Erasmus+, Deutschlandstipendium, Merit Fully-funded Scholarships 2027 Open at Universität Hamburg
At the University of Hamburg, “scholarship” can mean three very different things in 2027: €300 a month for academic and social achievement, hundreds of euros a month to study elsewhere in Europe, or as much as €992 a month for outstanding international students.
The catch is that these opportunities do not share the same eligibility rules—or even the same application status.
The Deutschlandstipendium follows a predictable annual cycle, Erasmus+ supports enrolled Hamburg students going abroad, while the university’s once-popular Merit Scholarship for international students currently has no new application round planned.
Three Funding Scholarship Routes, Three Different Purposes!
| Funding Route | What It Offers? | Who It Is Mainly For | 2027 Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deutschlandstipendium | €300/month | High-performing, engaged UHH students | Annual call normally in October |
| Erasmus+ Study | €540–€600/month at current rates | UHH students studying temporarily elsewhere in Europe | Annual mobility application |
| Erasmus+ Internship | €690–€750/month at current rates | UHH students doing eligible European internships | Available separately |
| Merit Scholarship | Up to €992/month | High-performing non-German degree students at UHH | No further call currently planned |
Deutschlandstipendium: The Scholarship to Watch in Autumn 2026
For students who plan to remain at Hamburg, the Deutschlandstipendium is the clearest recurring funding opportunity.
It pays €300 per month, with half financed by private sponsors and the other half by public funding. Selection rewards strong academic performance but also takes social engagement and personal achievement into account.
University of Hamburg announces these scholarships once each year in October for the following calendar year. The previous competition ran from October 22 to November 12, 2025 for January–December 2026 funding, with around 300 scholarships available.
That makes October–November Deutschlandstipendium 2026 the period 2027 applicants should watch, although the university still needs to publish the exact 2027 dates.
Some awards are tied to particular subjects, while others are open across disciplines.
Erasmus+ Is Not Erasmus Mundus at Universität Hamburg
This distinction matters.
University of Hamburg’s Erasmus+ funding is mainly for students already enrolled at UHH who want to spend part of their degree studying or completing an internship elsewhere in Europe.
For 2026/27, study-abroad grants are €540 or €600 per month depending on the destination country, plus travel support. Funding is currently limited to a maximum of three funded months for a one-semester stay.
The normal Erasmus+ study application deadline is January 31 each year, although Mathematics follows a different schedule.
Internships receive more: current Erasmus+ traineeship rates range from €690 to €750 per month, with an additional €250 monthly top-up available to some students with fewer opportunities, including students with children, disabilities, chronic illnesses and first-generation university backgrounds.
So an international student does not apply to Hamburg through this Erasmus+ scholarship. You generally become a UHH student first and then use Erasmus+ for outward mobility.
What Happened to the €992 Merit Scholarship at University of Hamburg?
This is where applicants need current information rather than old scholarship lists.
University of Hamburg’s Merit Scholarship can provide international students with up to €992 per month for 12 months, renewable up to a maximum total funding period of two years.
Eligible applicants normally need to:
- Be non-German citizens;
- Be pursuing a degree at University of Hamburg;
- have completed at least two semesters at UHH, or one semester in a two-year Master’s programme; and
- Not be eligible for BAföG under the relevant rules.
Doctoral researchers are excluded. But as of September 2026, the university explicitly states that “no further calls for applications are currently planned.”
Applicants should therefore not advertise or plan around a confirmed 2027 Merit Scholarship deadline unless UHH reopens the programme.
A Separate 2027 Door for PhD Applicants
Doctoral applicants should not confuse these student scholarships with PhD admission at University of Hamburg for the intakes of 2027-2028. The Albrecht Mendelssohn Bartholdy Graduate School of Law has two current application windows relevant to 2027:
- October 12–December 14, 2026 for Summer Semester 2027;
- April 12–June 14, 2027 for Winter Semester 2027/28.
Applicants need an outstanding law degree or suitable research-oriented Master’s qualification, a doctoral topic matching the school’s research areas, a research proposal of up to four pages, two academic recommendations and appropriate German or English proof.
For dissertations written in English, the stated minimum is C1, corresponding to at least IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL iBT 100.
Which Route Should an International Student Target?
Think of the University of Hamburg funding landscape in stages.
Already enrolled and academically strong? Watch the Deutschlandstipendium call in autumn.
Already enrolled and planning study or an internship abroad? Erasmus+ is the relevant route.
Looking for the €992 international Merit Scholarship? Do not assume it will reopen in 2027—the university currently says otherwise.
Applying for a doctorate? Follow the relevant graduate-school admission and funding route separately.
That separation is crucial because University of Hamburg does offer several valuable funding opportunities, but there is no single “University of Hamburg Scholarship 2027” application covering all of them.
If you are unsure whether you should target the Deutschlandstipendium, Erasmus+, a future Merit Scholarship reopening, or the 2027 PhD route, leave your degree level, nationality and current University of Hamburg status in the comments below.