The Hertie School Climate Action Scholarship offers full tuition funding for the Master of Public Policy in Berlin, with at least two awards listed at €39,500 each. Applicants of any nationality can pursue this route, but must first obtain admission and then submit a funding application. Living expenses are not covered.
Official pages checked on 16 October 2026. This guide concerns the current MPP application cycle for 2027 entry. Funding is competitive, not automatic.
What is the Climate Action Scholarship?
The award page targets applicants interested in sustainability, climate policy, renewable energy and energy-system change. It is an MPP award, not a science-research studentship.
Our interpretation: A strong fit is someone who wants to move from understanding an environmental problem to analysing the policy decisions around it. Technical expertise can be valuable, but your application should explain why governance training is the next necessary step.
Full tuition is not full living support
Hertie’s full-scholarship policy explicitly excludes living expenses. Budget separately for housing, food, insurance, travel and any immigration-related costs that apply to you. Do not treat the advertised award value as cash available for rent.
Before accepting a place, prepare two budgets: one assuming you win the scholarship and one without it. If the second budget is unaffordable, identify a realistic alternative rather than assuming admission will be followed by funding. Request written clarification about any other support you hope to combine with the award.
Admission dates and the funding deadline conflict
The scholarship page lists an early admission deadline of 1 December and priority deadlines of 15 January for non-EU/EEA applicants and 15 February for EU/EEA applicants. In the current 2027-entry cycle, these correspond to 1 December 2026, 15 January 2027 and 15 February 2027. The award page itself prints recurring day/month dates rather than a separately labelled 2027 calendar. No cutoff hour or time zone is stated there.
Important uncertainty: The award page and general full-scholarships page allow two weeks after an admission offer to request funding, while the MPP admissions page says three days. Do not rely on the longer period. Prepare beforehand, follow your offer’s instructions and ask the funding office immediately if the portal deadline is unclear. We cannot resolve this discrepancy on the provider’s behalf.
Eligibility and documents
You need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent; final-year applicants must finish undergraduate coursework and exams before 30 August 2027. Prepare a photo-free CV, a 500–900-word motivation letter, university transcripts with grading explanations, certified English translations where necessary, English-language evidence and one referee’s institutional contact details. Upload documents as PDFs and check the official checklist for exceptions and later evidence deadlines.
The scholarship also requires a one-page statement about your climate-action interest and how Hertie study would advance it. Applicants may select only one full scholarship per cycle, so compare the available awards before choosing.
How to apply
- Read the MPP admissions requirements and decide whether the programme matches your goals.
- Submit the standard programme application through the official application portal.
- Prepare the climate statement while awaiting the admission decision.
- If admitted, use the funding invitation and submit within the deadline specified for you.
- If shortlisted, prepare to discuss your statement in a faculty interview.
- Keep copies of the submitted materials and all deadline communications.
What selectors consider
For programme admission, Hertie publishes weights of 40% personal suitability, 40% academic excellence and 20% motivation. These are not a separate Climate Action Scholarship scoring formula. Full-award selection also considers financial need and scholarship fit.
Applicant guidance: Build your statement around a concrete policy question rather than a broad claim that climate change matters. For example, identify an energy transition decision affecting a community you know, explain what you have already investigated or contributed, and identify the analytical capability you want to develop. Separate observed evidence from your assumptions.
Use one or two examples you can discuss confidently at interview. Explain trade-offs: who benefits, who bears costs and what evidence would change your recommendation. This demonstrates policy thinking more clearly than a list of sustainability buzzwords.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for funding before admission?
No. Prepare in advance, but the funding application follows an admission offer.
Should I wait until the final programme deadline?
No. Scholarship seekers should follow the earlier admission windows listed for funding consideration.
Does a technical environmental background make this a research scholarship?
No. Judge the MPP curriculum against your training goals; a policy degree and laboratory research serve different purposes.
Which post-offer deadline should I trust?
Use the individual offer and portal instructions. Because the public pages conflict, seek clarification promptly and plan for the shorter window.
Apply Now — Official Hertie Programme Portal
Compare other master’s funding
- Mundus MAPP: compare another public-policy route
- DAAD master’s scholarships: compare German study support
- Europubhealth+: compare a public-health route
These guides describe different awards, not equivalent packages or eligibility rules.
Official sources
- Climate Action Scholarship
- MPP admissions, documents and selection
- Full-scholarship coverage and process
ScholarshipHubNow is independent of Hertie School. The institution makes all admission and funding decisions.
