Application Process

This page describes our four-step application process, starting with the uploading of your application documents. Please remember to submit your documents with plenty of time so that the financing of your fees is secured before the start of the semester.

Step 1:

Submit your Application Documents

Please read our eligibility criteria thoroughly before submitting your application to ensure taking the correct steps to apply and having your application documents complete.

Afterwards, you can easily submit your application via our webform. In the first step, we ask you to submit your personal data. Subsequently, you will receive a link to our CV and Motivation form. There you can enter your most important and relevant experiences and previous qualifications. You can also upload the required certificates at the respective places.

For preparation, you can already have the following information ready:

 

Curriculum Vitae:

✓ Education (school, apprenticeships, studies)

✓ Relevant work experience (job, internships)

✓ Volunteering experience

Letter of Motivation:

The motivational questions may differ depending on how far you have progressed in your education. Read them carefully below.

Relevant Certificates:

✓ Certificate of your high school diploma

✓ Further training certificates if applicable (transcripts of started/completed courses of study, training certificates)

✓ Work/internship certificates if applicable

✓ Certificates of volunteering experience if applicable

Please submit PDF documents if possible.

With the help of the PDF converter you can easily convert your word, image and PPT files and download them afterwards.

Please note that we only process applications that contain at least your curriculum vitae, a letter of motivation and a certificate of your high school diploma.

Motivational questions

Here you can see which motivational questions you can expect in your application.

  1. Why do you want to study this degree programme?
    Address the following aspects, for example:
    How did you become interested in studying this degree programme?
    What interests you most about this degree programme? What do you find less interesting?
    Why do you think this degree programme suits you and your interests and skills?
    Are there other courses of study or training that would be suitable for you?
    Why did you nevertheless choose this degree programme?
    (1.000 – 3.500 characters incl. spaces)

  2. Please describe why you think this degree programme suits you and your skills:
    What three skills do you think you should have in order to successfully complete this degree programme?
    Which skills are particularly pronounced in you? How do you recognize this?
    (800 – 1.600 characters incl. spaces)

  3. Why do you want to study at this particular university?
    Why exactly does this one suit you so well?
    Please describe three advantages and three disadvantages of the university and explain why you chose this university.
    (800 – 2.000 characters incl. spaces)

  4. What profession do you see yourself in after graduation?
    What alternatives would there be that your studies would also prepare you for?
    What is still necessary after graduation to take up the professions/ to get to your career goal?
    (500 – 1.000 characters incl. spaces)

  1. Why do you want to study this degree programme?
    Address the following aspects, for example:
    How did you become interested in studying this degree programme?
    What interests you most about this degree programme? What do you find less interesting?
    Why do you think this degree programme suits you and your interests and skills?
    Are there other courses of study or training that would be suitable for you?
    Why did you nevertheless choose this degree programme?
    (1.000 – 3.500 characters incl. spaces)

  2. How do you like your studies so far?
    Please explain your satisfaction with the degree programme and the university on the basis of at least 3 positive and 3 negative aspects (small hint: no study is perfect, there are always advantages & disadvantages)
    (500 – 1.000 characters incl. spaces)

  3. How satisfied are you with your performance so far and where would you like to improve?
    How do you want to do that?
    (300 – 800 characters incl. spaces)

  4. What profession do you see yourself in after graduation?
    What alternatives would there be that your studies would also prepare you for?
    What is still necessary after graduation to take up the professions/ to get to your career goal?
    (300 – 800 characters incl. spaces)

  1. Why do you want to study this Master’s programme?
    Address the following aspects, for example:
    How did you become interested in studying this degree programme?
    What interests you most about this degree programme? What do you find less interesting?
    Why do you think this degree programme suits you and your interests and skills?
    Why did you choose to continue your studies instead of working?
    Are there other courses of study that would be suitable for you?
    Why did you nevertheless choose this degree programme?
    (1.500 – 3.500 characters incl. spaces)
    ⠀⠀

  2. What did you do to find out about the degree programme and whether it suits you?
    If you completed your Bachelor’s degree at another university:
    What did you do to inform yourself about the university and find out whether it suits you?
    (300 – 800 characters incl. spaces)

  3. What profession do you see yourself in after graduation?
    What alternatives would there be that your studies would also prepare you for?
    What is still necessary after graduation to take up the professions/ to get to your career goal?
    (500 – 1.000 characters incl. spaces)

  1. Why do you want to do a bootcamp now?
    Please address the following points:
    Why do you want to further your education in this field?
    How long have you been interested in this field and how did the interest arise?
    What interests you most in this field?
    What do you find less interesting?
    How does the bootcamp fit into your professional career right now?
    (1.000 – 3.500 characters incl. spaces)

  2. What are the specifics and challenges of this particular form of bootcamp learning?
    How do you plan to deal with that?
    (400 – 1.000 characters incl. spaces)

  3. What skills should you have as a [Web Developer/ UX/UI Designer/ Data Analyst/Scientist] ?
    Which three skills are particularly pronounced in you?
    How do you recognise this?
    (600 – 1.500 characters incl. spaces)

    Little hint: Think about where your strengths lie and which of your strengths will help you to be a successful [Web Developer/ UX/UI Designer/ Data Analyst/Scientist].

