SCHOLARSHIPS FROM GERMANY..........

Money to Study and Live -a Scholarship is the Solution

Imagine you've finally been admitted to a German university, but then discover that you don't have enough money to study and live in this country: A scholarship could be the solution. There are several organizations which offer financial support for a course of study in Germany. The magic term is “Promotion of talent”. Whereby “talent” does not strictly mean just intelligence or the ability to achieve good grades. Personality and social commitment are also important criteria when considering a person's eligibility for a scholarship. Some organizations award scholarships specifically to first-year students, while others only go to doctoral candidates. Several foundations and organizations are directly supported by the German government or industry, whereas others are run by the church or other private organizations.

Many scholarship programs are intended specifically for foreign undergraduate and graduate students. It’s important to remember that all requests for information about scholarships and all applications for a scholarship should be sent in as early as possible, since there are a large number of people interested in receiving them.

Scholarship Amount

The amount of money paid out through a scholarship is usually calculated to cover normal living expenses. Even if the sum may at first appear high to someone living outside of Germany, you shouldn't forget that the cost of living is high in Germany, and it's very likely that there won't be a lot of money left at the end of the month. Also, if the person receiving the scholarship takes on a part time job they have to report this to the organization providing the scholarship. And that organization will then usually subtract the amount earned from the grant.


More than just Financial Support: The Political Foundations

The democratic political parties in Germany have realized that the young scholars of today will be the decision-makers of tomorrow. One of the main goals of their political foundations is therefore the financial support of outstanding students. Providing foreign students with financial aid is very much in the interest of German politics, since whoever has studied in Germany is familiar with the market and culture - and will thus after graduation seek to establish and maintain contacts with German companies. The foundations especially promote exceptionally talented students. All these foundations expect a high degree of social activity and commitment on the part of applicants - as well as the willingness to put the knowledge gained in Germany to good use in their home country. In addition to financial support the foundations also try to offer general guidance and assistance in all academic and personal matters, such as a mentor at the university. They also offer visiting scholars the chance to take part in special events and seminars.

Helpful information about scholarship programs is also available in a book compiled by the German Students Services (Deutsches Studentenwerk). The book is called “Förderungsmöglichkeiten für Studierende or Promotion possibilities for students” and was published in Bad Honnef in 2000.




Index of German Foundations
www.stiftungsindex.de

the Foundation for German Science's search engine for scholarhsips
www.stifterverband.org/...

Information on the scholarship programmes of the federal states and universities with international exchange programmes: duration, number and length of scholarships, application requirements (pdf)
www.daad.de/...

DW-WORLD article on political foundations in Germany.
www.dw-world.de/...