Sponsoring future specialists and leaders
with the Deutschlandstipendium

Invest in your future

Secure your competitiveness by investing in the education of highly qualified future employees at TU Darmstadt. Here you can get involved through the Deutschlandstipendium. In the formative phase of university studies, your company become a partner to and supporter of our students. At the same time, you set a positive example for the future of the region and Germany as a business location.

Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp,
Chairman Executive Board and Family Board of E. Merck KG

It is the people behind any foundation and global company who are highly interested in the training and education of young people. The Deutschlandstipendium is best suited for just that. I cannot imagine a better investment into the future as an entrepreneur, foundation manager, parent or grandparent.

Picture: E. Merck KG

Why you should invest in our talents

  • You will support students from subject areas that fit your HR recruiting profile perfectly
  • In the shaping phase of their studies, you will personally get to know tomorrow’s specialists
  • You will become a partner of our university and gain personal insights into teaching, research and science
  • We will honour your commitment in our publications underlining your corporate social responsibility
  • You invest in sustainable education and training of the most important resources of our country strengthening the success of Germany as a centre of finance, industry, trade and commerce

70% recruiting success

The special donor-student matching at TU Darmstadt makes the Deutschlandstipendium your ideal personal recruiting instrument. It is because, as a scholarship provider, you can name the departments from which you would like to support students. When applying for a Deutschlandstipendium, our students specify their industry wishes. Through recommendations of the selection committee as well as with the help of a specially developed software, we achieve the best possible matching of wishes of both donor and student. Thus, valuable encounters and a lively network are created.

The result: 70% of the entrepreneurial donors have already been able to attract students to their company. The cost-benefit ratio and target accuracy of the funding concept are assessed positively.

This is the conclusion of the nationwide first study on the topic “Why are companies involved with the Deutschlandstipendium?”. The study was written at the beginning of 2017 at the Chair of Corporate Finance at TU Darmstadt and deals with the motives of entrepreneurial donors to give the Deutschlandstipendium.

You can request it from us by sending an e-mail to

How you get involved as a donor?

You decide from which subject area you would like to support students

  • You take on a year’s scholarship amounting to a one-time payment of at least 1,800 euros per scholarship for at least three students.
  • For 2/3 of the students, you determine which department the supported students are from.
  • We select the best students for you. We are happy to take your wishes into consideration here.
  • During the ceremony for scholarship holders, which is expected to take place in January, you will get to know your scholarship holders in person.
  • We honour your commitment on our website

Do you have questions?

The law does not allow private donors to have a direct influence on the choice of applicants. In order for you to be able to get to know your scholarship holders beforehand, however, you will receive the motivational letter and curriculum vitae of the candidates in advance, if they have given their consent.

The selection of scholarship holders is carried out in two stages in the departments. In the first stage, the academic achievements are the determining criterion. In the second stage, the applicants are asked to submit additional application documents that are not related to achievements. These additional criteria are their personal background and career so far, social commitment, willingness to take on responsibility, or particular social, family or personal circumstances resulting, for example, from their family background or a migrant background.

TU Darmstadt’s scholarship holders would very much like to get to know their individual donors. During the scholarship holders’ ceremony at the latest, which takes place every year in January, you will get to know your scholarship holders in person. Provided the scholarship holders give their consent, we will send you the students’ contact details.

The commitment to provide support is made in writing between TU Darmstadt and you as a donor. The commitment lasts for at least two semesters, i.e. one year. Beyond that, the scholarship holders can apply again each year. For this, the applicants’ achievements are examined once more. The maximum duration of support is the prescribed period of study. A more long-term commitment on the part of the donors is therefore desirable.

Yes, it is possible for the donor to be named in connection with the Deutschlandstipendium as follows: “Deutschlandstipendium of company XY / person XY at TU Darmstadt”. Directly naming the scholarship after the donor (e.g. “Company X Deutschlandstipendium” or “N. N. scholarship”) is possible, but this may have consequences for the tax treatment (donation or sponsorship).

All donations for the Deutschlandstipendium are deductible within the scope of tax provisions in Germany. For amounts of up to 200 euros, the deposit slip is adequate as proof for the German tax office. Please be sure to state the payment reference. Of course, we will send you a donation receipt in accordance with the tax requirements.

TU Darmstadt commits to pass on to all donors the motivational letters and curricula vitae of the students in advance. Furthermore, TU Darmstadt will organise the scholarship holders’ ceremony, taking place every January, and will publish the donor’s name, if desired, on TU Darmstadt’s Deutschlandstipendium web page. The donor is free to use the Deutschlandstipendium logo in their communication. The donor receives a charitable donation certificate from central administration.