The Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe believes that European diversity can best be understood by experiencing it. Our travel grants seek to enable young Europeans to explore and discover their continent, while tackling current political or social questions. By travelling, grantees becomes ambassadors for a united Europe.
Please note
Due to the Corona (COVID-19) virus and limited travel opportunities, the application and travel period for our travel grants will be postponed indefinitely for the time being. News on application and travel times can be found here and on our social media channels.
You want to get know Europe better and broaden your perspective?
You did not have many possibilities to travel Europe and see other places yet?
You are interested political and societal questions and want to report on it?
You are between 18 and 27 years of age and live in one of the EU member states, Turkey or Russia?
Then apply for a travel grant by the Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe!
Why travel grants?
Europe means diversity and traveling is the best possibility to experience it. Many young Europeans, however, do not have the means or resources to get to know Europe. By awarding travel grants, the Schwarzkopf Foundation seeks to increase the number of young travellers in Europe, which in turn fosters the European togetherness.
Who can apply?
We explicitly want to award young Europeans, who have not been able to travel much. Applications by young people with a migration or refugee history, those living in rural areas, those attending vocational school, and those with a non-university track are explicitly encouraged to apply. Most of our travel grants also require to be between the ages of 18 and 27 and to live in one of the EU-member states, Russia or Turkey, depending on the program partner you are applying for.
Who should not apply?
We want to enable more Europeans to travel. Thus, if you have already traveled much privately or if you have been part of exchange programs such as ERASMUS+, our travel grants are not for you. You should also not apply, if you are looking for a way to cover international travelling costs for attending a third-party event, such as a conference, a summer school, or other personal plans.
What is expected of me?
Our travel grants enable young Europeans to experience Europe. This should always take place by addressing a specific topic or question. The bigger topic is provided by our project partners (more on that below), the specific research focus, however, is up to you. All travellers should conduct their independent research (interviews, surveys, etc.) and document their findings. The documentation can take the form of a written report, but can also be a series of photographs, a series of meaningful Instagram posts, a vlog, or a diary, depending on the requirements of the program partner. You are responsible for planning your trip, finding accommodation, and selecting your travel destinations. Costs for accommodation are not covered by the grant. All travels should be completed individually, e.g. not with friends or as part of a bigger group.
When should the trip take place and how long should it last?
The exact travel period is still to be determined. All sponsored trips presumably take place between 01.06.2020 (earliest travel start) to 30.12.2020 (latest travel end). The Interrail Global-Passes have different conditions (see FAQs). Trips should be between three and up to eight weeks long. If you are enrolled in a vocational training, a trip of two weeks is also acceptable. In any case, the travel period must be communicated with the Schwarzkopf Foundation.
What travel grants can I apply for?
We offer four different travel grants, all of which promote youth mobility. However, there are some differences regarding the thematic focus as well as some additional requirements and applicants’ profiles, so do check the specific requirements of each travel grant. You can only apply for one travel grant.
1) Travel grants to Greece (funded by Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung) (German)
In cooperation with the Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung, the Schwarzkopf Foundation awards travel grants worth 600€ to visit and explore Greece. Travellers must have permanent residency in Germany and should address this question: “Role models for Greece in Europe”
2) “Sustainable Travel” – travelling with the Interrail-Global Pass (funded by Deutsche Bahn)
In cooperation with Deutsche Bahn, the Schwarzkopf Foundation awards Interrail-Global Passes, enabling you to travel up to 33 countries in Europe for up to two months. This travel grant focuses on the topic “Sustainable Travel”. Travellers do independent research on this topic by applying their own focus and document their findings on video. Applicants can choose between a 2-month, 15 day-travelling pass or a 1-month, 7 day travelling pass.
In cooperation with the Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA), the Schwarzkopf Foundation awards travel grants worth 600€ to research relevant trends and future developments in Europe. Travelers pick their own topic regarding one of these topics:
Travelers also share their impressions and experiences in regular photo posts.
4) Travel grants for young people without a university track (funded by Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung) (German)
In cooperation with Kreuzberger Kinderstiftung, the Schwarzkopf Foundation awards travel grants worth 600€ to those young people, who do not hold an Abitur or an equivalent high-school degree allowing university track. Of course, everybody may apply for any travel grant, however, this one explicitly sponsors non-university-track youngsters. Travelers must have permanent residency in Germany.
How can I apply?
You can apply by filling out the form on our website below. Before starting the form, decide which travel grant you want to apply for (you can only file one application). Read the terms and conditions of that travel grant carefully. Think about your research focus with the bigger topic of the travel grant in mind. Also, prepare ideas regarding the documentation of your research – will you use photos, videos, regular blog posts, or a written report to summarize and analyze your findings?
The Schwarzkopf Foundation supports selected travelers to further develop their ideas and research project. However, you should really give this part of the application some thought, as it is most relevant in the selection process.
When can I apply?
