Advancement Scholarship
The advancement scholarship is a program of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to promote talented students . The scholarship supports particularly high-performing experienced professionals in completing their first university studies. Since the introduction of the scholarship program in 2008, over 1000 new scholarship holders have been accepted into the funding program every year.
On behalf of and with funds from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the SBB Foundation for the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training carries out the selection of scholarship holders and accompanies them during the funding period.
particularities
The advancement grant is aimed at experienced professionals with a professional qualification. The scholarship supports them in their first academic university studies. The professional experience is evidenced by the completion of vocational training and subsequent employment of at least two years with a job volume of at least 19 hours / week.
Funding is possible for full-time and part-time courses. Prerequisite: The study takes place at a state or state-recognized technical college or university and ends with an academic degree (usually 'Bachelor' or 'Diplom'). You can apply before you start your studies. After the scholarship has been confirmed, you have one year to begin your studies. Students who are already students can apply up to the end of the second semester.
The funding is provided as a lump sum and is independent of income. The funding for full-time studies is 853 euros per month plus 80 euros book allowance (if necessary, additional childcare allowance for children under 14 years of age of 150 euros per child). The funding for part-time studies is 2700 euros per year.
Even those who have been in the job for many years can apply. In a selection interview, it should be possible to explain which professional development is aimed at with the course.
Application requirements
Skilled workers who have shown particular achievements in training and professional practice receive support through the program in carrying out their first academic studies at a state or state-recognized university. The requirements for an application for a promotion scholarship are:
- Completed vocational training or advanced training ,
- Work experience of at least two years (after completing your training and before starting your studies) at the time of the online application,
- no university degree (for already students: an application is still possible before the end of the second semester),
- proof of special performance in training and work, u. a. by the grade of the final vocational examination or the final examination of an advanced training course (overall result with at least grade 1.9 or 87 points and more). Other options are particularly successful participation in a national professional performance competition or a well-founded suggestion from the employer.
Selection process
The selection process for the promotion scholarship has three stages:
Level I - online application
The application for a promotion scholarship is done by self-application. As a first step, those interested fill out an online form. The online application can be started during the application phases via a link on the promotion scholarship website. The information in the online application is used to check whether the basic requirements for an application are met. These include a. proof of special performance and professional experience.
Stage II - competence check
Anyone who, according to their own information in the online application, has met the basic criteria for participating in the selection process will receive approval to participate in the next stage of the application process by email. Level II consists of a questionnaire on several fields of competence (e.g. determination, social competence), which is also processed online. A team of experts evaluates the incoming questionnaires. In stage II, applicants are also requested to submit documents that substantiate the information from the online application.
Stage III - selection interview
Applicants with a particularly good result in Level II will receive an invitation to a selection interview. During this interview, a juror asks questions about your professional career and your planned or already started studies. The basis is the answers in the competence check. The jurors are experts from science and business.