Benjamin Bramatt, Special School Recommendation, Apprentice as a Tyler, at Abby Night School, it sometimes still seems a mystery that he now belongs to the elite student elite circle. Bramatt, 33, has been studying mathematics and social sciences in Bochum since October. He wants to be a teacher. A few months ago he was at an election seminar for the German National Academic Foundation, at a youth hostel in Dুসsseldorf over the weekend, where he sat with high-class children and was supposed to present himself in group discussions. It was about the abstract question: Is freedom a social construct? There are rumors that Bramt has never heard of it. Lies? “Didn’t tell me anything.” At last he returned with the feeling: who knows if they will take me.
Only one percent of students are supported by one of the 13 talented institutions. In addition to the course, scholarships include need-based funding such as Bafög; Unlike Bafög recipients, scholarship holders do not have to pay grants later. There is also a flat rate of 300 euros – whatever the parents earn. This single sum was once 80 euros and has been increased in recent years, partly in protest of scholarship holders, who called for donations for the less privileged. Because someone like Bramat turns it into their circle is an exception.
One percent of those receiving funding differs significantly from the other 99 percent at German universities Two-thirds of scholarship holders come from academic families; Of all the students, on the other hand, this is only half. Studienstiftung, the largest funding agency, specially reserved: the children of CEOs and professors remember themselves, only 30 percent first-time educators.
It does not depend on us, according to Studienstiftung. “We try to make sure that the selection process is not socially selective,” said Roland Hein, the election manager. He cites statistics showing that there are actually more educational mountaineers among the applicants than among the scholarship holders. Hen sees more of the reasons why teachers and universities nominate for the foundation. According to him, grammar schools, including middle-class clients, use more of their right to nominate candidates than other schools, which takes Abitur away. University professors often recommend their students to the University of Applied Sciences, where mountaineers study, rather than their peers. Over a good ten years, students have been able to apply without recommendation. The foundation should do the same. It didn’t work. At 20 percent, the proportion of non-graduate children among successful self-applicants was recently lower than the overall average.
The StudentStuff now seeks to use collaboration to reach candidates who have not yet found it. One of these partners is the North Rhine-Westphalia Talent Center, a model project aimed at attracting high school graduates to universities where their parents did not attend. More than 70 scouts flock to vocational colleges, colleges and high schools. Talent scouts have been allowed to advise for the foundation since 2018.
Julia Eberlin was one of these advisers until recently. Once a month he would attend a counseling at the Dortmund Further Education College. At one point Bramat sat down with him. “It was clear to me that I would propose to Benjamin,” he says. At first she just stared at him in amazement.
Probably because the road to university was so long for him. In high school he got an idea of what he could do next: Teach. After all, the class teacher inspired him, he says. “You’ve noticed with him that it’s not just a job for him.” Once the teacher saw him waiting for the bus on his way to work in the morning and picked him up in the car from that day. “He not only pulled the curriculum, he saw where we were having problems at home.” Nonetheless, he advises Bramt not to work as a teacher after high school: Abitur and study, it will be very difficult.
Bramatt trained as a Tyler, could not find a job, went into the Army for four years, then worked in production for a clutch manufacturer, did a manual job on overhaul and shift work. He no longer cared about his career ambitions – until he met his girlfriend, a medical student, while playing sports.
I also wanted to study, Bramt said.
Why don’t you do it
Because I’ve been told all my life I can’t.
She tries her high school diploma night school, after work from 6pm to 9pm on Fridays and from 8am to 4pm on Saturdays. “My friends tended to be divisive and at work I had to fight to make the shift work.” Still, he abhorred, with 1.2. Bramat said he would never have considered applying for StudentStiftung if his talent center mentor, Julia Eberlin, had not recommended him.
So far 39 students have sat in the selection seminar on the advice of Talent Scouts. Eleven were adopted. This makes them as successful as the other candidates, perhaps a little more successful. It is still not possible to say for sure because of the small number. And with nearly 13,000 scholarship donors, not enough to make the foundation noticeably more colorful.
Other sponsorships continue. Some, such as the Hans Bokler Foundation, which is close to trade unions, even give educational climbers a plus point in the application. Studienstiftung does not want to provide an obvious bonus; They want the best performers, they say. The fact that first-time graduates will continue to be presented until the end is accepted.