Statutes of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences for the awarding of scholarships within the framework of the national scholarship program (Deutschlandstipendium) of 25 October 2023

To regulate the awarding of scholarships under the Act on the Creation of a National Scholarship Program (Stipendienprogramm-Gesetz-StipG) in conjunction with the Ordinance on the Implementation of the Scholarship Program Act, the Senate of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences adopted the following statutes at its meeting on 25 October 2023:

§ 1 Purpose of the scholarship

The purpose of introducing the scholarship program at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences is to

1. attract particularly talented students to the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences,
2. offer talented students the prospect of financing their studies and thus reduce barriers to pursuing a degree,
3. enable students with excellent academic performance or very good university entrance qualifications to pursue a concentrated course of study,
4. enable students who are first-time graduates in their families to complete a degree.

§ 2 Eligibility

1. Subject-specific scholarships are allocated to the respective group of applicants in the respective subject area, depending on the subject-specific nature of the grant. Non-subject-specific scholarships are allocated to all applicants from all subject areas. The ranking within the respective group of applicants is determined by the Scholarship Selection Committee's evaluation of the applications received in accordance with Section 7.

2. The Deutschlandstipendium is awarded within the standard period of study. Exceptions are possible in accordance with Section 7 of the Scholarship Act (StipG).

3. Applicants with a grade or average grade (Section 7 (2) of these statutes) lower than 3.4 are not eligible for a scholarship.

§ 3 Type and scope of funding

1. The monthly scholarship amount is €300, of which €150 must be raised from private sponsors and €150 is subsidized by the federal government.
2. The scholarships are awarded regardless of income. They are also paid during the semester break and during a subject-related semester abroad (exchange semester with a learning agreement).
3. The scholarship does not establish an employment relationship with the State of Hesse, the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, or the private funding provider. It is not subject to social security contributions, as it does not constitute remuneration according to Section 14 of Book IV of the Social Code. The scholarship is tax-exempt under the conditions of Section 3 No. 44 of the Income Tax Act.
4. There is no legal entitlement to the granting or extension of the funding provided by the scholarship.
5. The number of scholarships depends on the available funds.

§ 4 Fundraising and distribution of scholarships

1. Scholarship commitments from private donors are made by agreement with the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, represented by the Executive Board.
2. Scholarships without a specific purpose are awarded according to the central ranking list in accordance with Section 7.

§ 5 Application process

1. The scholarship can only be awarded upon application, which must be submitted in the form of a properly and timely application via the application portal on the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences website, along with the required application documents listed there (a completed application form with attachments). All information in the application must be truthful and complete. False or incomplete information will result in exclusion from the application process. The same applies to applications from students who have already exceeded the standard period of study, unless one of the reasons listed in Section 7, Paragraph 2 applies.
2. Applications for a Deutschlandstipendium are submitted via the Deutschlandstipendium application portal of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.

The Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences provides information on its Deutschlandstipendium website

https://www.frankfurt-university.de/en/about-us/university-funding/deutschlandstipendium/information-for-students/ 

about the period within which applications for the Deutschlandstipendium can be submitted via the application portal. Information about the deadline for the application process will be provided accordingly.

       3. The following must be submitted:

1. a fully completed application form,
2. certificate of enrollment / certificate for the Deutschlandstipendium,
3. a letter of motivation (1 A4 page) (Why should I be considered for a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship? What are my personal and professional goals, and how am I contributing to society?),
4. a CV (max. 2 A4 pages) listing any special awards/prizes, as well as training courses, stays abroad, internships, and periods of work of more than 3 months,
5. transcripts (one of the four options below):

• 5.1 Prospective students and Bachelor's students in their first and second semesters with fewer than 30 ECTS credits achieved: Grade of the university entrance qualification/degree certificate (for foreign certificates, the submission/use of a translation suitable for the German system and conversion to the German grading system is mandatory).
• 5.2 All other prospective students and Bachelor's students: Proof of module examinations completed to date, including the average grade (arithmetic mean of the module grades).
• 5.3 Master's students in their first and second semesters with fewer than 30 ECTS credits achieved, as well as applicants for a second degree: Grade of the Bachelor's certificate or most recent academic qualification.
• 5.4 All other Master's students: Proof of module examinations completed to date,

      6. if applicable, copies of the birth certificates of your own children under 16 years of age living in the same household,
      7. if applicable, copy of the severely disabled person’s ID card,
      8. Documents relating to skills specifically mentioned in the motivation letter and CV,
          awards, stays abroad, internship and employment references (from 3 months), etc.

Frankfurt UAS reserves the right to request further evidence if necessary.

     4. As part of the application, applicants must state whether they receive other scholarships and funding, and if so, how much. This disclosure requirement also applies during the funding period. It must be examined on a case-by-case basis whether double funding is possible. It must also be stated whether BAföG (Federal Training Assistance Act) is being received.

      5. Applications are always submitted for the degree program in which the applicant is enrolled at the time of application. If enrolled in multiple degree programs, the applicant must specify the relevant degree program.

§ 6 Scholarship Selection Committee

1. A central scholarship selection committee will be formed at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.
2. The scholarship selection committee will include:

• 1. one member of the Executive Board,
• 2. one professor from each department,
• 3. and two students.

