Scholarships available!

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers a wide range of scholarships for international students wishing to study in Germany, including funding opportunities for Master's degree studies. Applicants are encouraged to search the DAAD scholarship database for programs matching their nationality and academic background: www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/scholarships/daad-scholarships/External link

• In the past, the following students were able to secure a scholarship from the DAAD to study at the Abbe School of Photonics: 
  • Ray, Taylor (2026)
  • Lovic, Milanka (2024)
  • Dosan, Vasile-Laurentiu (2022)
  • Yershov, Andrey (2021)
  • Mahmudlu, Elshan (2019)

Students who are already enrolled in one of our Master's degree programs or expect to enroll in the upcoming academic year may also apply for  a Deutschlandstipendium, irrespective of citizenship. Applications are also possible from abroad. Selected students receive EUR 300 per month, usually for one year.

• Many ASP students secured one of the Deutschlandstipendien, among them:
  • Ruvalcaba Rascón, José Manuel (2025)
  • Lohbeck, Paulina (2024)
  • Kinder, Richard (2023)
  • Wechsler, Felix (2021)
  • Spiess, Christopher (2018)
  • Younesi, Mohammadreza (2015)

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, offers scholarships to Student Members worldwide who are studying optics, photonics or related fields. Scholarships are awarded annually based on the applicants' potential contribution to optics and photonics and may support their educational expenses. In 2026, SPIE awarded $351,000 in scholarships to 85 outstanding SPIE Student Members, based on their potential contribution to optics and photonics, or a related discipline. For current eligibility, award amounts and application dates, please visit the SPIE Scholarships website.External link

• Numerous ASP students were awarded an SPIE Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship, among them: 
  • Jovic, Kristina (2026, for MSc)
  • Nwatu, Daniel (2024, for MSc)
  • Imogore, Timothy (2022, for PhD)
  • Echarri, Álvaro Rodríguez (2017, for MSc)

The European Master for Industry in Microwave Electronics and Photonics (EMIMEP) is an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master funded by the European Union. The international two-year program combines studies at several European partner universities, including the Abbe School of Photonics in Jena, where students can specialize in Optics, Photonics and Quantum Technologies during their second year of studies.

Outstanding applicants can receive a full Erasmus Mundus scholarship of €1,400 per month for up to 24 months, with tuition fees waived. Our ASP is one of four Universities in this program, please review more details here. 

• The following students obtained or are about to obtain their M.Sc. Photonics in Jena via the EMIMEP (formerly EMIMEO) program: 
  • Gupta, Tanmay (2025/26/27)
  • Díaz Valdivielso, Asier Adrían (2025/26)
  • Gebremedin, Siyum (2025/26)
  • Worku, Wasihun Kinde (2025/26)
  • Kiraz, Efe (2024/25)
  • Kannan, Sharmetha (2024/25)
  • Sancho Olivares, Manuel (2024/25)
  • Martinez Pomerantz, Micaela (2024/25)
  • Surja, Amit Shaha (2023/24)
  • Ugarte Olcoz, Idoia (2023/24)
  • Santos Gomez, Nicolas (2023/24)
  • El-Ammari, Hajar (2022/23/24)
  • Silanteva, Liudmila (2022/23)

The Amplify Optics Immersion Program brings together underrepresented graduate students from around the world to explore research, technology and career opportunities in optics and photonics. The program is traditionally designed for people of color and held in conjunction with Optica's annual Frontiers in Optics meeting. It includes technical sessions, professional development and networking activities. It offers ten students to receive a US$10,000 scholarship along with a one-year membership to Optica. For current application dates, eligibility and further details, please visit the Optica Amplify Optics Immersion ProgramExternal link

• Two of our students were already able to secure a scholarship from the Amplify Optics Immersion Program to pursue their studies at ASP: 
  • Boakye, Derrick Adyemang (2026)
  • Yusuf, Adeyinka (2023)

Moreover, Optica regularly selects students and graduates as Optica ambassadors. From our school, Samuel Serna Otálvaro (2013)External link and Timothy Imogore (2023) were selected for this special category. 

20 Optica Women Scholars are selected annually and receive a US$10,000 merit and need-based grant. In addition to the funding, scholars receive an Optica Student Membership and access to a global mentorship network.

For current application dates, eligibility and application details, please visit the Optica Women Scholarship Website.External link

In 2025, our ASP Master student Manasa Vannadil Surendran received an Optica Women Scholarship. She continues to contribute to creating a more inclusive environment in STEM and to promote opportunities for the next generation of optics.

U.S. citizens wishing to pursue the M.Sc. Photonics or M.Sc. Quantum Science & Technology at the Abbe School of Photonics may apply for a Fulbright Open Study/Research Award for Germany. The program supports study and research at German universities and provides funding for 8–10 months for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree candidates.

The current funding includes a monthly stipend of EUR 992 plus a EUR 100 monthly housing allowance, as well as additional travel and one-time allowances and health insurance benefits. Applicants planning to pursue a Master’s degree must arrange their affiliation with the German host university and include a letter of support from the host institution in their Fulbright application. For detailed information on eligibility, funding and the application procedure, please visit the Fulbright Open Study/Research Award for GermanyExternal link.

Recent Fulbright grantees hosted at Friedrich Schiller University Jena include Anagha Aneesh, who conducted research on machine-learning-assisted materials development for redox flow batteries in 2024/25, and Amanda Huang, a 2026 Fulbright fellow who will conduct optical imaging research in collaboration with Leibniz IPHT and our University.

The China Scholarship Council (CSC) offers various scholarship programs for Chinese citizens wishing to study abroad. Depending on the specific call, funding may also be available for Master's degree studies. Funding levels vary depending on the specific CSC program and host country; full Master's degree scholarships are generally awarded for 12–24 months, with the applicable monthly stipend specified in the respective call. Applicants should consult the official CSC websiteExternal link and current scholarship databaseExternal link for available programs and eligibility requirements.

