Your application: what you need to know
Apply online for your zis scholarship! Before you start, we’ll briefly explain how the online application works.
Please note our conditions for non-german applicants:
- you have to live in Germany, travel to a german speaking country or choose a topic with a context to german culture
- we cannot assist you with any visa-applications
- like all other applicants you are not allowed to travel by airplane and you have to cover ALL your expenses (incl. travel) by the scholarship
Please also note our conditions before applying to the scholarship:
- You are working on a topic of your choice
- You travel alone and for at least 4 weeks abroad
- You strat your journey latest by September 30th
- You're not traveling by plane
- You keep a travel diary and write a project report
- You don't spend more money than you get from zis
- You submit your diary, report and list of expenses three months after your return
- You are at least 16 and at most 20 years old at the start of the journey
More details can be found under your journey and under FAQ > Scholarship- and travel conditions.
1. Registration and login
The online application will be activated from December 1st. You can submit your application until 15 February 2025.
You can sign-up for our application newsletter (german only) at any time to be reminded in time.
2. Completing the application
The application has to be completed in several steps. In the first step we’ll ask you for your personal information. You also have to give your permission for us to store your information and use it to process your application. After that, you can complete the other steps in any order.
Take a look at our conditions and get started.
Here you can also find a short checklist with all documents you should have ready.
Mandatory fields are marked with *. You can enter your journey idea both in the designated text boxes and by uploading it as a document. You can save your application at any time and continue completing the application later.
3. Submission
When all required fields have been completed, you can review your entries one last time and save them for your own records. Then submit the application. You will subsequently receive a consent form for your parents to complete. So that they are informed about your travel plans, we request the consent of your parents even if you have reached the age of majority. Please print the consent form and send us the signed document by e-mail or post.
Your application cannot be changed after you have submitted it. Only your personal information can be edited at any time. This is important should your address or phone number change. Please check regularly that your personal information is still up-to-date.
The application deadline is 15 February 2025, midnight (CET). Only applications that have been received in full by this date, including the parental consent form, will be considered in the selection process. Please keep in mind that server congestion could occur on the day of the deadline. We therefore recommend that you complete your application as early as possible.
Applications are only possible online. Unfortunately, we cannot accept applications by post or e-mail.
If you have any questions or problems you can always contact us. For questions on the content please contact the zis office, for technical questions please contact the Webteam.
What happens after submitting the application?
Every year in March, the zis team meets to select the most promising applications. The journey concept does not have to be perfect, but your motivation and your idea have to be convincing. There are also formal criteria that must be met. You can find out about this under "Your journey".
You will find out by the beginning of April at the latest whether your application has been accepted and you have been shortlisted. All applicants who enter this next stage will be supported by the zis team in their preparations until the final approval. A mentor will give you advice, answer your questions and, ultimately, approve your scholarship as soon as your journey concept has matured.
And now: have fun and good luck with your application!
All information on the application can be found in a nutshell in the zis info flyer.
