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Esra Eroğlu: "It was clear to me that I would need another scholarship to finance my studies."
Photo:
Daniel Tihonov
The Muslim organization for the promotion of talented students in Avicenna is the youngest of the 13 institutions for the promotion of talented students, and with 500 scholarship holders, it is also one of the smaller ones. Applicants should be able to demonstrate above-average performance, social commitment and a connection to Islam and the Muslim faith.
Esra Eroğlu, 21. She is studying law and economics at EBS University in Wiesbaden and has been an Avicenna scholarship holder since 2019.
The decision for Avicenna
"I also saw the application as an opportunity to network with Muslim students."
“I was a good student, with a grade of 1.4.
And I got involved inside and outside the school: I was the head teacher and on the board of the working group of Karlsruhe student representatives, AKS for short.
I was also in a Koran reading group, through which I also worked on social projects, including one for the homeless.
My faith is an important part of my life.
After graduating from high school, I moved to Wiesbaden to study law and economics at the private EBS University. The course costs over 60,000 euros, but I definitely wanted to go to this university. Despite a university scholarship that covered part of my tuition fees, it was clear to me that I would need another scholarship to finance my studies and life in Wiesbaden. Some of my friends were already involved in the Avicienna funding at the time. I had heard from them that the work was small and familiar, and that the scholarship holders were very active. I liked that.
In addition, I initially had little contact with the practice of my faith in the community after moving.
For example, there is no Muslim college group at my university.
That is why I saw the application for Avicenna as an opportunity to network with Muslim students, to exchange ideas and to get projects off the ground. "
The application process
"Since I had just started my studies, I applied with my high school diploma."
“Since I had just started my studies, I applied with my high school diploma. In addition to an application form and a letter of motivation, you have to submit two expert reports from teachers or lecturers and an opinion on the commitment. The latter was written by an employee of the Karlsruhe youth committee who knew me through the AKS. When I wrote the letter of motivation, there were questions I could grapple with - for example, what role faith plays in my life, or which people inspire me and why.
In the second step, I was invited to a selection day.
This is currently done digitally.
There was a group discussion with other applicants, which focused on the media consumption of young people, and an individual interview in which I was asked about my studies, my social commitment and religion.
When asked which current political events I had recently dealt with, I replied: with the debate about the introduction of a tram in Wiesbaden.
That surprised the selectors, most of the applicants probably mention global issues.
But I then explained that I found local politics important and that I was involved in this area myself. "
The scholarship
"It is expected that you get involved, for example help organize a regional meeting."
»The scholarship began with a welcome weekend in Münster. There were lectures, group work and plenty of time to get to know each other. So we were able to grow together as a year. In the work you meet people with the most varied of biographical backgrounds and references to Islam. Most of them are Muslims themselves, but the reference can also consist of studying Islamic studies, for example.
We meet every month in interdisciplinary regional groups, for example for lectures or excursions.
Sometimes it's about technical matters, sometimes about religion, sometimes about team building.
Because of the pandemic, a lot is happening online right now.
Participation in such events is compulsory, as is the annual meeting.
It is expected that you will get involved, for example help organize a regional meeting each year.
If you can't do that for whatever reason, you can discuss it with the Studienwerk.
There are also voluntary seminars and specialist working groups.
I'm in the law, economics and inclusion working groups.
We, as scholarship holders, have re-established the Inclusion Working Group.
We want to create awareness of inclusion through workshops and guidelines - for example on how to create accessible documents.
In addition to the non-material support, the financial support is of course also great: I am eligible for student loans and therefore, in addition to the monthly tuition fee of 300 euros, I get roughly the same rate that I would get with student loans. I am very grateful for the money, otherwise I would not be able to finance my studies and would no longer have time for volunteer work. "