Alwin Lehner Scholarship
Alwin Lehner Scholarship Introduction
Alwin Lehner was one of the founders of the family-owned enterprise ALPLA and, for many years, the driving force behind its innovations. At 190 locations in 46 countries, ALPLA manufactures plastic packaging such as bottles, closures, injection-moulded parts, preforms and tubes, making it one of the world’s leading companies in the packaging industry.
Topics such as innovation, sustainability and recycling are extremely important to ALPLA. There are numerous initiatives and collaborations in these areas that present new and interesting opportunities for the future.
Particularly talented and committed students from Austria and abroad who prove to be worthy of support and are studying at an institution sponsored by ALPLA (university, university of applied sciences) in a field of study relevant to ALPLA.
In memory of Alwin Lehner, the ALPLA Group is funding a scholarship for exceptionally 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 in Austria and Germany. ‘In the long term, however, we can very well envisage a more global award,’ says the Family Manager.
Call for applications in 2023
We are delighted to be able to award five scholarships again for the 2023/24 academic year. Please note the application deadline (21st July 2023).
Target group
Exceptionally talented and dedicated students from Austria and abroad who demonstrate merit and are enrolled on a course of study relevant to ALPLA at an institution supported by ALPLA (university, university of applied sciences).
Which courses of study are eligible for funding and where can I study them?
JKU Linz, A
Plastics Engineering, BSc
Sustainable Plastics Technology and Circular Economy, BSc
Polymer Technologies and Science (PTS), MSc
Management in Polymer Technology (MPT)
MU Leoben, A
Materials Management and Materials Technology, BSc
Plastics Engineering, MSc
Recycling Engineering, MSc
Environmental and Climate Protection Engineering, MSc
RWTH Aachen, D
Environmental Engineering, MSc
Hochschule München, D
Paper Technology, MSc
Fachhochschule Vorarlberg, A
Computer Science, MSc
Business Process Management, MSc
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 3,425 per semester. The aim is to contribute to the cost of living and tuition fees (grant). Payment is made at the beginning of each semester. If the course of study is discontinued, this must be reported immediately. The scholarship will then be stopped.
Mentors
While in receipt of the scholarship, the scholarship holders will be assigned a mentor from the relevant department.
Proof of achievement
Positive proof of achievement is required for the scholarship to be paid out. This means a minimum of 20 ECTS credits per semester. Proof of achievement must be submitted at the end of each semester for the following semester. An internship report must be submitted for each internship completed. The student must have the status of a full-time student.
Internships, bachelor´s/ master´s thesis
All scholarship holders are expected to complete paid internships at ALPLA. This may take the form of a long-term internship or several short-term internships. Duration of long-term internship: at least 12 weeks. Duration of short-term internship: 6–8 weeks each. It is also possible to carry out internships at an international ALPLA location. In addition, students are expected to write their bachelor’s/master’s thesis at the company, provided that the student, the company and the supervisor at the institution concerned agree on a topic.
Relevant application documents
- CV (German or English)
- Covering letter on the following topic: ‘What is my motivation to apply for an Alwin Lehner Scholarship?’ (approx. 2–3 pages)
- An explanation of why a scholarship is needed from a financial perspective
- Certificate of enrolment/study or confirmation of a place for the next semester in one of the requested subject areas (if already available)
- University certificate, A-level certificates, internship references (if already available)
- Copy of passport
Application process
The application deadline for the 2023/24 winter semester is 21st July 2023. The required documents must be sent to the following email address: Stipendien@alpla.com. After an initial screening, selected applicants will be invited to a personal meeting on September 1st 2023 at company headquarters in Hard, Vorarlberg (Austria). The successful applicants will be chosen by mid of september at the latest.
Promoting young talent was always close to Alwin’s heart.
Carmen Lehner, Family Office Manager