  4. What job do you see yourself in after the bootcamp?
    What steps are necessary to get to your job goal?
    (500 – 1.000 characters incl. spaces)

How do I write a motivational letter?

Your responses to the motivational questions are a crucial aspect of your application. In general, in Germany, writing about motivational aspects is an important addition to your application alongside your CV and relevant certificates. It will also become important for your job search as in most cases, you are required to write a letter of motivation to specify why you are applying for a specific position or company.

In comparison to your other application documents, the letter of motivation is your opportunity to provide an overall picture of yourself. Specific aspects that possibly remain unclear in your CV can be highlighted, for example, explaining gaps in your CV or justifying a switch of fields. The aim of your letter of motivation in your application to CHANCEN, is to make your intentions, motivations and fit to the chosen degree or bootcamp clear to us.

Ask yourself why you want to take the specific course you are applying for, what excites you about it and why you believe that you are a good fit for the course. List relevant arguments why you are suitable for the course or the job behind it. To illustrate your motivation you can name personal or career goals and relate them to experiences or achievements you have made in the past. 

 

Refer to the course you are applying for and name relevant experiences you already gathered in the past. Name skills that are already noted in your CV (so called hard skills) as well as personal skills and strengths (so called soft skills) that are usually not listed on your CV. 

 

Summarize your most important arguments in a concise form and complete them by giving examples and relating them to your experiences and plans.

Additionally, we are interested in the reasons why you are applying at your University or Bootcamp. List for example which aspects, values, teaching methods or contents you value and why you think the educational institution is a good fit for you.

In the context of your application to us at CHANCEN, your motivational letter should show that you have thoroughly reflected your chosen study program and University / Bootcamp.

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Step 2:

Your Financing Interview

The examination of your application documents usually takes one week, in exceptional cases or throughout busier periods, it can take longer.

If your application looks promising to us, we will invite you to a selection and financing interview. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions and regulations, all interviews are taking place digitally.

The purpose of the interview is to get to know you as a person and to understand your motivation. The following characteristics are particularly important to us:

Qualifications:

You have the necessary qualifications to successfully complete your studies or training and to work in the professional field you are aiming for.

Motivation:

You have thoroughly informed yourself about your intended studies or training and are passionate about the profession you want to pursue.

Fit with CHANCEN eG:

You fit in with our cooperative and our values.

Here are some helpful tips on preparing for your financing interview:

Information on the scientific basis of our selection process can be found here.

  • If you have to cancel or reschedule the interview, please do so early enough (at least one day in advance).
  • Please be punctual and schedule some extra time in case your computer has to do for instance an unforeseen Zoom-update.
  • Make sure you schedule enough time for the interview (approximately 40-45 minutes).
  • Take time during the interview as well to think about your answers to our questions.

  • Think about why you are interested in that particular degree course and inform yourself about the university/ bootcamp. This can help us understand your motivation.
  • Please watch the contract explanation videos that help you familiarize with the ISA contract. You can find the link in your interview invitation email. In addition, you can think about questions that came up to you during the ISA quiz. 
  • Be familiar with your own application: read it thoroughly again before the interview starts to be sure what your interview partner already knows about you.

Choose a quiet place for the interview where you won’t be disturbed. A good idea is to put your mobile phone on mute and check that nobody comes in.

Please dress in an appropriate and neat way. Take the interview as serious as if it would happen in person.

Try out the technical devices before the interview (e.g. internet connection, sound, camera, Zoom) to make sure that everything works.
 We recommend using a Laptop or a PC in order to guarantee a reliable connection.

  • Please think about what you want to tell us about yourself before. It can be helpful to practice a short introduction of yourself (eventually together with another person). This way, you feel well-prepared and have a good start into the interview.
  • Practice your body language. For instance, keep eye contact wth your interview partner (this is also possible in a remote interview). 
  • Speak slowly and clearly during the interview so that your interview partner is able to understand everything you are saying.

  • Prepare your own questions in case something has been unclear to you after watching the contract explanation videos. You can ask them after the interview.
  • Take notes when your questions are being answered. That way, you can save the new information and potentially reflect on them later on.

The purpose of the interview is to get to know you. Of course, your parents or someone else you want to participate can join after the interview (ca. 20-25 min after the interview started) to receive further information or to clarify any questions.

In case interviews make you a bit nervous, take a deep relaxing breath and keep in mind that we are really looking forward to getting to know you!

Transparency is important to us

Before you sign the ISA, you should fully understand it. That’s why we take the time to go through the complete contract with you and answer your questions about the ISA and CHANCEN eG.

Step 3:

Make a Financing Decision

Within one week of your interview, we can let you know if we can support your studies/training.

If we decide we are willing to finance your education, it is up to you to decide whether the ISA is the right financing model for you. If you choose the ISA, we will prepare your personal contract.

Step 4:

Become a Member and Receive Funding

If you decide to finance your studies through an ISA, we will prepare your personal contract and your membership application form and send it to you via e-signing or by post. If you reside outside of Germany, we can also sign a preliminary contract via pdf.

Especially in case of postal contract signing, this step can take up to 2 weeks.

We are looking forward to your application. If you have any questions, feel free to contact one of our team members from our Student & Alumni Services:

Contact

Nathalie Hubschneider

Student & Alumni Services