Who it is for
University and PhD students from ACP countries (African, Caribbean and Pacific states, which includes Cameroon), least developed countries and other countries.
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How to apply for the BWS scholarship
The Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM is awarded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung. For students from Cameroon the route that matters is the Regional scholarship (REK). This page sets out what the official BWS website says, and then what we suggest you do next. It is not an application form, and the chapter does not select scholars.
The short version
What the Regional scholarship is
What it is
An exchange stay in Baden-Württemberg of 2 to 11 months. It is not a scholarship for a whole degree. The official page gives the amount as the maximum BAföG amount and up to €1,400 per month.
How you apply
Not directly. The official page says applications cannot be submitted directly to the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung. Information on applying comes from the International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) of your home university.
Why the REK is described as less bureaucratic
According to the BWS website, your home university does not have to be a scholarship partner of a Baden-Württemberg university, and you can apply even if it has no partner university in Baden-Württemberg. The minimum duration is also shorter than for the regular scholarship.
Step by step
What to do, in order
Steps 1 and 2 follow the official BWS page. Steps 3 to 5 are our practical suggestions, based on how the BWS and Baden-Württemberg universities describe the process. Where they differ, follow your International Office.
1 · Check that it fits
You need to be a university or PhD student, and the funding is for an exchange stay of 2 to 11 months. If you want funding for a full degree in Germany, look at the calls on the Opportunities page instead.
2 · Go to your International Office
Ask the International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) of your home university how the Baden-Württemberg scholarship works for students there. Ask who handles applications, what its own internal deadline is, and whether it already has contacts at a university in Baden-Württemberg.
3 · Find a host university in Baden-Württemberg
The BWS pages say that the universities in Baden-Württemberg carry out the first selection, in coordination with the partner university abroad, and only then send their proposals to the Stiftung. So choose the university where you would like to spend your exchange, and write to its International Office early to ask how it handles incoming applicants for the regional scholarship.
4 · Prepare your documents
The official pages do not list the documents, and each university sets its own. As one example, the University of Stuttgart asks its own outgoing students for: a certificate of enrolment, a language certificate, a one-page motivation letter, a CV, a transcript with grades and a degree certificate if available. Yours may differ, so ask for the exact list.
5 · Ask about the deadline early
No central deadline is published. Each university sets its own timeline, so it can differ from one to the next. For scale, the University of Stuttgart uses 15 March and 15 July for its own outgoing students. Do not wait for a date to be announced: ask both International Offices now.
6 · If you are selected
The Baden-Württemberg Stiftung takes the final decision on the proposals it receives. Once you are a BWS scholar, you are welcome to join the alumni network of BWS RC Cameroon.
Other BWS scholarships
The BW-STIPENDIUM has several strands
The Regional scholarship is the one built for students from ACP countries. The official site lists these others, each on its own page with its own conditions.
- BWS for university students: 3 to 11 months, €800 to €1,400 per month, awarded only through partnerships between Baden-Württemberg universities and their international partner institutions.
- BWS for professionals: internships and training programmes for young professionals.
- BWS plus, the European Line and BWS Film Production: for specific groups and cooperation projects.
Stay safe
Watch out for false offers
Because applications cannot go directly to the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, be suspicious of any website, message or agent that offers to take a BWS application directly, promises a place, or asks you for money. Check every claim against bw-stipendium.de. BWS RC Cameroon is the network of scholars and alumni: we cannot award, rank or guarantee a scholarship, but you can write to us with questions.
Information on this page was checked against the official BWS pages on 21 September 2026. Conditions can change, so the official BWS website always comes first.