Ann-Sophie Groß, Scholarship Holder
One of those who benefited from a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship during their studies is Ann-Sophie Groß. After graduating in dentistry from the University of Bonn, she went on to study human medicine at the Technical University of Munich, whilst completing a doctoral thesis in dentistry at the University of Bonn. All with great success: her efforts were rewarded with the grade magna cum laude. Dr. Groß would like to work in the area of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
During her studies in Bonn, Groß was supported by a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship for a total of two and a half years, for which she is very grateful. “I benefited greatly from the scholarship. In order to study dentistry, you really have to buy every item you need for your studies yourself—every penny counts at the end of the month.”
A Deutschlandstipendium scholarship enabled Groß to do even more. In 2017, during her dentistry studies, she was able to work as a volunteer in an aid project for children in Jamaica and in the dental clinic at the University Hospital of Jamaica. As she tells us: “I wouldn’t have been able to gain this valuable experience without the funding from my Deutschlandstipendium scholarship.”
Indeed, not only did Dr. Groß benefit financially from the scholarship, but also in terms of the ideas that it enabled her to develop. “The intensive contact with my sponsor was great. She is a dentist herself and gave me lots of valuable tips on training,” says Groß. She also has nothing but good to say about the formalities involved in the scholarship: “the application was easy, the approval came quickly.”
Dr. Carl-Christian Knobbe, Förderer
“It is clear that success and appreciation reinforce motivation. As such I think it is vital to give young people the appropriate recognition when they achieve great things as within the course of their studies.”
This is how Dr. Carl-Christian Knobbe explains his motivation to provide financial support to students at the University of Bonn as part of the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship program. Knobbe, who himself studied law in Bonn and completed his doctorate at the University, now works as a judge at Cologne Fiscal Court. He has been a member of the board of trustees of the University of Bonn Foundation since 2016 and has also been active as a sponsor since then.
Knobbe finds that the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship program succeeds “in a very charming way”; whilst scholarship holders feel that their efforts have been recognized and rewarded, the funding which they receive enables them to continue their studies. “Both components are equally important for the scholarship holders,” says Knobbe.
In Knobbe’s view, the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship program provides sponsors with the opportunity of supporting deserving students without being required to involve themselves in a lengthy selection process. “Without knowing suitable candidates personally, this would hardly be possible” he points out. Another advantage of the program in his eyes is the fact that federal government finances half of the scholarship, thereby “making the funding even more effective.”
Dr. Knobbe knows from his own experience that it is not only the sponsored students who benefit from the program, but also the sponsors. As he says, “we have the opportunity to get to know fascinating young people involved in a wide range of disciplines and thus participate in the life of the university in a special way.” Sometimes the contacts thereby established can even lead to career opportunities that profit both parties.
Deutschlandstipendium
The Deutschlandstipendium scholarship program seeks to support talented and high-achieving students from participating institutions who demonstrate a commitment to voluntary work. Holders of the scholarship receive a monthly grant of €300 over the period of a year, amounting to a total of €3,600. The scholarship can also be extended.
While half of the funding comes from private individuals, the other half is financed by the federal government. The payments enable the scholarship holders to concentrate fully on their studies and develop their individual talents. Each scholarship holder is assigned to a sponsor.
The program was launched on the federal level in 2011. Rolled out in Bonn at the start of winter semester 2013/14, a total of 1,312 scholarships have since been awarded to students at the University of Bonn. Private individuals, companies and foundations have donated some €2.4 million for this purpose. The scholarship is coordinated by the University of Bonn Foundation.
Contact:
Jennifer Brauweiler
deutschlandstipendium@stiftung.uni-bonn.de
+49 228 73-4607
How to apply
During the current funding period 2023/24, 220 students will be supported by a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship at the University of Bonn—28 more than in the previous year. Of the current recipients, 125 are women and 22 have a migration background. The application phase for winter semester 2025/26 starts in April 2025 Funding always starts on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following year.