Due to the currently limited travel opportunities, the application and travel period for our travel grants will be postponed indefinitely for the time being. News on application and travel times can be found here and on our social media channels.
If you have questions, feel free to contact Anil Altintas via travelgrants(at)schwarzkopf-stiftung.de.
Alica Läuger from Germany was interested in the intersection of feminism and finances in Greece and developed a wonderful graphic novel depicting why one should look for rolemodels for Europe in Greece. Check it out here.
Gonçalo Ferreira has been dealing with labour mobility of romanian labourers and its impact on the European Union. You can read his informative report here.
The question of a greener Europe was of particular interest for Friedrich Schubert from Germany. He traveled to Italy and Slovenia to ask young Europeans what they do for a more sustainable, greener environment. Watch his video here.
Naomi Ntoni from Germany did did extensive research on entrepreneurship and digitization in Spain and Portugal. Read her report (in German) here.
Marina Shchannikova from Russia wanted to know how young people in Europe deal with social and political crisis and for that traveled to Germany, France and Sweden. You can watch her video here.
Lisa Pramann from Germany was interested in the question, how the Youth in Southeastern Europe is feeling after 15 years of EU-Enlargement. You can watch here video he here.
Lina Naji from Germany did her travel report a bit differently. Instead of doing interviews, she wrote a beautiful poem that she included in her impressions from the road, dealing with question what value traveling has for persons. Watch it here. (German)
Mona Griesberg did research on the question in how far open borders have an impact on the working world in Central Europe. Check out here travel report here.
Joel Christoph from Spain did extensive research on the meaning of labour mobility and traveled to England, Germany, Italy, Poland and Hungary to ask Europeans what they think of it. Read his report here.
Katja Elsberger is studying European Studies in Passau and travaled to Portugal and Spain to know about water resource management and what it means for the inhabitants in the cross-border regions. Read her report here
Ibrahim Bulut from Turkey did research on a current issue. He wanted to know what perceptions and attitudes Europeans have towards migrants and refugees. You can watch his video here.
Jamil Osso from Germany travelled to Portugal, Spain, France, Austria, Great Britiain, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden to find out about what Europe is connected with and what is has in common. You can watch his video here
Andra Krogramm travelled Europe to find out more on digital nomads and how their way of working will impact everyday working life in Europe. Read her report here.
Marian Bromm from Germany was interested in the question in how what sense people from the European Union had an opinion on the inner-European labour market. Read his report (in German) here.
Mattea Lamperter from Austria did a bit of unsual traveling. She traveled only by bike to Southeastern Europe to find out about the importance of labour mobility for young people. Read her report here.
What does labour mobility means to people on the british-spanish border? Emilia Mekok from Germany asked herself that question and portrayed people affected on her beautiful Instagram-Account. Click on it here.
Elsa Maneval from France traveled to Eastern Europe and was interested in finding out about gender discrimination in mathematics in universities. Check out her video and see what she thinks about what connects Europe.
Our travel grantee Alenka Brabencová used Interrail to visit a total of eight countries. Some impressions of what she experienced on her trip can be found in this video.
Julia Saubier traveled to Portugal, Sweden, and Hungary to learn more about women in filmmaking. A summary of her report can be found here.
Edgars Gerhards travelled to two scandinavian (Copenhagen, Roskilde) and two baltic cities (Vilnius, Riga). He compared and evaluated how eco-friendly the lifestyles are, the people lead in these cities. You can read his report here.
Vincent Schroyens, a recent graduate in teacher education from Belgium, travelled from his home country to Bulgaria. He explored the different vocational training systems of the countries he passed through, learning about their advantages and disadvantages. Vincent believes, that coming to a better understanding of these, gives us the opportunity to learn from each other. Read more about his experience here.
"The inability to accept who I truly was and the need for other people to accept me, were always bothering me. I wanted to be open, but I was afraid. And in that moment, I found myself in front of a mirror saying, after a long time 'I'm bisexual'" Martin travelled to Germany, Spain and Sweden to meet people from the LGBTQ-Community and learn how acceptance for this community could be increased in his home country Bulgaria. Read his personal and very inspiring report here.
Adriana Gomez is a student of fashion design. She composed a short presentation about the negative impact the international clothing industry has on the environment and explores sustainable fashion stores in Berlin.
Annika Dinh from Germany travelled through Bulgaria during the summer. She was wondering how the country dealt with its diversity and made some pretty interesting observations about minority politics in Bulgaria. Annika shared her insights on her instagram profile.
Ronald Vilcans from Riga travelled from Prague to Athens and shares his observations as well as beautifully shot pictures in his travel blog. The introduction reads: "Despite a list of problems, (...) people are surprisingly optimistic." But this does not apply to everbody, Ronald states. Minority groups, like refugees and LGBTQ-folks, are facing difficult living situations in many European countries.
Elenor Ängek from Sweden visited a number of Greek islands to learn more about the economic situation there. She particularly looked into the impact of digitalisation in the region. Her report may also give you some good ideas when planning your next trip to the Aegean Sea. Find her report here.
