• Forge your own path Discover the world in your way!

  • Forge your own path Choose your own way!

  • Forge your own path Embrace your originality!

  • Forge your own path Let the adventure begin!

  • Are you curious about life and want to get to know other countries and people?

    We’re offering you the chance to embark on a unique and unforgettable journey. You will be on the road for at least four weeks, will meet new people and deepen your interests. And best of all, you get to decide where to go! Because this journey is entirely your own.

    Get ready for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

    Apply now

  • Do you want to discover the world, but don’t have enough cash?

    We’ll give you 700 euros – totally independent of your academic achievement, your parents, or your nationality. The only important thing is that you have a plan and do your own thing. You can get far and experience a lot with 700 euros, as you can tell from the short reports (german only) of our many travellers! 

    Are you ready to strike out on your own?

    Apply now

  • Do you want to discover the world in your own way but don’t feel like mass tourism?

    Neither do we! With our scholarship you’ll move independently in a country of your choice*. Without flying - because the journey is part of the experience. It's up to you alone where you spend the night and whatever else you need to live. That’s how you discover places that you fall in love with at first sight, as well as those that you start to appreciate after the second glance. 

    Discover your world!

    *If you are not from Germany you either have to travel to a German speaking country or you have to have a subject related to Germany in order to submit a successful application for a zis scholarship.

    Apply now

  • Have you never travelled alone before?

    Then look forward to a whole series of adventures. We will be happy to give you travel tips and help inspire you to find an exciting research topic. That’s how your journey will become unforgettable - and you’ll not only discover new things, but also yourself. And that is more exciting than it may sound - let yourself be inspired by the experiences of other scholarship holders!

    Are you ready for your adventure?

    Apply now

Discover exciting journey reviews

While you're travelling, you'll keep a diary to record your adventures, wishes, problems and experiences - both for yourself and for others. These records will help you to create your project report after your journey. For some travel topics, it may be a good idea to make a piece of art or craft or an alternative way of documentation to submit alongside your diary.

The following selected travel diaries, project reports, pieces of art and craft and alternative documentations are useful examples of completed projects. They will give you a first impression of the various journey experiences and different types of documentation that are possible. You can find further travel insights in the short reports written by scholarship holders who have already completed their journeys (most of the short reports are still available in German only at this point of time, sorry).

You’ll see: there are no limits set to your creativity!

Short reports

Poland

Die queere Community in Polen

Meine zis-Reise behandelte das Thema „Die queere Community in Polen“. Hierfür war ich fünf Wochen in fünf verschiedenen Städten in Polen unterwegs. 

Read more

Overview of all the short reports

Examples of travel diaries

  • Diary of Viktoria Zott, 2005

    The Benes Decrees - A Violation of Human Rights in the 21st Century? On the trail of Germans in the Czech Republic

  • Peter Holderrieth, 2016

    God save the music - the music scene in the UK

  • Diary of Johannes Heuschkel, Bulgaria, 2016

    Ecovillages in Bulgaria - on the search for alternative ways of life

  • Jane Xhilone (American), 1996

    Animal welfare groups in Germany - in comparison with Eastern European countries

  • Diary of Oliver Siontas, Scottland, 2016

    Introduced species - Invasion in a Scottish National Park

  • Diary of Helene Fröhlich, Spain, 2015

    Life in the rear view mirror - thoughts and experiences of elderly people in Spain

  • Sketchbook of Swantje Höft, Black Sea, 2009

    Contentment in the faces of the Black Sea

  • Diary etc. of Dr. Hans-Georg Münch, trip around the world, 1961

    World without destination – 4 ½ years hitchhiking around the world

  • Diary of Peter Holderrieth, UK, 2016

    "God save the music" – the music scene in the UK

  • Diary of Kathrin Neumüller, Switzerland, 2009

    The Rhaeto-Romanic in Graubünden - does the endangered language have a future?

  • Diary of Bernadette Schnabel, Netherlands, 2011

    (Locatie) theater festivals in the Netherlands - entertainment, art and self-realization

  • Spain table study: see the photo documentary of Ulrike Storost, Spain, 1998

    Traditional and artistic ceramics in Extremadura

    Examples of project reports

    • Project report of Rosa Gwen Lorenz, Greece, 2016

      The dream of Europe - how young Greeks envision the future of the EU

    • Biscuit tasting and project report of Karolina Lambert, Scottland, 2016

      Oats from plot to plate

    • Claudia Maier, 1988

      Church music in France

    • Project report of Joachim Tscherpel, Sweden/Norway, 2016

      The conservation breeding of the dark bee in Sweden and Norway

    • Project report of Frida Jenny Henneberg, Switzerland

      Natural learning at free schools

      Examples of pieces of art and craft

      • Teapot created by Frauke Seippel, Spain, 2008

        Handicraft in Andalusia

      • Manuel Boskamp, Transition Towns in England, 2018

        zum Blog und Podcast: http://blog.baldebert.de/zis-reise/

      • Time capsule – Letters to the past, in the footsteps of Johann Gottfried Seume, written by Antonia Bürke, Italy, 2016

        Grand Tour in Italia

      • Kurzfilm basierend auf Skizzen toskanischer Künstler, animiert von Ina Albrecht, Italien, 2014

        Die Inspirationen und Motive der Künstler in Florenz

      • Artwork by Antonia Grohmann, Poland, 2016

        University of Wroclaw - Architecture as part of cultural identity and own inspiration?

      • Plate created by Viola Relle, Sicily, 2011

        Sicilia - island of ceramics

        Any questions?

        Phone: +49 (0)7553 / 919 437
        Mobile: +49 (0) 178 / 1980101
        Monday - Thursday: 8.30 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. (CET)
        Wednesday: 3.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. (CET)
        or
        info(at)zis-reisen.de

        The zis-books

        A book on zis was published on the 50th and 60th anniversary each. The books are available in German only and can be purchased at the zis office.

        > Excerpt "Reiseziel Erfahrung"
        > Excerpt "Jugendliche entdecken fremde Kulturen"