Heinrich Böll Scholarship Interviews 2027: The Lecturer Talk and the Committee
If your file passes the written review, you face two interviews. Both test the same things as your file — grades, engagement, motivation — but now in conversation and largely in German.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
The interview stages are described in info sheets A1 and A2. The Foundation does not publish question lists, so the prep advice below follows from the published criteria rather than from leaked questions.
Stage 2: interview with a liaison lecturer
A liaison lecturer (Vertrauensdozent*in) — a university teacher who works with the Foundation.
About one hour. Usually in person in Germany; digital for non-EU master’s applicants still abroad, and by phone or digitally for PhD applicants.
By mid-May (1 March round) or mid-November (1 September round).
Your academic ability and study plan, plus whether your engagement is real.
If you are still abroad, info sheet A1 (February 2026) says the liaison lecturer will offer a digital interview to non-EU master’s applicants. PhD sheet A2 lists on-site, phone and digital interviews. Do not book travel before the Foundation confirms the format.
Stage 3: the selection committee
The final interview is digital, with a committee of three or four people: one or two external members, one current scholar and one Foundation staff member. The official FAQ says these interviews are generally held in German — which is why B2 is required even for English-taught programmes. Stage 3 takes place in May–July for the March round and December–February for the September round.
Per the info sheets, if you are rejected at stage 3 you may not reapply. Do not treat it as a practice run.
Themes to prepare
These follow directly from the four official criteria:
Explain your programme or research question so that a non-specialist follows it in two minutes.
Tell one story in detail: what the problem was, what you did, what went wrong, what you learned.
Be ready to discuss a current issue in your field or your country — and to disagree politely.
What you share with the Foundation’s values, and what you would contribute as a scholar.
Political-interest questions are not a party test. The committee wants to see that you think about society, can argue a position and listen to another one. Being honest about where you disagree with Green positions is better than reciting them.
Practise in German, out loud
Most international applicants lose points here, not on content. Practise your answers in German with a speaker who will interrupt you. Prepare the vocabulary of your own field and of your engagement. If you get lost, it is fine to ask for a question to be repeated or to rephrase.
Digital interview checklist
Progress: 0% (0 of 6)
After the interview
Award notifications go out in June/July (March round) or January/February (September round). Payments start at the latest on 1 October or 1 April. Keep your German university admission moving in parallel — the scholarship does not replace it.