The German Bundestag - International International Parliamentary Scholarships (IPS) for the Arab countries

The concept

The International Parliamentary Scholarship (IPS) programme for Arab countries is aimed at politically engaged young people from the MENA region (Middle East and Northern Africa) who are interested in the German parliamentary system and play an active role in promoting core democratic values in their home countries.

During an intensive four-week programme, participants have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of the German parliamentary system and political decision-making processes.

The programme

The programme takes place each year from 1 to 30 September in Berlin. The core element is a one-week work placement with a Member of the German Bundestag.

The focus is also on events about the German parliamentary system along with presentations, workshops and seminars on topics such as German history and culture, minority issues, comparison of systems, approaches to experiences of dictatorship and the German culture of remembrance.

Parliamentary coordination

The programme is coordinated at parliamentary level by the Rapporteur Group on International Exchange Programmes. The programme’s patron is the President of the German Bundestag.

Application

Please send your completed online application documents by email as a PDF-file, with the file name consisting of your surname followed by your given name (i.e. surname-first name), to the German diplomatic mission in your home country.

Your application should be submitted in German and include the following scanned documents:

• Application form;
• Passport photo (please attach this to the first page of the application form);
• Evidence of good knowledge of German (level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF) or equivalent);
• Personal statement of reasons for applying, in German (maximum of two pages) and signed personally by you;
• Copy of passport or ID card;
• University degree certificate in the original form or a certified copy1 in English or German. The original or the certified copy must be able to be presented at the interview.
• Letter of recommendation in German or English (from a university professor or employer, assessing the applicant’s qualification for the programme).

Please apply online to the German diplomatic mission in your country!