Last Updated: June 2026
The live relAI MSc call is open now, and the deadline is 15 June 2026 at 23:59 AoE. Funded applicants can receive up to €992 per month plus travel grants.
I have seen students miss this opportunity by treating it like a normal scholarship. For the Konrad Zuse School relAI Scholarship 2027 in Germany, you must also secure admission to a qualifying MSc at TUM or LMU, so timing matters as much as grades.
What is the scholarship?
The relAI scholarship is tied to the Konrad Zuse School of Excellence in Reliable AI, a joint project of TUM and LMU in Munich. The school focuses on reliable AI: safety, security, privacy, responsibility, and the mathematical and algorithmic foundations behind trustworthy systems.
Here is the part many applicants miss: this is not a stand-alone Master’s degree. It is an enhancement to your MSc studies at TUM or LMU, which means the scholarship sits on top of your degree program and supports a highly structured research path.
The school says more than 100 MSc and doctoral researchers work there under the supervision of more than 50 professors, which tells you how serious and competitive the environment is. That also explains why the school values applicants who can show a clear academic direction, not just general interest in AI.
What does relAI cover?
| Coverage item | Official detail | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly funding | Up to €992 per month for MSc scholars. | This should cover part of your living costs in Munich, but you still need a realistic budget. |
| USD equivalent | €992 ≈ $1,155.28 at the ECB reference rate of 1 EUR = 1.1646 USD. | Useful for comparing this scholarship against offers in other countries. |
| Travel support | The official page says MSc and PhD candidates receive mobility grants for home travel and stays abroad. | This matters if you need to visit home during the scholarship period. |
| Tuition | German universities generally do not charge tuition fees, according to the relAI page. | That lowers your cost even before the scholarship money lands. |
| Family support | Scholarship holders may receive additional allowances for a partner and children. | Rare detail, and it helps applicants with dependents. |
| PhD track | Doctoral candidates are employed for 3 years under TV-L E13 with social security benefits. | Not the current open MSc call, but useful if you plan a future progression. |
One older DAAD database entry still lists €934/month, but the current relAI application page says up to €992/month. Use the live application page for this cycle.
Who is eligible?
| Requirement | Detail | Pass/Fail indicator |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | You need an excellent bachelor’s degree for the MSc call. | Pass if you have finished, or will finish, a relevant bachelor’s degree in time. |
| Field | Accepted fields include computer science, mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, and related data science / machine learning / AI disciplines. | Pass if your major is close enough to reliable AI work. |
| University admission | MSc applicants must already be accepted into a relevant program at TUM or LMU. | Pass only if your degree admission path is active. |
| Research fit | You need a genuine interest in reliable AI topics such as safety, security, privacy, and responsibility. | Pass if your SOP names a real topic, not just “I like AI.” |
| English | The page asks for C1 or equivalent, or proof that your university degree was taught mainly in English. | Pass if you can document English clearly. |
| Nationality | The page welcomes German and international students. | Pass if you are from any country, including Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE. |
A detail that helps many applicants: relAI does not publish a country restriction on the official page, so international applicants from developing countries are fully in scope. The real filter is fit, preparation, and admission to the right MSc program.
Required documents
The official list is short, and that is good news. relAI wants your CV, relevant diplomas and transcripts, a short motivation of up to 1500 characters, and proof of English. PhD applicants also need supervisor choices and referee contacts, but those extra items do not apply to the current MSc call.
Use your transcript to prove completion if your degree is still ongoing. The official page allows that, which means you do not need to wait until graduation if your final semester is still in progress.
For the motivation text, do not write a generic “I love AI” paragraph. Open with the exact reliable-AI problem you want to work on, then connect it to one of relAI’s research areas and one piece of relevant experience from your bachelor’s degree, thesis, project, or internship.
How to apply step by step
- Confirm that your MSc path fits relAI. You need a relevant MSc program at TUM or LMU because relAI only funds applicants who are accepted into one of those programs.
- Choose the right MSc program first. Pick a course in computer science, mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, or another AI-related field that matches your background.
- Collect your documents early. Prepare your CV, diplomas, transcripts, and English proof before you touch the portal. If your degree is still ongoing, use transcripts to prove that you will finish in time.
- Write the motivation text with a real research angle. Keep it under 1500 characters and show previous experience in the field. The school wants genuine interest in reliable AI, not a recycled scholarship essay.
- Submit through the official LMU portal. The application page sends MSc candidates to the LMU Graduate Center portal, so use that portal rather than a third-party website.
- Meet the deadline exactly. The official deadline is 15 June 2026 at 23:59 AoE. Do not wait for the last hour, because time-zone mistakes ruin strong applications.
- Apply to TUM or LMU in parallel. relAI says offers are made subject to acceptance into a qualifying MSc program, so your scholarship and degree applications must move together.
- Track your email and be ready for follow-up. The official pages do not publish a full interview script, but the selection committee does exist, and funding can depend on budget and progress. That tells me they are looking for both quality and feasibility.
How to write a winning SOP for the scholarship
For this scholarship, your SOP is really a motivation statement, and the official limit is 1500 characters. That is short, so your job is to be sharp, specific, and disciplined.
Use this structure: one line for the problem you want to solve, one line for your academic background, one line for your research fit, and one line for why relAI’s environment matches your goals. That structure works because relAI is not hunting for general AI fans; it is looking for students who can thrive in reliable AI research.
A strong opening could look like this: “I want to study reliable AI for healthcare because model accuracy is not enough when a false negative can harm a patient.” That sentence works because it names a real problem, a real domain, and a real academic direction.
Do not waste space on childhood stories, national pride, or broad claims like “AI is the future.” Also avoid copying the research areas word-for-word; the committee can spot that immediately. Instead, show that you understand one of relAI’s domains and have a reason to work in it.
My advice is to keep the final text around 180–220 words so you stay safely under the character cap. That gives you enough room to sound human without rambling.
Selection criteria — what they really look for
The DAAD scholarship database says the award is mainly based on academic excellence, but it also aims to improve internationalisation and diversity in AI teaching programmes. That is the strongest clue you will get about what matters most.
The official selection committee is broad: it includes all steering committee members plus four extra fellows, two from each university and from each of the four research areas. That setup means your application is not judged by a generic admissions office; it is read by people who care about both foundations and applications.
So what should your file signal? Strong grades, a credible research interest, a topic that fits one of the school’s areas, and enough English to join the program without friction. If your profile also shows cross-cultural or interdisciplinary experience, that can help because relAI explicitly values internationalisation.
A subtle point many students miss: the school cares about fit to reliable AI, not just “AI” in general. If your transcript, thesis, or project points to safety, privacy, robotics, decision-making, or learning systems, your profile looks much closer to what relAI wants.
Why relAI mentoring and the IDP matter
relAI does more than hand out money. The school uses structured mentoring during the MSc phase, and each student builds an Individual Development Plan (IDP) at the start of the program. That IDP is then revised with mentors, which makes the experience unusually personal for a research school.
For MSc students, the mentoring team includes one fellow and one relAI doctoral researcher, and the team meets at least once each term. The master’s thesis can also be done with an industry or academic partner, which is a big clue about the kind of student the school likes to train.
Here is the practical takeaway: your application should already sound like someone who can work inside a research ecosystem, not just attend classes. Mention a topic that could fit a mentor, a lab, or an application domain such as medicine, robotics, or decision-making.
Common mistakes applicants from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, and Egypt make
The biggest mistake is waiting for the scholarship before you start the MSc admission process. relAI says the offer depends on your TUM or LMU acceptance, so the degree application is not optional.
The second mistake is writing an SOP that sounds like every other AI scholarship essay. relAI wants a reliable-AI topic, so your text should show whether you care about safety, privacy, responsibility, or a specific domain like healthcare or robotics.
The third mistake is submitting a vague English note or incomplete proof. The official page asks for C1 or equivalent, and the school will also accept proof that your degree was taught mainly in English, so use the clearest evidence you have.
The fourth mistake is ignoring the 1500-character limit. Applicants from systems that use long scholarship essays often overwrite this section and lose precision, which weakens the file fast.
The fifth mistake is writing “AI” without a home. The school has five clear research areas and three application domains, so your file should point to at least one of them. That one detail can separate a strong application from a generic one.
FAQ
Is the scholarship fully funded?
Yes, the relAI MSc support is funded and includes up to €992 per month plus travel grants. The official page also says German universities generally do not charge tuition fees, which strengthens the overall package.
Can international students apply?
Yes, international students can apply. The official relAI page explicitly welcomes German and international students, and it does not publish a country blacklist.
Do I need TUM or LMU admission first?
You need to apply in parallel, and the relAI offer depends on acceptance into a qualifying MSc program at TUM or LMU. That means you should not wait for one decision before starting the other application.
What is the deadline?
The deadline is 15 June 2026 at 23:59 AoE for the current MSc call. The official relAI news post and application page both show the same date.
How many scholarships are available?
The DAAD scholarship database lists 15 scholarships for the relAI Master’s call. The relAI application page does not restate that number, so the DAAD entry is the cleanest official count I found.
What documents are required?
You need a CV, relevant diplomas and transcripts, a short motivation of up to 1500 characters, and English proficiency proof. If you apply for a future PhD call, you will also need supervisor preferences and referee contacts.
Is the scholarship only for AI majors?
No, but your field must be close to AI or data science. The official page includes computer science, mathematics, engineering, natural sciences, and related disciplines, so a strong adjacent background can still fit.
How should I choose my research topic?
Choose one topic from relAI’s five research areas and connect it to a real project or thesis idea. That is better than naming a broad trend like “machine learning” without context.
