German Scholarships

Mariele Schirmer Scholarship in German

The scholarship is open to declared German majors enrolled with a full-time or three-quarters load (minimum 9 credits total). The selection of the recipient is based on academic performance in German, overall academic performance across all courses, the significance of the study of German to future career plans, and financial need.

Students who have an up-to-date Panther Scholarship Portal General Application and the College of Letters & Science Scholarships and Awards Application will be considered, typically in spring each year. No additional or separate application is required; students should thoroughly fill out the Panther Scholarship Portal General Application and the College of Letters & Science Scholarships and Awards Application. Awards given in spring are for the following school year so students graduating that same spring or summer are not eligible. E.G. applications reviewed in Spring are for the following Fall; students graduating in May or August are not eligible.

Rudolf & Helga Kaden Internship Award

A generous gift from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Kaden Fund supports awards to help UWM students obtain valuable practical experience at a German company (located domestic or abroad) by mitigating as much as possible the undue burden of additional expenses. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000. The amount awarded will reflect this intent and will take into account the expenses incurred by the student for participation in their particular experience. For example, the amount received by someone who secures a paid internship locally in Southeast Wisconsin will likely differ from the amount received by a student performing an unpaid internship in Berlin, Germany.

Students should consult with the department for assistance with the search for an internship for Spring, Summer or Fall 2025. This scholarship application should be completed only after you have secured an internship.

The eligibility requirements for this award are:

• completion of four semesters of college German or its equivalent (Retro / AP / Transfer)
• minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
• documented placement at an internship at a German company that includes a minimum of 120 hours guaranteed over a four-week period or longer
• preference will be given to German majors, minors, and Business German minors

Schwertfeger German Continuation Scholarship

The Schwertfeger German Continuation Scholarship is given to exceptional students in German who continue to progress through the sequence of German classes from third-semester German to fourth and onwards into upper-level German coursework. There is no student application process and meritorious students are selected by the German faculty.

Schwertfeger Scholarship

Eligible students will study abroad in Germany or another German-speaking country in Summer or Fall. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required, and preference will be given to German majors and minors, but any bachelor’s degree student taking German classes at the Milwaukee campus is eligible to apply.

Schwertfeger Student Award

Eligible students will have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and preference will be given to declared German majors, minors, or Business German minors.