Studienförderwerk – The Klaus Murmann Fellowship Programme
The core element of the Foundation of German Business (SDW) is its Klaus Murmann Fellowship Programme. It is named after the business leader Dr. Klaus Murmann, former president of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) and largest philanthropist of the foundation.
Within the framework of the Klaus Murmann Fellowship Programme, SDW offers scholarships to approximately 1600 students and doctoral candidates from all subject areas. They receive financial support in the form of scholarships and additional funds for study years or internships in foreign countries. Parallel to their undergraduate or doctoral studies, the scholarship holders participate additionally in a comprehensive auxiliary programme. While the scholarships are funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Education and Research, the development programme for high potentials is funded by SDW and other entrepreneurial philanthropists. The goal of SDW is to prepare especially talented and committed young people for future leadership positions in industry and business or other areas of society.
To be admitted into the fellowship programme, undergraduate and PhD students must exhibit certain qualities and fulfil certain requirements: Besides above-average academic achievements, applicants must exhibit initiative and social commitment, e.g. in associations, social institutions or in the field of politics. Applicants should also exhibit social competence, have a well-founded education, be able to work in a team and have good communication skills. The sponsorship of SDW is aimed at open-minded young people with an international orientation who consciously seek an exchange with other cultures. The scholarship winners are selected twice a year in a two-stage selection process, the second stage of which is an assessment centre.
Students and doctoral candidates who are successful in this selection process can look forward to a stimulating time in the Klaus Murmann Fellowship Programme (Studienförderwerk Klaus Murmann), which usually lasts until completion of the course of study or doctorate. All fellowship recipients are integrated into fellowship groups which are organised at their university locations and which develop their own activities. Furthermore, the fellowship recipients participate in a variegated event programme, which SDW organises in close cooperation with companies and business associations. This programme includes seminars on sociopolitical topics, training sessions and workshops on key competences, as well as events in which the dialogue with companies stands in the foreground.
Applications of foreign students and doctoral candidates
Applicants may be both German and non-German students who are completing their studies at a German university. Special rules apply for foreign students from non-EU countries. They must be eligible to receive assistance in Germany according to § 8 of the Federal Education and Training Assistance Act (BAföG) or as immigrants have a residence permit in Germany with the perspective of obtaining permanent residence status.
Doctoral candidates from all countries are eligible to apply to SDW. Applicants must, however, be admitted to a PhD programme at a German university.
Detailed information about application requirements and procedures are available on the German version of this website. From all non-German applicants SDW expects a very good command of German, since the entire promotional programme is conducted in German. All scholarship recipients are expected to actively participate in this programme.