Since 2000, the Foundation for the Promotion of OTH Regensburg has been recognising outstanding achievements by students – both in academic and social areas. One highlight each year is theawards evening: in November 2025, three students were honoured with highly endowed prizes for their final theses. At the same time, the foundation is strongly committed to internationalisation: it supports our students' stays abroad and awards scholarships to students from international partner universities.
Since the 2000/2001 winter semester, almost 400 international students have applied for funding, and more than half of them have been able to complete an exchange semester at the OTH. Many also gained practical experience with the foundation's founders and co-founders, often at well-known companies in the Regensburg region. At the same time, the scholarship recipients enrich campus life with their international perspectives and cultural contributions.
Students from Ukraine supported
Since its inception, there has been a special focus on cooperation with universities in Central and Eastern Europe. In recent years, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, increased support has been provided to students from partner universities there. For many of them, studying in Germany would not be possible without this support.
One example is Mykhaylo Bogomaz, who studied at the university in the summer semester of 2025. For him, it was the first time since Year 9 that he had been able to study regularly with other students in a classroom. ‘First came Corona, then the war,’ he says. Most of his studies take place digitally; only once a month does his cohort meet for a few days of face-to-face teaching. The time at the university, made possible by the scholarship, offered him a ‘normal student life’ for the first time in a long while.
Gaining a lot of self-confidence in just two semesters
Most scholarship holders travel directly from Ukraine – including Oleksandr Kiselov, who came to the university in the winter semester of 2024/25. His journey was uncertain: it was only shortly before his planned departure that male students were allowed to leave the country again. When we first met him, he still seemed very reserved. In our online interview, however, he comes across as a young man who has noticeably gained in self-confidence. The organised leisure activities in particular gave him a safe space to try new things and make contacts.
He has also broken new ground academically – although languages are not his forte, he started learning German here and continues to practise with a tutor after his return to Ukraine. He took the ‘Image Processing’ course out of enthusiasm for Prof. Riccio and for fun. He now continues to live this openness in his home country, to which he returned after two semesters. For him, the greatest experience was to try everything without fear, as he says.
Anna Bondarenko will remain in the region as a specialist
However, some scholarship holders decide to stay in Regensburg. One example is Anna Bondarenko, who came to the university in 2023. Shortly after her arrival, she successfully applied first as an intern and later as a working student at Maschinenfabrik Rheinhausen, thus financing her further stay. At the same time, she took courses at the university, German courses and classes at her home university – an average of 12 per semester. In addition, she was involved in the Start-up Centre'sEXIST Women project and developed a communication app with a special focus on security for military applications. After graduating, she is now starting a job in Munich – a success she has worked hard for after around 150 applications and 55 interviews.
Many other scholarship holders also report formative experiences: Tetiana is proud that after just one semester she already speaks enough German for everyday life. Andreii particularly appreciates having learned to live independently here. Kateryna emphasises how much she has benefited professionally from the courses and introduction to new tools. For some of them, the path then led back to Ukraine – their home, as they emphasise.
Others are staying longer in Germany due to special circumstances. For them, the foundation's support is an important opportunity to settle in here and continue their studies. Many pass on their experiences, for example as buddies for new exchange students, thus contributing to international encounters, new perspectives and lasting friendships.
