships and DAAD-PROMOS

It is not allowed to receive a DAAD-scholarship and a PROMOS-scholarship at the same time.

 

17. ‘Deutschlandstipendium’ and PROMOS

There are no restrictions whatsoever. You can receive a ‘Deutschlandstipendium’ and a PROMOS-scholarship at the same time.

 

18. Can I combine the PROMOS-scholarship with other grants?

If your stay abroad is (partially) funded by another private organization, you can combine this grant with a PROMOS scholarship. If you are funded by a public German organization, the purpose of the scholarshipis an important criterion. For example: receiving a travel grant from another public source means you cannot receive a travel grant from PROMOS but you are still eligible to receive monthly allowances.

 

19. Can I apply for DAAD-PROMOS if I have already received a PROMOS scholarship?

The maximum duration of a PROMOS scholarship is 6 months per study cycle (BA, MA, State Examination). Within one study cycle different projects abroad can be funded by PROMOS up to a maximum of 6 months. Example: you can receive a PROMOS scholarship for an internship in South Africa for two months and a study period it India for three months, all within the period of doing your Bachelor’s degree. Once you have started your Master's programme you can apply again for projects with a (single or combined) maximum duration of 6 months.
Regardless of scholarships for study periods or internships you can still participate in excursions funded by PROMOS.

 

20. Which insurances do I need for my stay abroad?

It is your own responibility to take out sufficient insurances for your stay abroad. The DAAD offers students the option to take out an international insurance (a combination of health-, accident- and personal liability insurance). Information about the rates as well as registration forms can be found on the DAAD web site.

 

21. What are the conditions for funding my final paper?

It is possible to receive a scholarship for preparing and writing your final paper, given that your stay abroad is a critical and integral part of the research you do for your final thesis. You are not allowed to attend regular lectures at the host university. Research that is not done at a university or company can also be supported if your department and your academic supervisor support the project and if you hand in a detailed work plan that can be used for success monitoring later on.
Research for final papers can also be done in Erasmus countries if Erasmus funding is not available for that particular project.

 

22. What do I need to consider before I leave the country?

A PROMOS-scholarship can be granted only if there is no travel warning by the Foreign Office (“Auswärtiges Amt”) (www.auswaertiges-amt.de -> Reise & Sicherheit -> Reisewarnungen) for that particular country.
Should an official travel warning be announced while you are abroad you will be requested to leave the country. Your financial support will be postponed.
For trips to regions with a critical security situation it is advised to register on the website of the Foreign Office („Elektronische Erfassung von Deutschen im Ausland“).