1. Skip to navigation
  2. Skip to content
  3. Skip to sidebar

Students

Scholarships and Exchanges

Students - Scholarships & Exchanges

Find information about the AGTV-BJR Exchange, SAGSE scholarship and other awards and exchange opportunities.

 

Commitment to Child Safety

The AGTV Inc. is committed to child safety and has zero tolerance of child abuse.

 

AGTV - Bayerischer Jugendring (BJR) Reciprocal Exchange

The AGTV is a  registered Student Exchange Organisation (SEO) with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) and has been coordinating the BJR exchange in Victoria since 1988. In 2015, the AGTV was registered to coordinate the exchange for students in Tasmania with the Tasmanian Assessment Standards and Certification (TASC).

The AGTV facilitates students from AGTV members schools  in Victoria and AGTV registered schools in Tasmania to participate in this reciprocal 10-week exchange with students from the German state of Bavaria, usually between 40 and 50 students.

With permission from the school and parents, students apply when they are in Year 9 or Year 10 and the exchange takes place when students are in Year 10 or 11.

NB: All schools receive government funding for the German students through the February student census, as the German students must be enrolled at the school, as they will be in Australia on a Student (subclass 500) Visa.

From 1 July 2016, all student Visas for the BJR exchange are Student  (subclass 500) Visas.

Applications for the AGTV-BJR Exchange in Victoria

Both schools and families must agree to be involved, so ask your teacher about the program. Many schools have participated over the years. Only students from current AGTV member schools can apply.

The process for students is to first send in an 'Expression of Interest', then complete and application which is mailed to you. Following completion, this is returned to the AGTV Coordinator to be sent to BJR in Germany for the matching process. Your school is also sent forms to complete, including a 'Confidential Student Recommendation'.

If matched, the German students arrive in February the following year and the Victorians complete the exchange when they fly to Germany in the following November.

Group Leaders accompany the Victorian students to Germany. There are also pre-arrival and pre-departure meetings which families are required to attend.

General Information for Families and Schools

Students learning German in an AGTV member school in Victoria, or an AGTV registered school in Tasmania are eligible to apply.

The school must agree to host students, who are enrolled at the school and must not be charged school fees.

Download information about the exchange and administration costs.

  • General Information for Famlies - updated for 2020
  • NB: The AGTV and BJR are monitoring the situation regarding the Coronavirus and the future travel of students.

Expressions of interest for the AGTV-BJR Exchange

Expressions of Interest are open in Term 1 for the following year's exchange program.

Email to AGTV-BJR Coordinator by 30 April each year.

Benefits of a Long-Term Exchange

 

Preparing for an Exchange

 

Establishing a sister school in Victoria

Up to 60 Victorian schools had established sister-school relationships with German-speaking countries in Europe.

 

Goethe-Institut / AGTV Year 10 Awards

If you have not been overseas and are unlikely to have the opportunity to go to Germany in the foreseeable future, then consider applying for a Goethe-Institut /AGTV Year 10 Awards.

The major award is a scholarship for a 3-week holiday course in Germany, return airfares, $300 pocket money and intensive language coures prior to departure.

Three are wo further awards courses held during the holidays at the Goethe-Institut in Melbourne. The process involves completing an application and if short-listed, attending an Interview. Download application forms from the link following.

 

Scholarships for Australian-German Student Exchange (SAGSE) since 1967

SAGSE organisis this exchange through the generosity of companies and associations who sponsor scholarships for students in Years 11 or 12 to travel to Germany. Students attend school in Germany while living with their host family for 10 weeks. It is a unique opportunity for senior students of German based on merit.

In 2011, there were 17 scholarships awarded sponsored by the AGTV, Allens Arthur Robertson, Allianz, BASF, BMW Group, Bosch, Continental, Fischer, GASS Victoria, GASS Alumni, Henkell Brothers, Mercedes Benz, Minova, Remco, RMIT University, DB Schenker and Siemens.

Well over 2000 Australian students have received SAGSE scholarships since 1967. The scholarships are presented at an Annual Gala Banquet in the presence of sponsors, families and invited dignitaries. The recipients report back to SAGSE at a De-Briefing each March, which is open to the public. Recipients of scholarships can then join GASS Victoria, a fantastic network of former recipients of the scholarship. An Alumni for past recipients was also established in 2010 and the members funded a scholarship that year.

How to Apply and Hosting

If you are in Year 11 or 12 studying German, you should consider applying for a SAGSE scholarship. The process involves an application, recommendation from the school, and - if short-listed - an interview. You do not have to host a student to apply, but students who host will be looked upon favourably when short-listing for interviews. Even if you are unsure about applying for the scholarship, students in Years 10, 11 and 12 can apply to host a student and enjoy a unique and valuable intercultural experience and opportunity to pracise German. 

Find information about the application process for SAGSE Scholarships in Victoria on their website. The process involves an application, interview with a panel, then a presentation banquet in October.

SAGSE Scholarship De-Briefings

If you are interested, you should go to hear about the recently returned scholarship winners talk about their experiences. This usually occurs in March at a school in Melbourne.

Where are they now?

Find out about what former SAGSE scholarship winners are doing now under:

Reports from recent recipients of the AGTV SAGSE Scholarship

The AGTV have sponsored a SAGSE scholarship since its foundation in 1979.

  • 2019: 40th Anniversary of the AGTV sponsoring scholarships

        Angelic Durbridge - Star of the Sea College

        Max Neal - VSL Geelong / Surf Coast SC

  • 2018: Suzanna Batzakis - Mount Waverley  SC
  • 2017: Bridget Kennedy - Viewbank College
  • 2016: Astro Spiller - VSL Distance Education / College of the Arts
  • 2015: Mathew Atherton - VSL Distance Education / Timboon P-12 School
  • 2014: Michelle Roberts - VSL Distance Education / Corryong College - Report from Michelle
  • 2013: Amber Hanson - Oberon HS - Report from Amber
  • 2012: Brittany Wren - Dimboola Memorial SC -  Report from Brittany
  • 2011: Gemma O'Hare - Billanook College - Report from Gemma
  • 2010: Harrison Watt - Heathmont College - Report from Harrison
  • 2009 - Henry Paez - Castlemaine SC
  • 2008 - Lauren Cahill - Mount Eliza SC
  • 2007 - Andrew Madden - Oberon HS
  • 2006 - Josh McKie - Melbourne GS
  • 2005 - Alecia Black - Marist-Sion College

 

Other Exchanges & Sister-Schools

The Embassy for the Federal Republic of Germany compiles a list of programs in Australia.

 

Penpals and ePals

Many students participate in electronic exchanges with students schools in Germany and other countries learning German.

Teachers will find more information about e-Exchanges under Promoting German

 

But wait - there's more!

Life beyond school brings more opportunities through German.

If you are at University, you can apply for a tertiary scholarship to study in a German-speaking country through a range of scholarship programs in German, Austria and Switzerland. The German government funds the DAAD scholarships for Australian students across disciplines.

There are awards for Opera, Journalism, Professional Research, Performing Arts and more.

 

Consider Teaching German as Career Choice for Overseas Travel

Teaching German is a great way to continue your love of the German language.

Teachers have many opportunities to spend time honing their language and culture skills, the envy of other teachers at school!

 

Overseas Students wanting to Study in Victoria

If you are interested in studying in Victorian schools, you will need to gain approval and an appropriate visa.

 

 

Featured Links