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190 students from all over Germany are included in the START Foundation’s new scholarship year. You can expect an intensive educational and promising program: workshops, academies, travel, experiential education offers and a digital campus with young people on their way to school leaving certificates.
Financial assistance
At the end of the three-year program there is a non-profit project that each youth creates and implements themselves during the scholarship. Also, all scholarship holders receive an annual tuition allowance of 1,000 euros. Goal: Strengthen their path and encourage them to get involved in society. START sees youth immigration history as a valuable resource for a vibrant democracy.
The search, selection and support of scholarship holders is conducted in close collaboration between the START Foundation and representatives from the Schleswig-Holstein State Ministry of Education, Science and Culture. The prerequisite for admission to the program is your own immigration history or parental history. Also, applicants must be at least 14 years old, have completed 8th grade and still have three years of school ahead of them – irrelevant to the type of school and the degree they are aiming for. In addition to these formalities, the desire to make a difference in society is crucial. In a claimed, two-stage selection process, the youngsters were able to convince the jury that they had this desire.
Interest is higher than before
About 1,800 young people across Germany applied for scholarships for the 2021/2022 school year – a record in the history of START. Five girls and three boys won in Schleswig-Holstein. His family’s roots extend from Kenya to Nepal. What unites them all is their curiosity, perseverance and great desire to create.
Schleswig-Holstein Education Minister Karin Prien said: “I am delighted that schoolchildren will again be accepted into the START Foundation’s Scholarship Program this year and will be honored for their voluntary commitment.” Volunteer work is a great prosperity for the personal development of the youth, but above all an essential pillar for social cohesion. Protecting young talent in this area is even more important. “Start Foundation Scholarship holders, including their life stories and experiences, are excellent role models and best advertised for volunteer work.”
About 675 young people from more than 50 countries are currently being supported nationwide, 34 of whom are currently from Schleswig-Holstein. As with the previous year, scholarship holders of the last third year may have to wait an additional year to compensate for the cancellation of the scholarship program due to corona.
More information at www.start-stiftung.de.
* Two Kiel Scholarship holders want to remain anonymous. So their names were not disclosed.