There are four religion-related foundations in Germany. The foundations support talented students who, as a rule, must belong to the respective religion and who actively deal with it. Exceptions with regard to religious affiliation are in principle possible for all religion-related gifted sponsorship organizations, but must be very well justified. Only the Catholic Cusanuswerk does not allow any exceptions.
Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst
The Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst is the organization for the promotion of talented students of the Evangelical Church in Germany. Protestant students and doctoral candidates with very good professional performance and proven social commitment receive funding.
Non-Protestant applicants can also be considered if they can adequately justify their interest in a special application. The application is made by self-application. Suitable applicants first go through a pre-selection interview and then a multi-day main selection with group phases and selection interviews. After submitting their written application, doctoral students only have to complete a selection interview.
The funding of internship semesters and stays abroad is a focus of the basic funding. Stays abroad can consist of language courses, study visits or internships. You will receive financial and organizational support.
The Cusanuswerk is the Begabtenförderungswerk the Catholic Church in Germany. Funding is given to Catholic students and doctoral candidates who provide excellent professional performance and are involved in the social field.
There are different selection procedures, depending on the type of university at which the applicant is studying. Doctoral students are selected in a separate procedure. Interested parties can apply themselves, but teachers, university lecturers or previous scholarship holders can also submit proposals. After a preselection, selection interviews take place.
Cusanuswerk scholarship holders receive additional funding for stays abroad. These can be flat-rate travel expenses, grants for tuition fees and subsistence and the assumption of foreign health insurance. Organizational support is also available if required.
The Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk (ELES) supports particularly talented students and doctoral candidates of the Jewish faith. You should get involved in Jewish communities, in the social field, youth work, student organizations or in the social environment.
Non-Jewish applicants are also eligible for funding if they are studying a course in the field of Jewish Studies or if their doctorate deals with a topic that is closely related to the Jewish community. The application is made by self-application. Suitable applicants will receive an invitation to a selection seminar.
Scholarship holders from the Studienwerk can also receive funding for stays abroad. Study visits, language courses and internships are possible here.
Contact:
Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich Studienwerk eV
PO Box 120 855
10598 Berlin
Telephone: 030-3199-8170-0 Fax
: 030-3199-8170-20
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.eles-studienwerk.de
Avicenna Studienwerk
The Avicenna Studienwerk supports high-performing and socially committed students and doctoral students of the Muslim faith.
Non-Muslim applicants can also be funded in justified exceptional cases, for example in the case of a special commitment to the dialogue with Islam or an Islam-specific course of study. The selection procedure is based on the procedures of the other gifted funding agencies.
Scholarship holders also receive financial support for stays abroad. These can be study visits, internships or language stays.
Contact:
Avicenna-Studienwerk eV
Kamp 81/83
49074 Osnabrück
Phone: 0541-440-113-04
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.avicenna-studienwerk.de
Union and employer-based foundations
Trade union and employer-related foundations support young people primarily from the point of view of their own orientation. A union-related foundation attaches great importance to participation, while an employer-related or business-related foundation predominantly promotes entrepreneurship and initiative.
Hans Böckler Foundation
The Hans-Böckler-Foundation is the co-determination, research and study funding organization of the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB). It supports talented students and doctoral candidates who are involved in trade unions or socio-political activities. The foundation’s funding program is aimed primarily at applicants with a history of immigration, from households with little educational background and in difficult financial or social situations. Creating equal opportunities in the promotion of talented students is one of the foundation’s major goals.
The application is made by self-application. There are different procedures. As a rule, suitable applicants receive an invitation to a selection interview.
The foundation also supports stays abroad. These can be study visits or language courses of up to an academic year.
The Klaus Murmann Study Fund is part of the entrepreneurial foundation of the German economy. It supports students and doctoral candidates with good academic performance who are socially committed, determined and have social skills. Entrepreneurship and a sense of responsibility are also required. For student teachers there is a special form of funding with the preparatory college.
The application is made by self-application. Suitable applicants will receive an invitation to a pre-selection interview. This is followed by an assessment center.
Scholarship holders also receive appropriate funding for stays abroad. You can receive surcharges on the regular scholarship, grants for tuition fees and travel expenses and international health insurance.
Contact:
Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft gGmbH
in the House of German Business
Breite Straße 29
10178 Berlin
Telephone: 030-2033-1540 Fax
: 030-2033-1555
E-Mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.sdw.org