Millie Hallam from Italy has an interest in sustainabiltiy and eco-friendly lifestyles. She travelled to the UK, Sweden, and Denmark to learn more about this. Her experiences and insights can be found in her report here.
To find out what sustainability means when it comes to wine production, as well as to learn more about how wineries are trying to produce sustainably, and what obstacles they might be facing, Jessie Lowe travelled to three established wine-producing countries, Germany, Italy, and Austria. You can read her report here.
Christopher Amedu from Great Britain has filmed a short documentary about the african diaspora in Paris, racism and the rise of right wing populism. Christopher spoke to the director of the African News Agency (Dounia Ben Mohamed), the former professional footballer Christian Ngwandjo, and a representative of the populist French Front National (Eric Le Gal). A must see!
Giorgos Verdi was wondering "How can a country with a population of 1.3 million people, which gained its independence just 27 years ago, be the world´s most advanced digital society?" To find answers to this question, he travelled to Tallin, Estonia. You can read his report (with the very promising title Society of Tomorrow) here.
On her Facebook Page "Europe Speaks Up" Sedra Al-Yousef shares photos and personal stories "on populism, media and life experiences" from people she met while travelling in Italy, Austria and Germany. The comments are available in both English and Arabic. Sedra portays her interviewees in a very empathetic way.
What effects do the open borders have on life in Europe? That's the question Lucie Křehlíková from the Czech Republic looked into. She travelled five countries. Her report can be found here.
Patricia Oliveros from Spain travelled to Ireland and the UK to learn more about young people's perspectives on sustainability. Her nicely done report can be read here.
British Srishti Chaudhary travelled to Central Europe to explore practical examples of the dual education system. You can find her report here.
What have open borders changed in the Baltic states? Francesco Melitowrote down his thoughts from his trip here.
Travel grantee Rafaela Höpker travelled through numerous European capitals and asked people she met on the way with a questionnaire: what makes you feel welcome? Find her summary of the project here.
This summer Cleo Pollard documented on Instagram her conversations with other young Europeans about European identity. For the full project, read the interviews on the project’s Instagram account .
Like all out Interrail Global Pass grantees, Marcel Roth wanted to find out more about sustainable travelling. At the same time, it turned to be a story of open borders and young people that feel European.
What drives populism in Europe? Felix Vemmer talked to young people in Germany, the Netherlands, France and the UK to find out what they think of the topic and compiled the answers to an Instagram report as well as this presentation.
Is it possible to travel in a climate-friendly way? Our travel grantee Iisa Arvelin looked into the question.
Simon Hartmann was traveling in Turkey during and after the attempted coup d’état in July 2016. His observations and analysis of the atmosphere can be found here (in German).
From the 6th to the 27th of June 2016 our travel grantee Simon Happersberg was on a journey through the United Kingdom. On his way from Edinburgh and Glasgow, through the North of England to London, he was able to talk with a wide variety of British people about the Brexit vote and create an exciting overview of the atmosphere in the UK. You can find his report (in German) here.
Our travel scholar Daniel Mora Gomez traveled through Germany and tried to make himself a picture of the arrival of refugees in Germany and also observed the rising right-wing movement. After doing his research at home he found himself traveling through Germany for 24 days. He shares his impressions on these topics in his travel report here.
Do we have different European identities and approaches to freedom of movement whether we are in Spain or in Romania? Our travel grantee Miriam Meir reports about how differently Europeans deal with questions like migration, quality of life, and globalisation, what she could analyse during her trip in Spain, in the Netherlands and in Romania. You can find her report here.
65 years after the creation of the state of Israel that attracted an important wave of migration, some third generation Israelis decide to migrate to Germany. Whether it is considered as an exile out of Israel or as a revival of the German Jewry, our travel grantee Sylwia Wodzińskaanalyses the motivation and the current situation of those Israelis now living in Berlin and Hamburg. You can find her report here. Picture: Koby Libermann
After the 30 year anniversary of the Schengen Agreement last year, Tomsz Lato decided to investigate how cross-border cities cooperate and develop even if located in another country. Three weeks of German-Polish, German-Austrian, German-Swiss and German-French borders brought him to analyse the similarities and differences in integration of urban spaces, public transport, and cultural events that cross border cities can achieve. You can find his report here. Picture: Dirk Vorderstraße
The Leave Campaign of the UK referendum considered the refugee issue as very critical one. But how was the refugee policy in Britain by the end of 2015? Our travel grantee Tara Burk approaches this sometimes critical culture towards asylum seekers in Scotland, Wales and England. You can find her report here. Picture: Richard Allaway
Our travel grantee Julian Hey reports about his experiences in Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, San Sebastián, Valencia, Barcelona and Milan that he realised with an Interrail Global Pass granted by the Deutsche Bahn. He aptured the different environmental-friendly mobility concepts tha we have in Europe during this Interrail trip. You can find his report here. Picture: Andreas Dantz