Summer Study Scholarship 2025 for Maryland High School Students
Please read the following information carefully and then
complete the Online Application at the bottom of this webpage.
The German Society of Maryland awards a scholarship to a Maryland high school student to participate in the German Summer Study Program sponsored by the American Association of the Teachers of German (AATG) and Pedagogical Exchange Service (PAD), an agency of the German government.
The winning student will be selected by the Education Committee of the German Society of Maryland. The decision of the Committee is final. Selection criteria include the following:
- A strong interest in learning German;
- Limited prior experience in a German-speaking country after having begun to learn German; and
- The ability to favorably represent the United States and Maryland to the German host family and school.
The Scholarship offered by the German Society of Maryland covers the cost of the German Summer Study Program ($4,750) and the administrative fee ($150) charged by AATG.
Included in the Summer Study Program are the following items: round trip air transportation to Germany from the group departure airport, comprehensive insurance coverage (health, accident, liability), transportation and lodging within Germany (homestays during the first two weeks, hotel during the final week), all group excursions and meals in Germany, and the $150 administrative fee charged by AATG.
Among the expenses not included in the Summer Study Program or the German Society Scholarship are passport fees, visa fees, excess baggage charges, transportation to and from the winner’s home to the U.S. departure airport (typically JFK Airport in New York City), and other items of a strictly personal nature. The Scholarship winner is responsible for these expenses.
Applications and all supporting materials for the 2025 scholarship offered by the German Society of Maryland are due by January 10, 2025.
This page includes the Eligibility Requirements, the Application Requirements, and instructions for the Submission of Letters of Recommendation, Transcripts, and Essays. Read each of these sections carefully before filling out the Online Application form found at the bottom of this page.
Be sure to gather all necessary information before beginning this application as you will not be able to save the application before submitting it. Besides your personal information, you will need the names and emails of the teachers whom you have asked to write letters of recommendation. Also check with your parents, grandparents, or guardians to see if they are members of the German Society of Maryland. Membership in the Society is encouraged, but not required.
In addition to filling out this online application for the German Society’s scholarship, applicants must also fill out the general application for the AATG’s Summer Study Program. This ensures that AATG has the information regarding the scholarship winner’s preferred travel dates and study location. Filing the AATG application does not commit you to participate in the program. You do not need to submit any financial information to AATG unless you are also applying for an AATG needs-based scholarship separate from your application for the scholarship offered by the German Society of Maryland. Be sure you fill out both the German Society application and the AATG applications.
Eligibilty Requirements
- The student must be a U.S. citizen and resident of Maryland.
- The student must be between the ages of 15 and 17 for the entire duration of the summer program. There are, however, three sets of departure and return dates: June 16–July 4, June 23–July 11, and June 30-July 18. The student must meet the age restrictions for at least one of those three sessions. The student should contact the German Society if there is any questions about meeting the age restrictions.
- The student must be enrolled in a Maryland high school or homeschool program.
- The student must have completed at least two years of German study at the high-school level prior to the start of the program.
- The student must have good academic standing (“B” GPA or higher).
- The student must be fully vaccinated against measles or have acquired immunity against measles.
- The student must not have ever been enrolled in a full-time school in which the language of instruction was German.
Application Requirements
- Applicants must submit both the application for the German Society of Maryland scholarship (see below) and the general application form for the AATG Summer Study Program, which is available on the AATG’s website. This ensures that our partner organization receives applicants’ preferences regarding travel dates and study location.
- Applicants must request two teachers to provide letters of recommendation. One of these teachers must be the student’s German teacher. These letters are to be sent by the teachers directly to the German Society. See submission instructions below.
- Applicants must request their school to send a copy of their high school transcript to the German Society. See submission instructions below.
- Applicants must submit an essay in German, about 150 words in length, discussing themselves, their family, and their free-time activities. See submission instructions below.
- Applicants must submit an essay in English, at least 300 words in length, explaining why they want to go to Germany. See submission instructions below.
- Applicants must appear for a personal interview with members of the Education Committee of the German Society of Maryland. A representative of the Society will contact Applicants to schedule the interviews.
- All application materials must be received by the German Society of Maryland by midnight, January 10, 2025.
Submission of Letters of Recommendation, Transcripts, and Essays
Letters of Recommendation and transcripts are to be sent directly by the teachers and school administrators to the German Society. PDFs of these documents are to be sent by email. These materials must arrive by 12:00 midnight, January 10, 2025.
Applicants should print out 3 copies of the information sheet Submission of Supplemental Materials for the 2024 Summer Study Scholarship and give a copy to each of the teachers and to the school administrator.
Applicants are to write two essays as described in the Application Requirements. Applicants should prepare these essays in the word processing program of their choice and transmit them as two separate PDF files to the German Society. Please print out a copy of the information sheet Submission of Essays for detailed submission instructions.
Online Application
Please read through the application form and to gather all necessary information before beginning this application. You will not be able to save the application before submitting it.
Fields marked with an asterisk must be filled in to successfully submit this form.
Questions, Problems, or Difficulties?
If you have questions about the Summer Study Program or have difficulties filling out the online form, please contact the Education Committee of the German Society of Maryland: