Step by Step to a Scholarship at Salem
Our Application Process
In order to become a Salem Scholar, certain requirements must be met. In addition to the formal requirements listed below, we are particularly interested in social commitment and the willingness to get involved in the Salem community. This can only be achieved if one is a full member of this community. Our scholarships are therefore aimed exclusively at candidates for internal school places. External (i.e. full-day) places are the exception at Salem. As a boarding school, life in an international student community is a fundamental pillar of our pedagogy. Full day students do not have the opportunity to apply for scholarships. Full day fees are already attractively priced. External places are strictly limited and are reserved for families whose primary residence is in the region. We do not offer external places to families with a second or holiday home at Lake Constance.
For further information on the requirements, please contact the Admissions Department.
Applications must be submitted using our scholarship application form. Documents must include the following: Scholarship Application Form, handwritten letter of motivation (approx. 2 pages) and copies of all school reports from grade 5 onwards. If you are applying for a higher scholarship than the basic scholarship, please also enclose income tax returns and and statement of assets for your parents or guardians. The completed application form, together with all the required documents, should be submitted by e-mail.
Part of the application process is an admission interview – either on-site at Salem or online. During an on-site visit, our students give tours of the campus and all visiting prospective students are invited to lunch. Placement tests may be taken at this time.
The amount of the scholarship granted is determined on the basis of the parents' income tax assessment and and statement of assets.
The Admissions Department, together with the Head of studies, the Head of Boarding and the School Management, decide whether the student will be admitted and whether a scholarship will be granted.
Once the application process is complete, the contract documents will be sent digitally for signature.
Congratulations! Welcome to Salem as a scholarship holder! Each school year, an event is organised to allow all scholars to get to know each other.
Requirements and Expectations
Who gets a scholarship in Salem?
Through our scholarships, we want to enable particularly talented and high-achieving children and young people to attend Schule Schloss Salem, regardless of their parents' income. But what does this mean? Who receives a scholarship?
- Educational background: Scholars should attend a Gymnasium or comparable secondary school in order to meet the academic requirements. Fourth graders should have received a high school recommendation from their primary school (as relevant). For students from Realschulen, Waldorfschulen and other schools, we offer an Aufbaugymnasium - our 10PLUS class.
- Language Skills: Excellent German language skills are essential for successful classroom participation in the Abitur system. Adequate English language skills are required for participation in our International Classes.
- Academic Achievement: Excellent academic performance is a basic requirement for scholars, for both those working towards the Abitur and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB).
Soft Skills and Personal Development:
- Role Model: Scholars should act as role models within the school community and have strong social skills.
- Responsibility: The active assumption of responsibility in various areas is highly valued among scholars.
- Special commitment: Whether in the social, artistic or sporting field, special commitment makes all the difference.
Commitment to the school community:
- Active Participation: Participation in school and boarding life is essential for scholars who should make a significant contribution to the community.
- Keeping in touch: Interaction and networking among scholars and with the school's sponsors are encouraged.
- Represent the values of the school: Representing the values and traditions of Schule Schloss Salem is of great importance to scholars during and after their time at the school.
Please note: Pupils already attending Schule Schloss Salem are not eligible to apply for a Salem Scholarship. They have the opportunity to be selected as Heinrich Blendinger Scholars in grades 8 to 10.
Basic or Partial Scholarship
Schule Schloss Salem has one of the largest scholarship programmes in Germany. Our scholarship fund is around 3.2 million Euros and currently supports around 20 percent of our students. The scholarship programme is made possible through cooperation with various foundations and private individuals. Most of the funding comes from the Kurt Hahn Foundation and the school itself. The Wolfgang Dürr Foundation and the Beck'sche Foundation Berlin also make significant contributions to the scholarship fund. In addition, some private individuals and parents specifically support the fund as a whole or they support individual students. There is also the possibility to receive a scholarship at Schule Schloss Salem through the Dornier Foundation. The requirements for the Dornier Scholarship are the same as those listed below.
The basic scholarship is 6,000€ per year and is paid regardless of family income and assets. No proof of assets is required. The Basic Scholarship reduces the tuition and boarding school fees for the respective school year by €500 per month.
40th Anniversary of the Kurt Hahn Foundation
What do Salem Scholars do today?
On the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the Kurt Hahn Foundation, former scholarship holders have formulated short videos showing what the scholarship in Salem meant to them. Former scholars also have their say in the brochure "40 Statements".