NRWEge grants for students with refugee experience

NRWege grants header picture
© International Office

The International Office can award grants for students with refugee experience. The program is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia.

 

Eligible to apply for the grants are:

Students with refugee experience who are enrolled at the University of Muenster. Language course participants and PhD students are excluded from this program.

 

You can apply for the NRWege grants:

  • if your university entrance qualification was obtained outside Germany/abroad
  • if you are expected to successfully complete your studies
  • if you do not receive social benefits/welfare
  • if you do not have a settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)
  •  
  • if you do not have German citizenship
  • if you have applied for BAföG
  • if you have entered Germany no more than five years ago. There are exceptions to this rule. Please contact us if this rule applies to you/your situation.

 

Application deadline:

You can apply for the NRWege grants until 31 october 2024.

 

Selection criteria:

  • Financial situation
  • Academic achievement(s)
  • Motivation
  • Voluntary/social commitment

 

What types of grants are available?

Full grant | max. 12 months | max. 934 € per month

Merit-based grant | max. 12 months | max. 300 € per month (can be combined with BAföG, an income or another grant)

 

How can you apply for the NRWege grants?

  1. Please complete our online application form on Indico by 31 october 2024 and upload the required documents.
  2. A selection committee will evaluate all grant applications. A decision will be made based on the submitted documents and a personal interview via Zoom. You will be informed about the final decision until 22 november 2024.

 

What application documents do you need to submit?

• Curriculum vitae (CV)

• Letter of motivation

  • Why do you need financial support?
  • What made you choose your study programme?
  • What are your plans after the completion of your studies?

• Enrolment certificate

• Residence permit (both sides)

BAföG: Notification of receipt or rejection (without a certificate from the BAföG office, we cannot proceed with your application)

Self-declaration of income (form can be found on the application portal Indico)

• Proof of social commitment or voluntary work (if available)

• Current Transcript of Records

  • if you apply for a merit-based grant
  • if you apply for a follow-up grant (this means that you have received the NRWege grant in the past)
  • if you apply for the first time for a full grant and are at least in the 4th semester

• Letter of recommendation from a professor confirming academic performance and prospects of academic success (only if you apply for a follow-up grant or submit your first application from the 4th semester onwards)

• Final Declaration (document can be found on the application portal Indico)

 

Pecularities related to BAföG, income or other grants:

If you are a recipient of an income or another grant, this will be deducted from the monthly grant sum. If you receive BAföG you can only apply for a merit-based grant.

If you receive funding from another source retroactively (e.g. BAföG or other grant), you must inform the respective source about the receipt of the NRWege grant and expect a reclaim.

 

Residence titles

You need to meet the following requirements:

  • an initial decision on your asylum application has been made by the BAMF or
  • you have been admitted for temporary protection or on humanitarian grounds or
  • you have been admitted from abroad and there is no enforceable obligation to leave the country and no permanent settlement permit.