The W.L. Mackenzie King Open Scholarship is available to graduates of Canadian universities wishing to pursue Master's or doctoral studies in any field, either in Canada or abroad. It may therefore be used for a Master's degree at the Abbe School of Photonics. Eligibility is based on holding a degree from a Canadian university rather than on Canadian citizenship. One Open Scholarship is awarded annually. Its value has recently been approximately CAD 13,000 for one year.

Applicants should consult the W.L. Mackenzie King Scholarship websiteExternal link for current eligibility requirements and application procedures.

The John Monash Scholarship supports outstanding Australian citizens who have completed an undergraduate degree at an Australian university and wish to pursue a full-time Master's or doctoral degree abroad. There are no restrictions on the field of study or the overseas university, making both ASP Master's programs eligible in principle. Scholarship holders currently receive AUD 100,000 per year. A two-year Master's degree may therefore receive AUD 200,000 in total, supplemented by a one-off travel allowance.

Applicants should consult the John Monash Scholarship websiteExternal link for current eligibility requirements and application dates.

The Indian Government's National Overseas Scholarship (NOS) supports Master's and doctoral studies abroad, but is restricted to low-income applicants from specific groups: Scheduled Castes, De-notified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, Landless Agricultural Labourers and Traditional Artisans. For studies in Germany, current funding includes an annual maintenance allowance of USD 15,400 plus a USD 1,500 contingency allowance, as well as eligible tuition fees, visa fees, medical insurance and travel expenses.

Please note that under the current selection rules, applicants with an unconditional offer from a QS Top-500 university are considered in the first selection round. Applicants holding an offer from another QS-ranked university, including the University of Jena, may be considered in a second selection round..

Applicants should therefore carefully consult the current NOS callExternal link before applying.

The ALEARG scholarship program, jointly funded by the Argentine Ministry of Education and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), supports Argentinian graduates wishing to pursue a Master's degree at a German university. Scholarships are available across a broad range of academic fields, including natural sciences and engineering, and may therefore be suitable for applicants to the M.Sc. Photonics or M.Sc. Quantum Science & Technology. For Master's students, ALEARG currently provides EUR 1,120 per month, plus a travel allowance, insurance and a study and research allowance; funding may be extended to a second year.

Applicants should consult the current ALEARG call for eligibility requirementsExternal link, funding conditions and application deadlines.

The Colombian COLFUTURO Programa Crédito Beca supports postgraduate studies abroad through a combined loan and scholarship scheme. Selected students may receive funding of up to USD 50,000 for Master's or doctoral studies outside Colombia. Under the current conditions, part of the loan may be converted into a scholarship after successful completion of the degree and return to Colombia.

Applicants should consult the current COLFUTURO call for eligibility requirements, funding conditions and application deadlines.

COLFUTURO has previously supported Colombian students pursuing Master's degrees at our Uni, including Jorge Luis Romero Becerra (M.Sc. Microbiology, 2014), Camila Andrea Plata Corredor (M.Sc. Evolution, Ecology & Systematics, 2014), and Paula Camila Rozo López (M.Sc. Evolution, Ecology and Systematics, 2012).

The Peruvian national scholarship agency PRONABEC offers the Beca Generación del Bicentenario for highly qualified Peruvian graduates wishing to pursue Master's or doctoral studies abroad. The Beca Generación del Bicentenario is a full scholarship covering tuition and degree-related costs, international travel, accommodation, local transport, study materials and health insurance.

Friedrich Schiller University Jena is currently listed among the eligible international universities for this program. Applicants should consult the current PRONABEC call for detailed eligibility requirements and application proceduresExternal link.

The Paraguayan Programa Nacional de Becas “Carlos Antonio López” (BECAL) supports postgraduate studies abroad, including Master's degree programs in science, technology and innovation. Depending on the respective call, applicants may select an eligible international university and degree program themselves. Under the current BECAL–DAAD Master program, scholarship holders receive EUR 1,300 per month for up to 24 months; funding also includes round-trip travel, tuition fees of up to EUR 10,000, insurance, an annual EUR 450 research allowance and a EUR 450 return allowance.

Applicants interested in studying Photonics or Quantum Science & Technology in Jena should check the current BECAL callExternal link for eligible subject areas, university requirements, funding conditions and application deadlines. Here, the corresponding BECAL-DAAD websiteExternal link is also very precise and helpful. 

The Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) offers government-funded scholarships for Japanese citizens and permanent residents pursuing a full Master's or doctoral degree at an overseas university. The Overseas Study Support Program for Graduate Degrees is open to almost all academic fields and may therefore support studies in Photonics or Quantum Science & Technology in Jena. For Master's students, funding is available for up to 24 months. The  published reference rate for Germany as published in 2026 was JPY 230,000 per month, supplemented by a small travel allowance; funding rates may be adjusted annually.

Applicants should consult the current JASSO Overseas Study Support Program for Graduate DegreesExternal link for eligibility requirements, funding rates and application dates.

The South Korean Ministry of Education, through the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), supports graduates of Korean universities wishing to pursue a full Master's or doctoral degree abroad. The program includes natural sciences such as physics and may therefore be suitable for applicants to the M.Sc. Photonics or M.Sc. Quantum Science & Technology. Under the current program, funding for Germany provides up to USD 20,000 per year for living expenses, with additional eligible tuition-related costs within a total annual funding limit of USD 29,520. Master's degree studies may be funded for up to two years.

Applicants should consult the current NIIED Government-Funded Study Abroad Program callExternal link for detailed eligibility requirements and application procedures.