Germany Scholarship: Over 6,000 grants awarded in 15 years at LMU

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At LMU, the Germany Scholarship has been bringing sponsors together with talented and committed students for 15 years. To mark this anniversary, 346 students received their grant certificates at the Deutsches Museum. At her first Germany Scholarship Awards Ceremony as LMU Vice President, Professor Francesca Biagini praised the program as “far more than just financial support”.

According to Biagini, the anniversary impressively demonstrates how successfully the program has developed: What began as 73 grants has grown to more than 6,000 over the past decade and a half. Moreover, many of those who received support in the past are now themselves giving others the same opportunity. Biagini sees this as one of the program’s singular strengths.

The Germany Scholarship program is especially close to the Vice President’s heart because she herself received a grant during her studies. This enabled her to concentrate fully on her studies. “The experience not only shaped me academically, but also showed me just how valuable support is,” she said at the ceremony. Even later in life, she added, she has repeatedly encountered people who supported her. That is why, for her, the Germany Scholarship is about far more than just financial assistance.

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Biagini issued a special appeal to the new scholarship holders: “Make the most of this opportunity to engage in dialogue with your sponsors.” After all, behind every grant there is someone who believes in the potential of young people. At the same time, she called for more supporters to be recruited for the scholarship. “Every grant is an investment in talent and in the future.”

The keynote address was delivered by Professor Harald Lesch of the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics at LMU. Professor Lesch covered a wide range of topics, from the search for habitable planets to our responsibility for the Earth. He described the Germany Scholarship as a “great enabler” that creates opportunities for young people who have the ideas, inquisitive spirit and sense of responsibility needed to help shape the future. This was followed by the highlight of the evening: the presentation of the latest batch of scholarship certificates.

Anna Sophia Ressler demonstrated how this kind of support continues to have an impact. Eight years ago, she herself was a recipient of the Germany Scholarship. An encounter she had at that time later gave rise to the idea for a charitable organization, which today supports students at LMU and other universities following the loss of close relatives.

Today, she herself acts as a sponsor. “For me, this shows the power of this vehicle: Its impact doesn’t stop when the scholarship is over.” Ressler likewise had some advice to give the new scholarship holders: “Make the most of the opportunity to engage with one another, because there are some encounters that could change your lives.”

The Deutschlandstipendium at LMU provides €300 per month to talented and committed students. The scholarship is funded jointly by the German Federal Government and private sponsors. Selection is based not only on academic achievement, but also on talent, social commitment, personal circumstances, and individual educational backgrounds. The programme fosters connections between scholarship holders and their sponsors. Further informations: https://www.lmu.de/en/workspace-for-students/student-support-services/finance-your-studies/scholarships/deutschlandstipendium/