Erika Hingler-Sieber-Stiftung - Study support

Study support from the Erika Hingler-Sieber Foundation

You will receive up to 900 EUR per month as financial support for your studies at a university, a university of applied sciences, a university of teacher education (PÄDAK), a college or a similar course of study. The 900 EUR represents an upper limit, not a fixed amount. The foundation first deducts all benefits you are already receiving: Austrian child benefit, state study grant, orphan’s pension, maintenance payments and income from part-time student jobs. It then makes up the remaining shortfall, meaning that the actual amount of your scholarship depends on your individual circumstances. The foundation is based in Salzburg and was established from the estate of Walter Hingler to help young people who have grown up without parental support.

Who can apply

• Your background: You grew up without parents or family care, for example in a children’s village, an SOS Children’s Village, a Pro Juventute home, a shared accommodation scheme or as a foster child. This also applies if your parents are alive but are unable to look after you – for example, if your father is unknown, your mother is receiving long-term treatment or care, or if you were removed from your family following abuse.
• Where you grew up: You were born in the Austrian federal state of Salzburg, or have spent most of your life there.
• Financial need: You don’t have enough money to fund your studies.
• Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are welcome to apply. Austrian citizenship is not required.
• Field of study: Any topic is fine.

How to apply

Please send a written application by post or email to the Foundation’s office in Salzburg. Please enclose a brief covering letter, your CV, your school-leaving certificate or other proof of your eligibility to study, as well as details of any other grants or orphan’s pensions you may be receiving. There is no fixed application deadline, so you can apply at any time.

How realistic are your chances?

This grant is very strictly defined. You must have grown up in Salzburg without parental support and be able to demonstrate genuine financial hardship; as a result, very few people are eligible to apply. If you clearly meet these criteria and can provide evidence of your circumstances, your chances are good. Please note that there is no legal entitlement to the scholarship and that payments are made exclusively from the foundation’s investment income. A clear, well-documented application is more important than a polished one.