Best of South-East
The Best of South-East scholarship is a cooperation between Steiermärkische Sparkasse and the University of Graz:
- One-year scholarship and enrollment as an exchange student at the University of Graz in combination with a one-year trainee programme or two-month internship at Steiermärkische Sparkasse
- Academic support by attending courses at the University of Graz
- Support and further education programme for talented, motivated university graduates and students from South-Eastern Europe
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Main objective: Opportunities for further education and training, international work experience, easier entry into professional life
If you are in a 4-years bachelor's programme and you are in the fourth year at the time of application, you can apply for the trainee programme - provided you can prove level B1 in German. You can also apply for the internship programme.
Students applying for an exchange at master's level must upload the following document as part of the application:
- If you are currently enrolled in a master’s programme at a university in your home country: Submit confirmation of your enrollment on master’s level from your home university. This confirmation must contain the name of the master’s programme you are taking and has to be issued by the admissions office at your home university. A document as described above is also required for enrollment at doctoral level, but with confirmation of enrollment ondoctoral level.
- When you have completed your bachelor's degree but are not currently enrolled in a master's programme at your home university, you should hand in a confirmation of your home university about the possible enrollment on master's level, which means that you have successfully completed the bachelor's degree and are authorized to be enrolled at the master’s level. The confirmation must contain the name of the master's programme for which you can be admitted to, and must confirm that the admission can take place without further entrance exams or selection procedures. A document as described above is also required for enrollment at doctoral level after a master's degree, but with confirmation of (possible) enrollment at doctoral level.
See checklist
You must have completed your data and have uploaded all documents in the online application by the last day of the application deadline at the latest. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
No, it is not necessary to send documents by post. You should have completed the data entry and uploaded all documents in the online application by the last day of the application deadline at the latest.
Both options (internship and trainee program) last exactly 12 months (September - August of the following year). Shorter stays are NOT possible.
Candidates selected for the programme who are not enrolled for a study programme at the University of Graz will be enrolled as exchange students for the duration of one academic year at the University of Graz. At the end of your stay you will receive a transcript of all courses you have completed and a confirmation of the Best of South-East programme. However, you will not receive a degree from the University of Graz!
Candidates selected for the programme that are enrolled for a study programme at the University of Graz will continue their studies during their Best of South-East scholarship year.
The internship programme focuses on studying: You attend courses at the University of Graz for 1 year and do a 2-month internship at the bank during the summer months.
In the trainee programme, the focus lies on practical experience: You will get practical insights into working at the bank for a year and at the same time complete some courses at the University of Graz.
