Awards, Scholarships, Funding

The national competition

Art lives from constant exchange. At art academies in Germany, students not only learn the technical skills to realise their ideas creatively, but they also develop their artistic positions in intensive contact with their teachers and fellow students. The spectrum of art created at the academies is diverse and exciting – you can see this for yourself every year at the popular circuits, diploma or annual exhibitions. The national competition Bundespreis für Kunststudierende (Federal Award for Art Students) aims to make this diversity visible and promote it. By enabling outstanding art students to gain valuable exhibition experience outside the university, the contest supports them in their individual professionalisation as artists. The national competition is held every two years and sees itself as a stepping stone to a successful transition into professional practice. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research sponsors the competition, which is organised by the German Student Union. The Art and Exhibition Hall of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bonn, Bundeskunsthalle, displays the exhibition of the award winners.

Nominations

The scholarship is awarded every two years. An expert jury of artistic professors, elected by the Senate of the University, can nominate up to two students or student teams for the Bundespreis für Kunststudierende.

All areas of the fine arts are admitted, such as painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, video, multimedia or performance. Competition participants must be enrolled as regular students at the time of their nomination. 

Further information 

• www.studentenwerke.de
• www.kunst-wettbewerb.de (in German)
• Announcement (in German)

Nominations

Internal selection takes place at the beginning of each year. An expert jury, elected by the University Senate, selects two students for the respective funding periods. Students wishing to apply must demonstrate a relevance of their artistic project with regard to the city of Paris and the French art scene.

Scholarship content

As part of the national scholarship programme Deutschlandstipendium, and with the support of the association Freunde der Kunstakademie Münster e. V., the University of Fine Arts Münster enables a 6-month stay at the Cité International des Arts Paris.

The scholarship covers the studio costs as well as a personal allowance of currently €800,00 per month (€650,00 support from Freunde der Kunstakademie Münster (friends of the University of Fine Arts Münster) plus €150,00 from the Deutschlandstipendium funds) to cover the living expenses in the French capital.

The studio at the Cité International des Arts Paris is assigned for the periods of 1 April to 30 September and 1 October to 31 March every year (subject to availability).

Further information:

• Website of the Cité des Arts Paris

The Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Scholarship is a postgraduate scholarship for outstanding artistic achievement. Every two years, up to five grants are awarded to visual artists who work exclusively or predominantly as freelancers. The initial term of the scholarship is one year; it can be extended for one additional year. The scholarship period culminates in a joint group exhibition at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf featuring the two most recent cohorts, as well as the production of a catalogue.

Programme description

The scholarship was established in 1975 by Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, who donated his private fortune to the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Foundation. It has cooperated with the Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes since its inception. As of 2007, the Marianne Ingenwerth Foundation in the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Donors’ Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany) has also been a cooperative partner providing financial support for the scholarship.  

There are no restrictions regarding the place of residence or the proposed work during the scholarship.

Scholarship benefits

• Monthly stipend of €1,200 over a two-year period
• Group exhibition of the two most recent cohorts at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
• Production of a catalogue at the end of the scholarship period
• Admission to the Studienstiftung and opportunity to participate in educational events (in German)

Further information can be found on the website of the University of Fine Arts Münster (in German) as well as on the

• Website of the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Scholarship

Nominations

Internal selection takes place at the beginning of each year. An expert jury, elected by the University Senate, selects two students for the respective funding periods. The prerequisite is that students have been appointed as master students.

Further information:

Ateliergemeinschaft Schulstraße e. V. in Münster (in German)

Aim and purpose of the scholarship

Two (travel) scholarships amounting to a maximum of €2,500 each per year can be awarded from funds of the Quality Improvement Committee. The decision is made by a committee of professors based on the applications. The basic idea of the scholarship is to provide students with a different form of vivid engagement with places, cultures and artistic scenes.

Requirements

• One proposal per class
• Enrolment during the travel project as a student or Meisterschüler*in (master student)

Amount of the scholarship

• Maximum travel allowance of €2,500 (no increase possible for team or group sponsorship)

Funding period from 1January to 30June of the following year

Nominations

The selection takes place in the summer semester. An expert jury, elected by the University’s Senate, may nominate up to two students for the scholarship.

Requirements:

On the proposal date, applicants should be studying in at least the third semester and be no more advanced than the seventh semester.  If students submit a certificate (e.g. from the Examinations Office) with their application documents, stating that a longer standard duration of study applies to them due to the corona pandemic, a higher semester number may be applied this year. If the application is successful, the Cusanuswerk supports both the first artistic degree (graduate/diploma/master) and the subsequent year as Meisterschüler*in (master student year).

Funding for postgraduate, supplementary or second degree course after a completed Diplom, Magister, master’s or doctoral programme or a state examination is not possible.

Scholarship content

The Cusanuswerk awards state funding to German and European students of Catholic denomination in all subject areas and types of higher education institutions. The Cusanuswerk supports young women and men:

• Who pursue their studies with great intellectual commitment and creative imagination
• Who recognise their talent and intend to accept it, hone it and make it effective
• Who are thoughtful and persistent, ask questions and are not satisfied with quick answers
• Who are willing to take a personal stand and assume social responsibility
• Who take their faith journey seriously, want to live with the church and shape it

Funding in the Cusanuswerk includes financial support for studies and an interdisciplinary education programme that aims to encourage discussion about science and belief, society and the Church.

In addition to a monthly grant and financial support for stays abroad, the funding consists of a comprehensive education programme and individual counselling during studies. The amount of the monthly grant is based on the BAföG regulations and is calculated in relation to family income.

Further information:

• Website of the Cusanuswerk (in German)

The Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes (German National Academic Foundation) is the oldest and largest foundation for the provision of scholarships for gifted students in the Federal Republic of Germany. According to its statutes, it promotes the higher education of “young people with outstanding academic or artistic talents who can be expected to make an exceptional contribution to society”. Scholarship holders are selected and supported independently of political, ideological and religious positions. (Source: homepage of the German National Academic Foundation)

Nominations

The selection takes place in the summer semester. An expert jury, elected by the University’s Senate, may nominate up to four students for the scholarship. 

Further information:

Website of the German National Academic Foundation (partially in German)

Programme: Scientific project scholarship for art students

The scholarship serves the academic qualification and further education of students at the University of Fine Arts Münster. It is aimed at promoting junior researchers among art students and offering them the opportunity to qualify, already during their studies, for independent academic work above and beyond their required coursework.

Funding is provided for in-depth scientific studies with a thematic focus chosen by the student. The studies can be aimed, for example, at active participation in a student congress or the writing of a scientific publication. Attending summer schools or archive courses as a further academic training measure or specific study visits to libraries, museums, schools, art schools or similar can also be part of such a project, provided that they have a corresponding thematic focus.

Applications are less about meeting a predefined standard and more about finding a project form that suits the scientific development interests. The scholarship may also support the independent preparation and implementation of a student conference.