Waiver scholarships, exemptions and waivers

This waiver scholarship is intended for high-achieving students who: 

• are about to enroll in a Master’s degree program at TUM, or  

• are currently in the first semester of their Master’s degree program at TUM.  

Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance at the institution where you obtained the qualification required for admission to your Master’s degree program. The number of scholarships available is limited. 

What does the waiver scholarship cover? 

Successful applicants are generally granted a waiver of the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries for two semesters. 

• You may reapply for the scholarship. 

• No funds are paid out directly. 

Application

• January 1 to May 31 for the following winter semester  

• November 1 to January 15 for the following summer semester  

Submit your application online during the relevant application period. 

Starting in Winter Semester 2026/27: 

https://tum.aptecloud.valucon.de/datenabfrage/NonEU26WMasterLeistung 

Depending on how your ranking is verified, you may also need to submit the original ranking document by post (see Required documents). 

Required documents 

To assess your academic performance, you must provide an official ranking certificate issued by the institution where you obtained the qualification required for admission to your Master’s degree program. 

The ranking certificate must include the following information: 

• Name of the issuing institution  

• Institution address  

• Contact details of the issuing office  

• Name of the responsible contact person at the institution  

• Name of the ranked student  

• Date of birth of the ranked student  

• Ranking as a percentage within the cohort, or rank within the cohort together with the cohort size  

• Definition of the cohort (degree program or field of study included in the ranking) 

• Date of issue  

For official recognition, the certificate must be verified in at least one of the following ways: 

• A valid online verification code issued by the institution, or  

• a qualified electronic signature and qualified electronic seal, or  

• the institution’s original ink stamp and the handwritten signature of the responsible contact person at the institution. 

If the electronically submitted ranking certificate does not contain a valid online verification code, a qualified electronic signature, or a qualified electronic seal, you must submit the original document by post. 

The document must arrive within two weeks after the end of the application period: 

• By June 14 for the winter semester  

• By January 29 for the summer semester  

If the document is not received by the deadline, the ranking certificate will be considered missing. The date of receipt by TUM is decisive. 

Postal address 

TUM CST Fees and Scholarships 
Arcisstraße 21 
80333 Munich 
Germany 

Documents in other languages 

Submit all supporting documents in German or English. Translations must be prepared by a sworn or officially certified translator. Please ensure that the translated document includes: 

• The original stamp  

• The translator’s signature  

• The translator’s name and type of certification or authorization in plain text 

This waiver scholarship is intended for applicants who are beginning their studies at TUM and are unable to cover the tuition fees due to financial hardship. Successful applicants receive the waiver scholarship starting in their 1st semester. The number of scholarships available is limited. 

Already receiving a waiver scholarship and expecting to study beyond the standard duration of your degree program? If so, please contact tuitionfees-internationalspam prevention@cst.tum.de directly during the final semester of the standard duration of your degree program. 

What does the waiver scholarship cover? 

Successful applicants are granted a waiver of the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries for the standard duration of their degree program. No funds are paid out directly. 

Bachelor’s applicants 

• 15 May 15 to 15 July for the following winter semester. 

Submit your application online during the relevant application period. 

Starting in Winter Semester 2026/27: 

https://stipendienunderlaesse.tum.de/datenabfrage/NonEU26WBachelorBeduerftigkeit 

Master’s applicants 

• 1 January to 31 May for the following winter semester  

• 1 November to 15 January for the following summer semester  

Submit your application online during the relevant application period. 

Starting in Winter Semester 2026/27: 

https://tum.aptecloud.valucon.de/datenabfrage/NonEU26WMasterBeduerftigkeit  

Required documents 

To assess your financial need, you must submit various supporting documents, such as: 

• Bank statements from the past 18 months  

• Proof of income and assets (for example, income tax assessments or pension statements)  

• Where applicable, documents relating to your family situation (for example, birth certificates)  

The required documents may also relate to your parents or spouse.  A complete list of all required documents can be found in the application form. 

This waiver scholarship is intended for TUM students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance during their studies at TUM. Successful applicants receive the waiver scholarship starting no earlier than the 3rd semester. The number of scholarships available is limited. 

What does the waiver scholarship cover? 

Successful applicants are granted a waiver of the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries for two semesters. You may reapply for the scholarship. 

Application

• 31 May to 30 June for the following winter semester  

• 30 November to 31 December for the following summer semester  

Submit your application online during the relevant application period. The current application form is be available here:
stipendienunderlaesse.tum.de/datenabfrage/NonEU26WBestandLeistung

Required documents 

As part of your application, you must upload your current TUM Examination Report. You can generate it in your TUMonline account using the "TUM Examination Report" application under "Examinations." 

Only if applicable for start-up founders: 

• A current letter of recommendation from the professor supervising the start-up, and  

• A current letter of recommendation from the TUM Entrepreneurship Advisory Service. 

Full details on eligibility requirements, scope, application periods, selection criteria, and procedures can be found in the Guidelines for Waiver Scholarships (German, PDF). 

If you have an established domestic connection as defined in Section 8 (1)–(4) of the German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), you may be exempt from the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries. 

What is an “established domestic connection”? 

