Studienstiftung

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The German National Academic Foundation or German National Merit Foundation (German: Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, short: Studienstiftung) is Germany's oldest and most prestigious organisation to promote students of outstanding intellectual abilities and personality. It is non-political and non-denominational.

The Studienstiftung promotes future excellence in the areas of science, business, public administration, and the arts. Through its sponsorship programme it promotes academic consolidation, interdisciplinary dialogue, a cosmopolitan world view and international experience.

The Studienstiftung is financially supported and subsidised by the Federal Government of Germany, the German Federal States and local authorities as well as by a large number of private donors.

The German National Academic Foundation was founded in Dresden in 1925, dissolved in 1934 and re-founded as a registered association in Cologne in 1948. During its existence, it has sponsored more than 40,000 exceptionally gifted students and doctoral candidates.

The Studienstiftung currently sponsors 6,147 undergraduates and about 600 PhD students (as of October 1, 2006)^[1], corresponding to 0.31% of the total German student population.

Members of the Studienstiftung receive quarterly stipends for living and other expenses. Considered as even more important by the foundation, they can participate in a wide range of seminars and summer schools, often organised by the most reputed professors of their fields, language courses and special activities. Current Studienstiftung affiliates sometimes call themselves Stifti.

One can argue that the need for a such an organisation is especially high in a country with a rather homogeneous range of universities, many of which are well reputed, but none of which would be called an Elite university (like Cambridge University or Harvard University). It is here where many gifted young personalities of Germany's academic elite make contacts with similarly interested and highly motivated students. The motto of this German Ivy League^[2] as it is sometimes called is Leistung, Initiative und Verantwortung (Merit, Initiative and Responsibility).

Contents 1 Admission 2 Notable alumni 3 References 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Admission

Admission into the German National Merit Foundation is restricted to:

• Students with German citizenship
• Students with a European Union nationality studying primarily in Germany or graduating in Germany
• Students of other nationalities with the German Abitur and studying at a German university, if the parent's income are subject to German taxation

In order to be admitted to the Studienstiftung applicants have to be officially nominated, they cannot apply. Eligible to submit a nomination are:

• Headmasters (when graduating from a gymnasium top of class)
• University professors, departments at German universities at which marked preliminary examinations are held
• Academic staff, rectors and presidents of universities of applied science
• Principals of German state colleges of art
• Principals of German state colleges of music
• Doctoral supervisors
• Administrators of affiliated student competitions (for the top national finalists), with competitions being:
  • International Biology Olympiad, International Chemistry Olympiad, International Mathematical Olympiad, International Physics Olympiad, and International Olympiad in Informatics
  • Jugend forscht (science and engineering)
  • Bundeswettbewerb Mathematik (mathematics), Bundeswettbewerb Informatik (computer science), Bundeswettbewerb Fremdsprachen (foreign language and classics)
  • Schülerwettbewerb Alte Sprachen (classics), and Schülerwettbewerb Deutsche Geschichte (German history)
  • Landeswettbewerb Deutsche Sprache und Literatur (German language and literature)
  • The zis Foundation for Travel Grants

The Studienstiftung invites all candidates who fulfil the formal requirements to a selection seminar. Usually, the selection procedure comprises two individual interviews and group discussions involving the presentation of a short paper. Applicants are expected to have excelled in their academic achievements, to show a strong sense initiative and responsibility. The Studienstiftung also expects candidates to have developed and continue pursuing extracurricular interests and activities. Political convictions, ideology, gender, religion as well as economic and social aspects play no role in the selection process. The average acceptance ratio varies depending on the type of nomination, from 23.4% for freshmen to 47.8% for university nominations (2005).

[edit] Notable alumni

See also Category:Studienstiftung alumni

• Wolfgang Ketterle, Nobel prize physics 2001
• Erwin Neher, Nobel prize medicine 1991
• Robert Huber, Nobel prize chemistry 1988
• J. Hans D. Jensen, Nobel prize physics 1963
• Manfred Eigen, Nobel prize chemistry 1962, former president of the Studienstiftung (1982–1993)
• Gerd Faltings, mathematician, Fields medal 1986
• Martin Beneke, physicist, Leibniz prize 2008
• Wolfgang Lück, mathematician, Leibniz prize 2008
• Jochen Mannhart, physicist, Leibniz prize 2008
• Magdalena Götz, biologist, Leibniz prize 2007
• Oliver Primavesi, philologist, Leibniz prize 2007
• Detlef Weigel, biologist, Leibniz prize 2007
• Gyburg Radke, philologist, Leibniz prize 2006
• Felix Otto, mathematician, Leibniz prize 2006
• Gerhard Roth (biologist), President of the Studienstiftung since 2004
• Antje Vollmer, politician, until 2005 Vice-President of the german parliament
• Andreas von Bechtolsheim, co-founder Sun Microsystems
• Ulrich Beck, sociologist
• Wolfgang Bernhard, manager
• Hans-Jürgen von Bose, professor, composer
• Emil Cimiotti, artist
• Moritz Eggert, composer, pianist
• Gudrun Ensslin, former member of the Red Army Faction (RAF)
• Hans Magnus Enzensberger, writer
• Justus Frantz, pianist
• Annette Fugmann-Heesing, treasury secretary, senator
• Petra Gerster, journalist
• Anna Gourari, pianist
• Dirk Hackbarth, economist
• Stefan Homburg, economist
• Horst Janssen, artist
• Dirk Kaesler, sociologist
• Bas Kast, writer
• Christian Keysers, neuroscientist
• Claus Kleber, journalist, anchor of the "heute-journal"
• Wilfried Köpke, journalist
• Heinz Rudolf Kunze, singer and composer
• Michael Kunze, composer
• Rolf-Ulrich Kunze, historian
• Ulrike Malmendier, economist
• Franz Massinger, pianist, professor
• Ulrike Meinhof, editor, former member of the Red Army Faction (RAF)
• Frei Otto, architect
• Matthias Pintscher, composer
• Detlev Poguntke, mathematicien
• Stephan Reimertz, art historian
• Karl Schiller, politician and scientist
• Gesine Schwan, professor, SPD-candidate for the office of the federal president, 2004
• Wolf Singer, neuroscientist
• Christine Teusch, politician
• Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden, economist
• Robert Tillmanns, politician
• Philipp Tingler, writer, journalist and economist
• Juli Zeh, writer

[edit] References

1. ^ Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, Jahresbericht 2006 (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes, Bonn, 2007).
2. ^ Studienstiftung: Neue Herausforderungen und neue Antworten.

[edit] See also

• Schweizerische Studienstiftung
• National Merit Scholarship Program

[edit] External links

• Homepage of the Studienstiftung: http://www.studienstiftung.de
• http://www.zeit.de/2005/37/B-Elitestudenten2?page=all