DAAD Helmut Schmidt 2021

[Maxlili]

Hi everyone. If you applied for DAAD Helmut Schmidt programme 2021, gather here. Where did you apply?

[Empirical]

Willy Brandt School of Public Policy

[Dai Nguyen]

Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg and University Duisburg Essen - From Vietnamese Applicant. 

I think we will know the result soon, maybe Oct or Nov. 

[Empirical]

Willy Brandt stated that successful candidates will be contacted by end of September or early October. I don’t know about other universities 

[MautonTimothy]

Forum for the 2021-22 applicants for the Helmut-Schmidt programme.

[MautonTimothy]

On 9/14/2020 at 5:35 AM, Maxlili said:

I applied to the Willy Brandt School of public policy

 

[gentvenus]

Hi Mauton, is that a question?

[MautonTimothy]

No... I want to connect with some of the applicants of the scholarship.

[Dai Nguyen]

Well! The sooner we know the result the better then. I hope the others 7 schools will notify the result soon like Willy Brandt. 
A silly question, how would they examine our application? What are the most criteria ?

[Maxlili]

Willy Brandt here too. Do you guys know how many students they choose within the scholarship?

[MautonTimothy]

On 9/17/2020 at 8:17 PM, gentvenus said:

Hi Mauton, is that a question?

 

18 hours ago, Maxlili said:

Willy Brandt here too. Do you guys know how many students they choose within the scholarship?

Ten if not less

[Empirical]

I heard from one of the student that DAAD awarded 11 scholarships to Willy Brandt in 2020. 

[Empirical]

I’m also one of the applicants. I applied to Willy Brandt and University of Passau 

[MautonTimothy]

I applied to the Willy Brandt School

[Nas25]

Hello! Have you applied for the DAAD Helmut Schmidt 2021? Join me (and soon many others) to discuss any new developments, announcements and eventually results. If you're already fretting, you're not alone. 

[Maxlili]

What's your background guys? did you study Public Policy before? do you have BA or also MA?

[Nas25]

Hello guys. I applied for the University of Duisburg Essen only. Legal background. Only Bachelors level.

[Nas25]

On 9/19/2020 at 5:12 AM, Dai Nguyen said:

Well! The sooner we know the result the better then. I hope the others 7 schools will notify the result soon like Willy Brandt. 
A silly question, how would they examine our application? What are the most criteria ?

Willy Brandt usually does an initial shortlist in October, and those candidates would be interviewed before a final selection list is published in late November/ early December

[Dai Nguyen]

My background is BA in Community and Human Services. It's not entirely related to Public Policy but I think it depends on how well you did on your motivation essay. 

Since we are not initially required to submit our application directly to DAAD website, I presume that anyone, who is asked to submit the application to DAAD after the selection committee meets in Oct or Nov, will have a high chance to get the scholarship. You think? 

[Dai Nguyen]

14 hours ago, Nas25 said:

Hello guys. I applied for the University of Duisburg Essen only. Legal background. Only Bachelors level.

I have applied for DE too. Hope we both get it bud. Did you apply DAAD last year? Any experience regarding CEU master could you share with us? I'm planing to apply to CEU also. 

[Nas25]

5 hours ago, Dai Nguyen said:

I have applied for DE too. Hope we both get it bud. Did you apply DAAD last year? Any experience regarding CEU master could you share with us? I'm planing to apply to CEU also. 

Thanks bud. I applied last year for Willy Brandt and made the first shortlist of 30 people out of over 800 applicants. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the final shortlist of 11 awardees after the interview stage. As for CEU Master Scholarship, I actually won it for their Comparative Constitutional Law program 2020/2021. It provides me with housing, full tuition and stipend of 240 Euros. Unfortunately, I might not be able to go as when I went to the embassy to get a visa, they informed me I had to show proof of extra funds amounting to over 3000 euros as the money provided by CEU Master scholarship does not meet their requirements for granting a visa. I don't have that kind of money, and I know no one who does, worst of the money has to be in an account in my name and I must show that I can access the money when in Vienna. Other holders of the CEU scholarship are having the same problem, and it looks likely that I might drop out of the scholarship soon. So if you're applying for this scholarship, make sure you have extra funds at hand or can get these funds when required.

  

[Dai Nguyen]

4 hours ago, Nas25 said:

Thanks bud. I applied last year for Willy Brandt and made the first shortlist of 30 people out of over 800 applicants. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the final shortlist of 11 awardees after the interview stage. As for CEU Master Scholarship, I actually won it for their Comparative Constitutional Law program 2020/2021. It provides me with housing, full tuition and stipend of 240 Euros. Unfortunately, I might not be able to go as when I went to the embassy to get a visa, they informed me I had to show proof of extra funds amounting to over 3000 euros as the money provided by CEU Master scholarship does not meet their requirements for granting a visa. I don't have that kind of money, and I know no one who does, worst of the money has to be in an account in my name and I must show that I can access the money when in Vienna. Other holders of the CEU scholarship are having the same problem, and it looks likely that I might drop out of the scholarship soon. So if you're applying for this scholarship, make sure you have extra funds at hand or can get these funds when required.

  

Wow, that was ultimately unfortunate. I'm so sorry to hear about both Willy, CEU, and the visa thing. I hope this year will be different for you. Please keep trying and everything will fall into places.

