Scholarships for students and doctoral candidates with disabilities

There is a whole range of other foundations that support different groups of students. The following foundations support students with disabilities nationwide:

aktion luftsprung - Foundation for chronically seriously ill children and young people
In this project, aktion luftsprung provides up to five young people with chronic illnesses per year with a scholarship to offer them economic support during their training or studies. In particular, candidates with the hereditary disease cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease (especially Crohn's disease), rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis or young people with similar chronic diseases with a high level of motivation, commitment and a life path that follows the motto "never give up!" are supported.

Paul and Charlotte Kniese Foundation
The Kniese Foundation works exclusively in the field of care for the blind.

Hildegardisverein e. V.
This organisation grants interest-free loans to female students (not only in their first degree) and scholarships for academic work. The project "Competence tandems for disabled female students" shows the sensitisation for this group of people.

The Bowel Disease Foundation awards one-off educational grants of up to €10,000 for students up to the age of 35 with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Individual training projects such as revision courses can be financed, but living costs are only covered in exceptional cases.

The Cochlear Graeme Clark Scholarship awards students with CI a scholarship worth 5,000 euros per year.

The German Aids Foundation offers support opportunities for students and doctoral candidates suffering from Aids.

Elfriede Breitsameter Foundation
The foundation specifically supports one-off measures (e.g. carers or aids) for people suffering from poliomyelitis or multiple sclerosis.

Nathalie Todennhöfer Foundation
The foundation supports people with multiple sclerosis who are particularly unwell and who cannot be helped by the state or other charitable organisations.

The Inge and Johann Heinrich Berger-Landefeldt Foundation supports people who suffer from acquired epilepsy. Costs are covered as individual grants for measures, travel and aids that are caused by epilepsy and for which no other funding organisation can be found, e.g. individual learning aids (also computer-controlled), head protection, special shoes and similar.

The Uwe Seeler Foundation almost exclusively provides individual assistance to families with disabled people who are dependent on the help of others due to their physical, mental or psychological condition or who are in need through no fault of their own and require immediate assistance.

The Google Europe Scholarship for Students with Disabilities initiative awards scholarships totalling 7,000 euros to students in their final year of study.

There are many other foundations, some of which specialise in specific forms of illness and disability. When searching the internet, it can be helpful to enter the keywords "Stiftung für behinderte oder chronisch kranke Menschen" (foundation for disabled or chronically ill people) in the search engine.

Further tips from the Information Centre for Students with Disabilities of the German Student Union.

There are several foundations in the region that support people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. These foundations are listed in the directory of foundations with legal capacity under civil law in the Weser-Ems region (download).

The Oldenburg district association manages further funds and endowments.

The Horst Heißenbüttel Foundation helps people in Oldenburg and the surrounding area. The charitable church foundation established by the Oldenburg entrepreneur Horst Heißenbüttel in 2004, in close cooperation with the social welfare organisation Diakonie, steps in where other forms of help are increasingly failing despite great need. The Horst Heißenbüttel Foundation supports people who approach the foundation directly with individual cases, as well as projects and institutions in the Oldenburg region that would otherwise receive little attention, including work in social welfare organisations (nursing, therapeutic and educational) and offers of help that could not otherwise be financed.

United Oldenburg Social Foundation
According to its statutes, the Vereinte Oldenburger Sozialstiftung has set itself the task of supporting talented, needy pupils, students and artists resident in Oldenburg and providing benefits to Oldenburg residents in need.

One foundation in Oldenburg that specifically supports students with disabilities is the:
Georg-Leffers-Stiftung
Support for disabled students, provided that all state and social law obligations have been exhausted.

• temporary financial assistance to individuals from the specified group of people;
• One-off payments, insofar as it can be ensured that the purpose of the support is fulfilled;

There are also funding opportunities and scholarships for disabled and chronically ill students to study abroad. You can find a good overview here.

The Disability Counselling Service and the University Library have some recommended literature.
It also makes sense to meet with the liaison lecturers of the foundations listed in the course catalogue. They can also name students who are already supported by the foundation and can give you further tips.

The counsellor is also happy to talk about her personal experiences with foundations. She has information on the following Oldenburg foundations: Georg-Leffers-Stiftung and Stiftung Kloster Blankenburg, as well as on the supra-regional foundations: Wilhelm-und-Johanne-Faß-Stiftung, Dr Willy-Rebelein-Stiftung and the Ev. Studienstiftung (Villigst) for doctoral funding.
General tips on applying for scholarships can also be found at Studis-online.

There are also special projects and funding opportunities for researchers with disabilities:

Disabled and chronically ill researchers in the DFG's funding programmes