Alwin Lehner Scholarship
About the Alwin Lehner Scholarship
Alwin Lehner was one of the founders and, for many years, the innovative driving force behind the family-owned company ALPLA.
At 200 locations in 46 countries, ALPLA produces plastic packaging such as bottles, closures, injection-moulded parts, preforms and tubes, making it one of the leading companies in the global packaging industry.
Topics such as innovation, sustainability and recycling are of great importance at ALPLA. There are numerous initiatives and collaborations in these areas that create new and exciting opportunities for the future.
ALPLArecycling, for example, stands for consolidated expertise in plastics recycling. Today, our international network comprises 14 facilities in 10 countries.
Call for applications in 2026
We are pleased to be able to award six scholarships again for the 2026/27 academic year. Please note the application deadline (31 May 2026).
You can find the scholarship posting under the search term "Scholarship".
People targeted
Talented and dedicated students from Austria and abroad who are considered eligible for funding and are enrolled in a field of study relevant to ALPLA at a university supported by ALPLA.
Which courses of study are eligible for funding and where can I study them?
FH Vorarlberg, AT
Informatik, M.Sc.
Wirtschaftsinformatik – Digital Transformation, M.Sc.
Mechatronik, B.Sc.
Mechatronics, M.Sc.
JKU Linz, AT
Polymer Engineering and Science (PES), M.Sc.
MU Leoben, AT
Circular Engineering, M.Sc.
Recyclingtechnik, M.Sc.
Umwelt- und Klimaschutztechnik, M.Sc.
Polymer Science and Engineering (PoSE), M.Sc.
University of Freiburg, DE
Sustainable Materials, M.Sc.
TU Graz, AT
Digital Engineering, B.Sc.
Digital Engineering, M.Sc.
Information and Computer Engineering, B.Sc.
Information and Computer Engineering, M.Sc.
Chemical and Process Engineering, B.Sc.
Chemical and Process Engineering, M.Sc.
University of Innsbruck, AT
Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, M.Sc.
Elektrotechnik, B.Sc.
Elektrotechnik, M.Sc.
Mechatronik, B.Sc.
Mechatronik, M.Sc.
The chosen courses of study are ones that are highly strategically relevant to ALPLA.
Number of scholarships
A maximum of 6 scholarships will be awarded in total.
Duration of scholarship entitlement
The maximum duration of the scholarship is two academic years. This applies to bachelor’s and master’s students alike.
Scholarship amount
EUR 3,600 per semester. The aim is to contribute to living expenses and tuition fees (grant).
Scholarship payment
Payment is made at the beginning of each semester.
If the programme is discontinued, this must be reported immediately. In the event of withdrawal from studies, the grant will be discontinued.
Proof of achievement
A positive proof of academic performance is required for the scholarship to be paid out. This means a minimum of 20 ECTS credits per semester.
Proof of academic performance must be submitted at the end of each semester for the following semester.
An internship report must be submitted for each completed internship.
Full-time study
The student must have full-time student status.
Internships; bachelor’s/master’s thesis
It is expected that each scholarship recipient completes paid internships at ALPLA. These may be short-term or long-term internships.
Duration of long-term internship: at least 12 weeks.
Duration of short-term internship: 6–8 weeks each.
There is also the opportunity to complete an internship at one of ALPLA’s international locations.
Scholarship recipients often also write their bachelor’s or master’s thesis at the company, provided that the student, the company and the responsible supervisor at the respective institution agree on a topic.
Relevant application documents
- Tabular CV (German or English)
- Letter of motivation on the following topic: “What is my motivation to apply for an Alwin Lehner Scholarship?” (max. 2 pages)
- Explanation of why a scholarship is needed from a financial perspective
- Certificate of enrolment or confirmation of a place for the next semester in one of the requested fields of study (if already available)
- University transcripts, secondary school leaving certificate, internship references (if already available)
- Copy of passport
Application process
The application deadline is 31 May 2026. Applications must be sent through the career portal. You can find the scholarship posting under the search term "Scholarship".
After an initial screening, selected applicants will be invited to a personal meeting at the company headquarters in Hard, Vorarlberg (Austria).
The in-person interviews will take place on 3 July 2026. The final decision on the awarding of the scholarships will be made by 24 July 2026 at the latest.
Mentor
During the scholarship period, each scholarship recipient is assigned a mentor from the relevant department.
The mentor is the main point of contact for the scholarship recipients and supports them during their onboarding at the company and throughout the entire duration of the scholarship.
Company
‘Promoting young talent was always close to Alwin’s heart.’Carmen Lehner, Family Office Manager
In memory of Alwin Lehner, the ALPLA Group is funding a scholarship for talented and dedicated students from Austria and abroad. Applicants must demonstrate merit and be enrolled on a course of study relevant to ALPLA at an institution specified by ALPLA (university, university of applied sciences).
‘Supporting young talent was always close to Alwin’s heart,’ explains Carmen Lehner, Family Office Manager at ALPLA. This is why the Alwin Lehner Scholarship was established.
In the spirit of our founder, scholarships have been awarded to talented students at home and abroad every year since autumn 2021. Applications are open to students wishing to pursue a course of study relevant to ALPLA or who are already in the middle of their studies. In addition to the financial assistance, the scholarship also includes paid internships at ALPLA in Austria and abroad.
For the time being, the scholarships are available for students at renowned universities (of applied sciences) in Austria and Germany. ‘In the long term, however, we can very well envisage a more global award,’ says the Family Manager.