I know it is a little bit much personal to ask and you have every right to answer no. I just want to know how good applicants are to pass the first round and get to the shortlist as well as the interview stage. If I was so behind academically, I would move on and stop keeping my hopes up. Could you please share with us about your GPA, major, work experiences, who did you choose as your references, and what did they ask you during the interview? (I think only Willy have interviews, not DE)

One of my reference confused it was a hiring company, so she sent a letter of recommendation to encourage them to hire me instead of Scholarship evaluation. Again, I completely understand if you feel uncomfortable to share it, no hard feeling. 

[Nas25]

15 minutes ago, Dai Nguyen said:

Wow, that was ultimately unfortunate. I'm so sorry to hear about both Willy, CEU, and the visa thing. I hope this year will be different for you. Please keep trying and everything will fall into places.

I know it is a little bit much personal to ask and you have every right to answer no. I just want to know how good applicants are to pass the first round and get to the shortlist as well as the interview stage. If I was so behind academically, I would move on and stop keeping my hopes up. Could you please share with us about your GPA, major, work experiences, who did you choose as your references, and what did they ask you during the interview? (I think only Willy have interviews, not DE)

One of my reference confused it was a hiring company, so she sent a letter of recommendation to encourage them to hire me instead of Scholarship evaluation. Again, I completely understand if you feel uncomfortable to share it, no hard feeling. 

No no its no issue at all. Well from what I've seen, candidates with a first class or second class upper degree can win it. Candidates must also have at least one year work experience in a field relevant to the masters program (graduate assistant-ships, and previous research work in that field count too). Apart from this factors, little things like recommendations or volunteering experience might give you a boost. If you meet all these, then just write a good to great Motivation Letter and you'll stand a chance. The interviews aren't technical at all, basic questions regarding your documents and your chosen specialization. Some people get it after this stage, some don't. Even some people who make it to the first shortlist of 30 people may not get interviewed at all. And if not interviewed by Willy Brandt, it is unlikely you'll get it, but still possible.

As for my personal profile, my GPA was good but nothing special (3.63/ 4.3). At the time of applying last year, I had 8 months of work experience after graduation and one year of voluntary experience which took place before graduation. I worked at an NGO but now work at a law firm.  

I thought you applied for Magdeburg and UDE but not Willy Brandt? Anyways, I'm also keen on knowing your academic and professional profile if you're open to sharing. Cheers!

 

[Empirical]

1 hour ago, Nas25 said:

No no its no issue at all. Well from what I've seen, candidates with a first class or second class upper degree can win it. Candidates must also have at least one year work experience in a field relevant to the masters program (graduate assistant-ships, and previous research work in that field count too). Apart from this factors, little things like recommendations or volunteering experience might give you a boost. If you meet all these, then just write a good to great Motivation Letter and you'll stand a chance. The interviews aren't technical at all, basic questions regarding your documents and your chosen specialization. Some people get it after this stage, some don't. Even some people who make it to the first shortlist of 30 people may not get interviewed at all. And if not interviewed by Willy Brandt, it is unlikely you'll get it, but still possible.

As for my personal profile, my GPA was good but nothing special (3.63/ 4.3). At the time of applying last year, I had 8 months of work experience after graduation and one year of voluntary experience which took place before graduation. I worked at an NGO but now work at a law firm.  

I thought you applied for Magdeburg and UDE but not Willy Brandt? Anyways, I'm also keen on knowing your academic and professional profile if you're open to sharing. Cheers!

 

This is really awesome! you really have an outstanding profile and I assume that was the major reason you were shortlisted for the first stage of the selection. I hope this year will come with more success and we shall positively achieve our aims.

However, I also applied for Willy Brandt with a degree in Political Science (3.3/4.0) and a year working experience with Lagos State House of Assembly (a provincial legislative assembly in my home country, Nigeria). Also I’ve two years of voluntary service before graduation. I’m just being positive with the Willy Brandt decision but if it’s other way round, we willnstill move on with another target, they are myriad of ways to success, we will keep pushing till will reach the apex. 

Cheers! 

[MautonTimothy]

1 hour ago, Nas25 said:

No no its no issue at all. Well from what I've seen, candidates with a first class or second class upper degree can win it. Candidates must also have at least one year work experience in a field relevant to the masters program (graduate assistant-ships, and previous research work in that field count too). Apart from this factors, little things like recommendations or volunteering experience might give you a boost. If you meet all these, then just write a good to great Motivation Letter and you'll stand a chance. The interviews aren't technical at all, basic questions regarding your documents and your chosen specialization. Some people get it after this stage, some don't. Even some people who make it to the first shortlist of 30 people may not get interviewed at all. And if not interviewed by Willy Brandt, it is unlikely you'll get it, but still possible.

As for my personal profile, my GPA was good but nothing special (3.63/ 4.3). At the time of applying last year, I had 8 months of work experience after graduation and one year of voluntary experience which took place before graduation. I worked at an NGO but now work at a law firm.  

I thought you applied for Magdeburg and UDE but not Willy Brandt? Anyways, I'm also keen on knowing your academic and professional profile if you're open to sharing. Cheers!

 

Wow! Amazing!