Examples of persons with an established domestic connection include: 

• Individuals who have lived in Germany for a total of at least five years and have been legally employed during that time  

• Individuals whose parents, or one parent, have lived in Germany for a total of at least three years during the past six years and have been legally employed  

• Individuals holding certain residence permits  

• Refugees living in Germany within the meaning of the Geneva Refugee Convention who hold a residence permit that allows them to stay in Germany on more than a temporary basis  

Application

You can apply for an exemption from tuition fees based on an established domestic connection at any time. Submit your application online no later than the beginning of the semester for which you wish to claim the exemption:

https://stipendienunderlaesse.tum.de/datenabfrage/NonEU26WInlandsbezug 

Required documents 

Depending on your situation, you must provide information about your family circumstances as well as your own situation and that of your parents and upload the relevant supporting documents. 

• Your own residence permit 

Additional documents for students with Turkish citizenship: 

• Your certificate of residence registration (Meldebescheinigung)  

• Current extended residence registration certificates (erweiterte Meldebescheinigungen) for your parents  

• Your parents’ income tax statements (Lohnsteuerbescheinigungen)  

For students with Swiss citizenship: 

• Proof of current employment in Germany (your own or your parents’)  

For students with citizenship other than that of an EU member state, Switzerland, Turkey, or the United Kingdom, additional documents may be required, including: 

• Confirmation from the statutory pension insurance authority regarding periods of your own employment  

• Confirmation from the statutory pension insurance authority regarding periods of your parents’ employment  

• Employer confirmation of your employment  

• Employer confirmation of your parents’ employment  

• Your parents’ residence permits  

• Extended residence registration certificates (erweiterte Meldebescheinigungen)  

• Your permanent settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)  

• The permanent settlement permit of your spouse or partner  

• The permanent settlement permit of one parent  

• Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)  

• Passport containing the relevant immigration endorsements  

• Certificate confirming status as a stateless foreign national  

• Marriage, partnership, or birth certificate  

• Confirmations issued by the immigration authority (Ausländerbehörde) 

If you have a documented disability that significantly affects your ability to study, the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries may be waived. 

Application

• Winter semester deadlines

  • Initial enrollment: 15 September

  • Re-enrollment: 15 August

• Summer semester deadlines

  • Initial enrollment: March 15 

  • Re-enrollment: February 15

You can submit your application online before the start of the semester. Important: Submit your application in time to meet the payment deadline for initial enrollment or re-enrollment: 

Antrag auf Befreiung von den Gebühren für internationale Studierende an der TUM aufgrund Behinderung - WINTERSEMESTER 2026/2027 

Required documents

You must upload the following documents with your application: 

• A German disability ID card  

• A medical certificate (with a certified translation if applicable) issued no more than two months before the application date and including the following information:  

• Diagnosis and description of the current disability  

• Expected duration of the disability  

• An explanation of why and how the disability has a significant impact on your studies  

If you are on a leave of absence, you do not have to pay tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries during that period. 

If you are currently undergoing an asylum procedure in Germany, the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries may be waived for the duration of this status. 

To qualify, you must hold a temporary residence permit for asylum seekers (Aufenthaltsgestattung) pursuant to Section 55 (1) of the German Asylum Act and be a national of a country with a protection rate of at least 50%. 

Application deadline 

You can submit your application online before the start of the semester. Important: Submit your application in time to meet the payment deadline for initial enrollment or re-enrollment. 

• Winter semester deadlines: 

  • Initial enrollment: September 15 

  • Re-enrollment: August 15 

• Summer semester deadlines: 

  • Initial enrollment: March 15 

  • Re-enrollment: February 15 

Application 

For the Winter Semester 2026/27, applications must be submitted no later than 15 September. Applications can be submitted online during the relevant application period. 

The link to the application form for Winter Semester 2026/27 will be available here shortly. 

Required documents 

Upload the following documents: 

• Temporary residence permit for asylum seekers (Aufenthaltsgestattung)  

• Proof that you have submitted an asylum application  

• Proof of citizenship of a country with a protection rate above 50% 

If you are caring for your own children or dependent family members and this puts your ability to complete your degree at risk, the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries can generally be waived for an initial period of two semesters. 

Application  

• June 15 to June 30 for the following winter semester  

• November 15 to November 30 for the following summer semester  

Submit your application online during the relevant application period. The link to the application form will be available here during the application period. 

Required documents 

Depending on your situation, the following documents are required: 

If you are caring for children 

• Birth certificates of the children in your care  

• Your registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)  

• Registration certificates (Meldebescheinigungen) for the children in your care  

• A statement explaining how the childcare responsibilities put your ability to complete your degree at risk  

If you are caring for dependent family members 

• Proof of the type of care required (for example, care level certification)  

• Proof of family relationship  

• Your registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)  

• Registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) of the person receiving care  

• A statement explaining how the caregiving responsibilities put your ability to complete your degree at risk 

If you have special personal or social circumstances, the tuition fees for international students from non-EU/EEA countries can generally be waived for an initial period of two semesters. You may reapply for a waiver. 

Examples include: 

• Lawful residence in Germany as a person displaced by war  

• Financial hardship that arose after the start of your studies through circumstances beyond your control (proof of the circumstances and a financial plan are required)  

• Other social or family-related circumstances  

Application 

• 15 June to 30 June for the following winter semester  

• 15 November to 30 November for the following summer semester  

Submit your application online during the relevant application period. The link to the application form will be available here during the application period. 

Required documents 

Depending on your situation, upload the following documents: 

For persons displaced by war without an established domestic connection 

• Valid residence permit pursuant to Section 24 of the German Residence Act (AufenthG)  

or 

• A statement explaining your displacement and the circumstances that forced you to leave your country due to war  

• Proof of residence in the affected country at the time the war began  

For all other cases 

• Documents requested to verify your individual circumstances