Bonn/Berlin, 11.10.2016. About 450 initiatives at 162 universities throughout Germany: through the “Welcome” programme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung – BMBF) is currently financing student initiatives all over Germany, which are dedicated to refugees at their universities. The initiatives cover a wide range of services such as legal advice for refugees, language teaching or practical assistance in everyday university life. Previously limited to this year, the programme will be extended to the end of 2018.

Bonn, 13/01/2016. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes e. V.) are launching a joint tandem programme for Syrian students. The partners recently signed a corresponding agreement. Around 67 holders of scholarships from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation support the integration of DAAD-funded Syrian students at over 20 universities; more are to join in the coming weeks.

Bonn, 13/11/2015. Education is central to successful integration. More than half of the refugees currently arriving in Germany are under the age of 25, i.e. an age at which education is needed. In order to facilitate access to higher education for those wishing to study and possessing adequate qualifications, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will support universities with targeted measures in the next years and help to promote the integration of refugees in this way. Approximately €100 million are available for this purpose in the coming years, with €27 million earmarked for projects in 2016.

Bonn, 27 October 2014. Funded by the Federal Foreign Office, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has set up a scholarships programme for refugees from Syria. The call for applications begins on 31 October. In total, one hundred gifted Syrian students are to be given the opportunity of studying in Germany in the coming year. The Federal Foreign Office is to provide €7.8m in funding.