Heinrich Böll Scholarship Documents 2027: Checklist

Lists below come from info sheet A1 (students, February 2026) and info sheet A2 (PhD). Both sheets tell you to check the website for the latest version, so open them again when the portal opens on 15 January 2027.

Master’s applicants: 8 items

Online application form — CV, motivation, and an outline of your social and political commitment
School-leaving qualification — Abitur or your country’s equivalent, with individual grades
Certified copy of your first-degree certificate — with proof of individual grades (e.g. transcript of records) and an explanation of the grading scale if needed
Enrolment certificate — with the application, or at the latest by the selection interview
German B2 / DSH certificate — mandatory; preferably with the application, at the latest by stage 3
One expert report — from a university lecturer, ideally from your target German programme, on the Böll form
One social-commitment reference — from someone who knows your engagement; not a friend, a family member or the same person as the expert
Refugee status document — only if it applies to you

Progress: 0% (0 of 8)

PhD applicants: 7 items

Online application form — CV, motivation, social and political commitment
Degree certificate — your master’s or equivalent graduate degree
Admission to doctoral studies — or your supervisor’s justified confirmation
German B2 / DSH certificate — mandatory
Exposé (max. 10 pages) — 8 pages outline with bibliography, 1 page structure, 1 page plan and timetable (max. 36 months)
Two expert reports — from professors, assistant professors or Privatdozenten; one from your main supervisor
One social-commitment reference — not a friend or family member

Progress: 0% (0 of 7)

The PhD exposé: 10 pages, fixed shape

Up to 8 pages

Research outline: question, state of research, method, sources, with bibliography.

1 page

Planned structure of the thesis.

1 page

Work plan and timetable, at most 36 months, including preliminary work done.

The FAQ says the exposé itself may be in English, but its abstract must be in German.

The 36-month timetable matters. PhD funding normally runs three years, so a plan that needs five looks unfundable.

German certificate

The B2 (or DSH) proof is a certificate, not a promise. The current master’s sheet lets it follow by stage 3 at the latest; the PhD sheet and the FAQ expect it with the application. Upload it with your file if you can. See eligibility for the DSH 1 vs DSH II discrepancy between the official sources.

References: who, how, when

Practical tips

Explain your grades. If your university uses a scale German readers will not know, add the grading explanation the info sheet asks for. A one-page note from the registrar is ideal.

Enrolment timing. Master’s applicants rarely hold a German enrolment certificate by 1 March. The info sheet allows it to follow, at the latest by the selection interview. Upload your admission letter if you have one and note that enrolment will follow.

One PDF per item. Name files clearly (for example 02_degree_certificate.pdf). Reviewers read many files a round. The portal accepts PDF and JPEG files of up to 5 MB each, according to the FAQ.

Heinrich Böll Scholarship Documents 2027: Master’s and PhD Checklists