Scholarships for Students and Teachers

Scholarships for Students

The AGTV supports two scholarship programs for students

The AGTV have sponsored SAGSE Scholarships since 1979. Students in Years 11 and 12 may apply for a scholarship to travel to Germany to go live with a family and go to school for 10 weeks over the German winter. Students may also host students from Germany in the Australian winter.

From time to time, the Goethe-Institut offers scholarships for students.

Link to the information for students about scholarships on the student pages.

Teacher Scholarship for a Kultur und Sprache Seminar

The AGTV Committee has provided a travel subsidy for teachers to attend a seminar in Austria through a scholarship made available to the Committee from Kultur and Sprache.

Goethe-Institut Scholarships for Teachers

Many teachers of German have enjoyed a scholarship from the Goethe-Institut.

The Goethe-Institut offers scholarships for language courses and pedagogical seminars.

Applicants must be Australian citizens or a permanent resident of Australia for at least 2 years.

If you are eligible and interested, apply. If you don’t get one, apply the next year.

AGTV-BJR Student Exchange

The AGTV is a registered Student Exchange Organisation (SEO) with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) to offer the AGTV-BJR Student Exchange in Victoria as a reciprocal exchange. The AGTV Committee has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bayerischer Jugendring (BJR) in Bavaria, Germany.

The reciprocity arrangement means that schools must not charge international exchange students school fees.

AGTV Coordinator

The AGTV Committee appoints an AGTV Coordinator to administer the exchange program in collaboration with the BJR in Munich, and with the support of volunteer host families and schools.

The AGTV Coordinator oversees the operation of the exchange in both Victoria and Bavaria with the support of the AGTV-BJR subcommittee.

The AGTV Coordinator organises for travel for Victorian exchange students and Group Leaders with an AGTV appointed travel agent. Students must travel as a group.

Independent travel of exchange students is strictly forbidden.

Key Information for Victorian Schools

Students live with a host family for approximately 10 weeks and must attend school.

The host family acts as loco parentis for the exchange student during the exchange period.

The AGTV Coordinator will notify schools if students from their school have expressed interest in being part of the AGTV-BJR Exchange program.

Schools must agree to be part of the exchange and abide by the AGTV-BJR Exchange Guidelines.

Under this exchange, schools must formally enrol students and not charge school fees.

Schools must

  • nominate how many exchange students they will accept at their school
  • complete a confidential recommendation for students who have applied for the exchange.
  • enrol the Bavarian student/s with the subclass 500 visa in February upon arrival
  • appoint a School Liaison Officer (SLO) to support the exchange students at school and liaise with the AGTV Coordinator and attend SLO meetings
  • notify the host family of any additional costs for extra curricula activities (e.g. a camp) to discuss with the exchange student’s family, who will pay these additional costs
  • communicate with the host family in their role as loco parentis
  • notify the AGTV Coordinator of any injury or matter of concern
  • provide a brief statement of attendance in April for the exchange student to take home

NB: Bavarian exchange students are offered an optional Study Tour while on exchange.

Application Process

The application process includes:

  • an initial expression of interest by the student and their family in February
  • a formal application from the student and their family
  • AGTV Coordinator requests a formal recommendation from the school
  • matching process begins in Bavaria according to the students’ interests
  • exchange families formally accept the match in September
  • exchange begins in the following year

Timeline for the Exchange

The Bavarian students travel as a group to Victoria for in February for approximately 10 weeks including the Easter school holidays, returning in April.

The Victorian students travel as a group to Germany later that year in November for approximately 10 weeks including the Christmas and New Year school holidays, returning in January.

Further Information

Further information about the exchange and a brochure, visit the Students page:

Contact the AGTV-BJR Coordinator:

  • Brigitte Ankenbrand:  bjr[a]agtv.vic.edu.au

Sister School Exchanges in Victoria

Federal Approval

With the introduction of the Australian Government Foreign Relations Act 2020 (the Act), all foreign arrangements including sister school partnerships are required to be assessed and notified (approved) by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The DET International Division in Victoria have produced a map to outline the approval process.

Sister Schools in Victoria

Prior to the pandemic, there were over 50 active sister-school arrangements in schools for students of German. The continuation of visits to and from sister-schools is a matter for individual schools under the guidelines of the Department of Education or other relevant authority such as the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA).

Schools may be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to participate.

Useful Links for Schools

Sister schools are encouraged by the Victorian Government:

Finding a Sister School

Personal contacts are always a good starting point to begin the process of an official sister school program. This could be through relatives and friends, personal contacts in DACHL, previous Language Assistants etc.

Victorian Government International Student Program (ISP)

International students come to Victoria for a range of different reasons, and only some of these international students are required to enrol in the department’s ISP and pay fees.

Information about how international students can study in Victorian government schools, including VISA requirements. International exchanges must meet state and federal requirements.

Penfriends and other Student Exchange Programs

Other options for intercultural exchange and language learning.

Briefe schreiben

Letters are a timeless way to connect with others. Some schools write actual letters and the teacher posts them. Other scan the letters and email them to the teacher.

Deutsche Post has a dedicated website with excellent teaching materials for learning how to write letters and emails. Highly recommended.

NB: Students are expected to be able to produce a personal or formal in the VCE exam.

Classroom Projects and Ideas

Bei mir – Bei dir: Our place was a collaborative project of the Goethe-Institut and AGTV in 2008, where students exchanged photos and shared stories.

Ideas for Intercultural Projects

The Goethe-Institut in Poland developed an intercultural email project called Das Bild der Anderen. Download the worksheets and teachers’ handbook.

EPALS

A site to find or advertise for partners for intercultural exchanges and projects.

There are also ideas for collaborative projects between groups.

  • EPALS electronic pen pals

Global Penfriends

Register to find a penfriend to exchange letters or emails.

World Exchange Program Australia (WEP)

The World Education Program Australia Ltd (WEP Australia) is an independent, incorporated, not-for-profit Australian student exchange organisation registered with the VRQA in Victoria and with relevant authorities in other states and territories.

Students in Years 9 to 12 can apply to participate in various short and long-term exchange programs including hosting students.

Students must have a minimum of one year of German language study at the time of application, plus ongoing study.

The cost of participating in an exchange to Germany varies according to length and includes airfares and 24-hour assistance.