Familienstipendium der Universität Siegen

University of Siegen, Germany

Scholarship overview

The Familienstipendium supports enrolled University of Siegen students with family responsibilities who are in financial difficulty in the final semester of a Bachelor's or Master's degree. It helps students complete their degree while writing the final thesis.

Family responsibility means caring for minor children in your own household, being pregnant, or being the main carer of a close relative. The award is paid monthly for one semester. The university is the provider, and awards are made within available funds with no legal entitlement.

Award Information

Enrolled at the University of Siegen in a Bachelor's or Master's programme.
Care for at least one minor child in your own household, are pregnant, and/or care for a relative in need of care (spouse or relative of first or second degree, with a care grade and a plausible account that you are the main carer).
In the last semester of the degree programme.
Writing the final thesis or able to show a comparable workload needed for graduation.
In a difficult financial situation as a result.
Not eligible: applicants who already hold a Master's degree recognised in Germany (exception: consecutive further Master's such as Sonderpädagogik), or who already receive other funding for the same purpose.
Paid work alongside the award is allowed up to 10 hours per week.

Pregnant students: EUR 300 per month.
One child: EUR 380 per month.
Two children: EUR 430 per month.
Three or more children: EUR 480 per month.
Care of a relative in need of care: EUR 430 per month.
Granted for one semester (six months), paid monthly; a follow-up application is possible only in narrowly defined exceptional cases, and funding may not exceed two semesters.
No health, accident or liability insurance is included; the scholarship is taxable only as provided by law (tax-free under section 3 no. 44 EStG) and is fully counted against BAföG entitlement.

Summer semester: 1 March.
Winter semester: 1 September.
In case of pregnancy or a sudden care situation, applications are also possible outside these deadlines.

The committee meets twice a year and normally informs applicants by e-mail within four weeks of the deadline. The call dated 25 March 2026 is the current one published.

Request the application form from the Familienservicebüro.
Combine a short cover letter, the completed form and the proofs into one PDF (or print them).
Send it by e-mail to [email protected] or by post to Familienservicebüro der Universität Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 2, 57068 Siegen.
Submit before 1 March or 1 September; late applications are rejected on formal grounds, except for pregnancy or an acute care case.

Official links

How to apply (official)

Documents you will need

Short cover letter.
Completed application form.
Proof of registration of the final thesis and of all required passed examinations (can be submitted later; funding then starts with proof of registration). If the thesis is already written, proof of the last semester and outstanding requirements, with a clear description of the comparable workload.
Proof of parenthood (e.g. birth certificate), proof of care responsibility (care grade and account of main care), or proof of pregnancy with expected delivery date.

How selection works

The award committee consists of the Gleichstellungsbeauftragte, a Familienservicebüro staff member, two AStA members (at least one from the social department) and two members of the Senate Commission for Studies and Teaching.
Decision follows review of all applications; prior academic performance and prospects of successful completion may also be considered.

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