Professors are elected by the Senate for four years, students for one year, for the summer semester. If a group fails to select its members by two weeks before the start of the Deutschlandstipendium application period—which will be announced on the Deutschlandstipendium website at Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences - the President will appoint the missing members.

      3. The Scholarship Selection Committee has a quorum if at least two voting members are present. Decisions are made by a majority of the members present; in the event of a tie, the Executive Board member has the casting vote.

§ 7 Selection procedures and selection criteria

1. The scholarship selection committee will select the scholarship recipients based on the complete documentation submitted.
2. The scholarship selection committee will rank the applicants for each group of applicants according to the following criteria in accordance with Section 2, Paragraph 1: The grades/average grades according to Section 5, Paragraph 3, Item 5 apply.

•          1. The points for this are calculated as follows:

Grade            1,0 to 1,2             15 points
                       to 1,4                   14 points
                       to 1,6                   13 points
                       to 1,8                   12 points
                       to 2,0                   11 points
                       to 2,2                   10 points
                       to 2,4                     9 points
                       to 2,6                     8 points
                       to 2,8                     7 points
                       to 3,0                     6 points
                       to 3,2                     5 points
                       to 3,4                     4 points

Applicants with a lower grade or average grade cannot be considered.

• 2. For children under the age of 16 living in the household (as of the start of the scholarship), the following points are awarded: 1 child: 0.5 points, more than 1 child: 1 point.
• 3. For people with severe disabilities (as of the start of the scholarship), the following points are credited: up to 49% GdB: 0.5 points, from 50% GdB: 1 point.
• 4. The applicant's motivation, as well as
• - special achievements and awards/prizes,
• - completed vocational training, longer-term qualified professional experience,
• - special internships and/or international experience (at least 3 months),
• - volunteer work (at least 3 months),
• - special obstacles in obtaining university entrance qualifications (documented in the letter of motivation and CV)

are evaluated out of a maximum of 5 points. Previous Deutschlandstipendium recipients receive 5 points.

     3. Point values ​​are assigned to the criteria according to the aforementioned point system. A ranking list is created accordingly. If two or more applicants are tied, a draw will be made. The drawing process is conducted by the scholarship selection committee. A record of this process must be kept.

4. Scholarships for each group of applicants will be awarded according to the ranking list.

§ 8 Approval and funding period

1. The decision on approval will be communicated to the applicant in writing or electronically.
2. The scholarship ends at the end of the standard period of study. Exceptions are regulated in Section 10.
3. As a rule, scholarships are awarded for 12 months, from the beginning of the winter semester to the end of the summer semester.

If the scholarship holder withdraws from the scholarship within the approval period or does not take up the scholarship, the scholarship will be awarded again according to the ranking list for the remaining term of the previously awarded scholarship.

§ 9 Continuation of funding and performance review

To review the continuation of the scholarship, the scholarship holder will participate in the university's application process again.

§ 10 Extension of the maximum funding period, leave of absence

The scholarship will not be paid during a period of academic leave. If the student resumes studies after the leave, the scholarship period will be adjusted upon notification by the scholarship holder.

In the event of pregnancy, the scholarship period will be extended by the duration of the maternity protection period under the Maternity Protection Act.

§ 11 Withdrawal and revocation

1. The grant may be withdrawn in accordance with Sections 48 and 49a of the Hessian Administrative Procedures Act (HessVwfG).
2. The revocation of the grant is governed by Section 9 of the StipG (Stipendium Act). The grant must be revoked with at least six weeks' notice to the end of the calendar month if the grantee has failed to comply with the obligation under Section 10 Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the StipG or receives additional funding contrary to Section 4 Paragraph 2 of the StipG, or if the university determines during the review that the eligibility or performance requirements for the grant no longer apply. Retroactive revocation of the grant is possible, particularly in cases of double funding.
3. The President is responsible for revocation and withdrawal.

§ 12 Obligations to cooperate

1. Applicants must fulfill the cooperation obligations required for the selection process, in particular by providing the information and supporting documents necessary to assess eligibility and performance requirements.
2. By accepting the scholarship, the scholarship holder undertakes to:

• (a) to immediately report any changes in circumstances that are relevant to the granting of the scholarship,
• (b) to submit the required evidence of aptitude and performance during the funding period. By accepting the scholarship, the scholarship holder also agrees to provide the university with the data necessary to fulfill its obligation to provide information pursuant to Section 13 (2) No. 1 and (4) of the Scholarship Act.

§ 13 Early Termination

1. The scholarship ends at the end of the month in which the scholarship holder

• 1. has successfully completed their higher education; this is the case when the scholarship holder is notified of the overall result of the successfully completed phase of their education, but no later than the end of the second month following the month in which the last part of the examination was taken,
• 2. has discontinued their studies,
• 3. has changed their field of study, or
• 4. is exmatriculated.

      2. If the scholarship holder changes university during the scholarship period, the scholarship will continue to be paid for one semester according to the previous scholarship. The duration of the semester at the university that awarded the scholarship is decisive.

§ 14 Entry into force and expiry

1. The current version of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences' statutes for awarding scholarships within the framework of the national scholarship program will enter into force on October 26, 2023, and will be published in a central directory on the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences website.
2. The version of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences' statutes for awarding scholarships within the framework of the national scholarship program, as amended on June 16, 2021, will expire on October 25, 2023.

Frankfurt am Main, October 25th, 2023

Prof. Dr. Kai-Oliver Schocke
President