Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen Scholarships for International Students 2026

Most funding connected to the University of Tübingen is designed for an in-person study or research stay in Tübingen (or elsewhere in Germany), not for “online-only” degrees.

Both exist, and it depends heavily on the program: many undergraduate and state-exam tracks in Germany are primarily in German, and the university explicitly notes you cannot get provisional admission “without German language skills.”

At the same time, some programs are fully English-taught. For instance, the Computational Linguistics program states: “All courses in the Computational Linguistics program are taught in English,” and it expects formal English proof (e.g., IELTS/TOEFL) unless you qualify for an exemption.

Even if your degree is in English, scholarship success can still be helped by German: Tübingen notes German (often B2/C1) is important for many scholarships “even if the selected study program is solely taught in English,” and Amit Srivastava described receiving “a four-month German language course” as part of his DAAD-funded research stay.

There is no single university-wide “age limit” that applies to all scholarships; eligibility is usually based on your study stage, academic merit, fit, and the specific sponsor’s rules. In the Global Scholarships stories, Harini received DAAD-WISE “during my bachelor’s,” while Amit Srivastava was funded for PhD sandwich-model research—showing opportunities across very different stages.

What does vary is the scholarship type: some DAAD/foundation programs may have practical constraints (for example, “early career” focus or limits on how long ago you graduated), so always check the exact call for applications.

Funding opportunities around Tübingen are generally open across fields (STEM, engineering, business/economics, humanities, and more), especially when the scholarship is university-wide (like the Deutschlandstipendium) or when you use broader databases like DAAD’s, which let you filter by subject area.

• STEM & engineering: Harini highlighted that DAAD-WISE is “for Indian undergraduate students in science and engineering,” and she used it for a biotechnology research internship at Tübingen.
• Humanities & language-related fields: Some tracks are explicitly English-taught (e.g., computational linguistics), and scholarships like Deutschlandstipendium are not restricted to one faculty.
• Business: Business/economics students typically compete for broad merit scholarships (Deutschlandstipendium) and external funding (DAAD/foundations), rather than a “business-only” university scholarship.
• Medicine: Tübingen is a major medical-university location in Germany, but medicine is highly regulated and typically German-taught; international students can apply but should expect strict language requirements and intense competition. Scholarships for full medical study are more often external (DAAD/foundations) than university-funded.

It depends on the scholarship. Some options are broadly open regardless of nationality (as long as you study at Tübingen), while others are nationality-specific through external sponsors.

• Open to many nationalities: Tübingen lists university-linked options such as the Deutschlandstipendium (with merit criteria) and STIBET grants for international students already studying at Tübingen.
• Nationality-targeted examples: Harini explained DAAD-WISE is for “Indian undergraduate students,” while Tübingen also points to dedicated DAAD programs that can be country-specific (e.g., Ukraine-focused calls).

Often yes, but it’s program-specific. For English-taught options, some departments clearly require an English level proof; for example, the Computational Linguistics program requires at least B2 and lists benchmarks like “IELTS: 6.5” and “TOEFL iBT: 79,” with exemptions for native speakers or English-medium schooling.

For German-taught programs, you’ll typically need recognized German certificates (often via TestDaF/DSH routes), and Tübingen’s admissions FAQ makes clear you cannot enroll first and “learn German later” via provisional admission.

There are exceptions: Amit Srivastava said he “was exempt from submitting a formal English language test,” but he still advised applicants to take one: “I strongly recommend others complete one like the GRE, TOEFL, or IELTS.”

For admission, requirements depend on the degree and department (some are open-admission; others are selective). For example, the Computational Linguistics MA notes it requires a good prior degree (“gut” or better) in a relevant field, beyond the English requirement.

For scholarships, there can be explicit grade thresholds: Tübingen notes the Deutschlandstipendium typically expects a strong average grade (given as 1.40 or better on the German scale).

From the scholarship stories, strong academics clearly helped: Harini shared she had “a CGPA of 9.3/10,” and she emphasized aligning academics and projects with the research internship.

A strong profile usually combines grades, relevant projects/research, and a clear fit with the host group/program. Harini said her “academic background and project experience” supported her DAAD-WISE application, and she stressed the “motivation letter was the most important part.”

For research-heavy funding (PhD/visiting research), a concrete plan matters a lot: Amit Srivastava wrote, “I had to prepare a comprehensive research proposal,” and he later summed up what helped: a “well-defined research plan,” strong recommendations, and practical experience.

• Evidence of academic excellence (high GPA/strong grade conversion).
• Relevant experience: lab work, internships, research assistantships, publications (if any).
• Clear purpose: a tailored motivation letter/statement of purpose that matches the program and sponsor’s values.
• Strong referees: letters from professors who can speak to your work in detail.

Your exact checklist depends on whether you’re applying to a degree program or a scholarship, but typical degree applications include transcripts/degree certificates, language certificates, and any program-specific items; Tübingen also states if your documents are not in German or English, they must be translated by an officially certified translator.

Tübingen further notes that applicants who obtained their university entrance qualification in China (except Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao), India, or Vietnam must submit an APS certificate, and required documents generally need to be uploaded by the deadline.

Real examples from scholarship recipients can help you sanity-check your packet: Harini said she applied via the DAAD portal with items like a motivation letter, “CV in Europass format,” transcripts/mark sheets, a recommendation letter, an invitation letter from a German host, and a passport copy; she also warned, “Germany requires a lot of documentation.”

For doctoral/research funding, Amit Srivastava described polishing core materials like a research proposal and statement of purpose, noting “accuracy and professionalism really matter,” plus strong recommendation letters.

For standard degree applications, Tübingen’s official international admissions pages focus on the online application process and required documents rather than highlighting a standalone “application fee,” and they also note they do not route applicants through Uni-Assist (so you typically avoid Uni-Assist service fees).