Postdoc Dr. Bayarjagal "Bayra" Narantsatsralt in the Nano and Quantum Lab.

Scholarships available!

Our Master scholarships are based on criteria of academic excellence and are granted for 12 and sometimes even 24 months, thus covering either one year or the entire two-year Master's degree adapted to the living expenses in Jena.
Postdoc Dr. Bayarjagal "Bayra" Narantsatsralt in the Nano and Quantum Lab.
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

Excellent academic education – but no tuition fees!

Visit of the Active Fiber Systems GmbH company by the OPTICA SPIE Chapter Jena in 2024.

Image: Natalja Bajkovski, Optonet e.V.

Unlike in other countries, higher academic education in Germany is for free. 

We offer a range of highly attractive financial scholarships to help covering our students' living expenses. As an applicant for our Master programs, you can apply for the following scholarships:

Scholarships from the Abbe School of Photonics

Postdoc Dr. Bayarjagal "Bayra" Narantsatsralt in the Nano and Quantum Lab.

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

International students wishing to obtain the degree of M.Sc. Photonics or the M.Sc. Quantum Science & Technology at the Abbe School of Photonics can apply for one of our scholarships during the regular application procedure. These scholarships are based on criteria of academic excellence and are granted regularly for 12 months, and they comprise a stipend of currently 992 Euro per month (budget updated in 2024) and additional German language courses. In very exceptional cases, also scholarships for up to two years are granted, those are then covering the entire two-year Master's degree. Approximately ten scholarships are currently available per year. German students are not eligible for this scholarship scheme. Scholarships can only be awarded to students who are physically in Jena and are studying on-campus, not online.

To apply for one of these scholarships, mark your interest along with your personal application in our online application portal. In addition to your personal data, two letters of recommendation must be presented. A template for these letters can be downloaded here; pdf, 274 kbhowever, using this template is optional. If one or both referees prefer personalized, free-style recommendation letters, these should contain a quantitative performance statement of yours, a date, and an official headline/stamp from the higher education institution the referee is affiliated with.

Scholarships from the Max Planck School of Photonics

PhD work in the MPSP labs in Jena.

Image: Max Planck School of Photonics

Another way to obtain a scholarship for a M.Sc. Photonics degree at the Abbe School of Photonics is via the Max Planck School of Photonics, which offers a Germany-wide photonics scholarship program. Its prestigious and well-funded scholarships are based on criteria of academic excellence and are granted for a period of 5 years, thus enabling our students to enter directly into the PhD phase after obtaining the two-year Master's degree. The Max Planck School of Photonics is offering scholarships that comprise a stipend of at least 1,365 Euro per month and additional German language courses. Up to seven scholarships are available per year. German students are also eligible for this program. To apply, please follow the instructions given at www.photonics.schoolExternal link and mark the Abbe School of Photonics at the University of Jena as your preferred destination.

Germany scholarships (Deutschlandstipendien) for all citizenships

Students at the Emerging Topics Symposium 2024 in jena.

Image: David Zakoth, Uni Jena.

All students who are either

  • already in Jena, enrolled in the Master's degree program in
    • Photonics, OR
    • Physics, OR
    • Quantum Science & Technology OR
  • are admitted for studies within either of these programs for the upcoming academic year

may also apply for a Deutschlandstipendium. You may apply for this kind of scholarship at an early stage of your photonics studies, even from abroad. Awardees with prospects of excellent study results will receive financial support of 300 Euro per month for a duration of at least one year.

OPTICA Amplify Scholarships – Investing in future black scientists

ASP student, OPTICA ambassador and prize recipient Timothy Imogore.

Image: WeAreOSA

Do you identify yourself as black? Each year, ten black undergrad and master's students receive a US$10,000 scholarship to help ease the financial burden of studying. Additionally, other benefits include a one-year membership to OPTICA, access to mentors, and an invitation to the annual Amplify Optics Immersion Program in the United States. 

The current application is open until November 14th. For details on eligibility and to submit an application, please visit the OPTICA Amplify Scholarship Website.External link

OPTICA Women Scholarships

Meeting of the OPTICA SPIE Chapter Jena at the ACP in 2024.

Image: Subham Adak, FSU Jena

20 Optica Women Scholars are selected annually and receive a merit and need-based grant. In addition to the funding, scholars gain access to our global network of mentors and the supporting companies.

The current application is open until December 1st. For details on eligibility and to submit an application, please visit the OPTICA Women Scholarship Website.External link

CSC Master Scholarships for Chinese citizens

Nonlinear optics laser lab.

Image: Jan-Peter Kasper (University of Jena)

Until 2021, the China Scholarship Council (CSC) provided full scholarships for Chinese applicants holding a Bachelor's degree, non-profit organizations or higher vocational schools for 12 to 24 months. In the past, these scholarships were fully compatible with studies in Photonics at the ASP in Germany.

Unfortunately, to our information the majority CSC scholarships are currently only available for PhD applicants, and not for Master's degree studies. For more information, please visit the CSC websiteExternal link.

In Germany, the Hans Seidel Foundation Graduate Scholarship ProgramExternal link provides a limited number of scholarships for outstanding Chinese students joining doctoral programs or master’s studies in Germany. Funding includes travel, monthly stipends (1,200 euros for doctoral, 992 euros for master’s), and health insurance. Applications require language proof, recommendation letters, and an invitation from a German institution. For more information, please visit this CSC websiteExternal link

Databases with further scholarship programs