Germany takes the next step: monetary gift for South Africa students in Germany

By: My German University on 17 July 2020

Germany takes the next step: monetary gift for South Africa students in Germany


The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is stepping up the Corona assistance for foreign students: For the months of July and August, the German government offers financial support that does not have to be paid back.



All students enrolled at German universities who have fallen into an emergency situation due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, can apply for the interim financial aid.


At MyGermanUniversity.com, students can find 1,700 English-language Masters in Germany


According to MyGermanUniversity, a portal that supports German universities in recruiting international students, this help is especially important for foreign students, since in this group 75% work in Germany during their studies and are thus more vulnerable to financial hardships throughout the pandemic. Tobias Bargmann, CEO of MyGermanUniversity welcomes the new support: "The interim financial aid is, so to speak, a gift to students. Thus, many South African students can continue their studies in Germany without fear of additional debt". He adds that the pandemic can be perceived as stressful, especially for international students, who are often far away from their families, and emphasizes that the government's measures can at least ease the financial worries.


In order for students from South Africa to be able to use the interim aid, they must prove that they are currently in a financial emergency due to the pandemic, for example, because their part-time job has been cancelled. Depending on the situation of the applicant, the bridging allowance varies between 100 and 500€ per month. MyGermanUniversity advises all South African students enrolled at German universities to make use of this option.


In an international comparison, Germany stands out as one of the countries that are also supporting foreign students in the Covid-19 pandemic. This fits in with the general internationalization strategy of the German higher education landscape, making Germany one of the most popular destinations for international students. According to MyGermanUniversity, approximately 300,000 international students are studying at German universities.


About MyGermanUniversity

MyGermanUniversity is a Hamburg-based start-up in the field of educational technology (EdTech). The start-up helps international students find the right offer from more than 400 universities and 20,000 study courses to choose from. The personalized StudyFinder allows students to master their individual way to study in Germany.


At www.MyGermanUniversity.com the start-up has built up Germany's largest database of English-language master's degree programs - with over 1,700 programs for students to choose from.