From Vocational Training to College
Isabelle Pollak, a student of Housing and Real Estate Management, shares her experiences as a Germany Scholarship recipient at HSZG.
Are you interested in financial support for your studies? Then take advantage of your chance to receive a Germany Scholarship at HSZG! You can find all the important information here.
Our current and former Deutschlandstipendium recipients can attest that the application process is always worth it. How did they first learn about the scholarship? How did they qualify for it? How does it enrich their daily student life?
Deutschlandstipendium recipient Isabelle Pollak shares insights into her experiences with the scholarship program and her journey to studying at HSZG so far.
Isabelle Pollak grew up in Dresden and attended school there. After graduating from high school, she was initially drawn to South America. She worked as an au pair in Chile and then returned to Germany before deciding to pursue an apprenticeship as a bank clerk at Deutsche Bank.
After completing her degree, she decided to broaden her career options by pursuing a degree.“It quickly became clear to me that I wanted to study something else that had always interested me alongside the banking sector. I’ve always been passionate about real estate and had already completed internships in the field,” Isabelleexplains .
Isabelle is studying Housing and Real Estate Management at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and benefits from the knowledge she gained during her banking apprenticeship, which has helped her recognize many points of overlap between the real estate industry and the banking sector. Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences offers her a unique opportunity:
“While you can often study real estate management in Germany, you rarely find a program that covers the structural engineering aspect the way Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences does, and I really liked that.” Isabelle Pollak, Germany Scholarship Recipient 2021/22
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For her work placement semester, Isabelle is particularly interested in the field of real estate financing, which is good for integrating with her studies. But she also has many other options to choose from—ranging from construction project planning to real estate appraisal—that she can see herself pursuing in the future.
In addition to her studies, Isabelle also works as an assistant in the university’s International Office: “The International Office supports international students, and since I’ve already spent time abroad myself and would like to do another semester or internship abroad in the future, I’m able to contribute well and continue my own professional development. This also allows me to support other students,” she explains . When she’s not working, Isabelle enjoys participating in the university ’s sports programs and spends her free time with friends.
After graduation, Isabelle places great importance on ensuring a sufficient balance between work and leisure. As she puts it: “It’s important to me to have a good job where I feel comfortable, but I also have personal goals, such as starting a family, staying healthy, and, above all, traveling extensively around the world.”
Through her Germany Scholarship, Isabelle hopes—with the support of her sponsor, ISS IMMOFANT Service Solution—to gain a foothold in the real estate industry and, through internships in the region, to build her career near Zittau/Görlitz. Looking ahead, she says: “I would really hope that even if the scholarship were to end, we would stay in touch on both sides, and I would always offer my help as much as I can.”
Text: Louisa Marko
For over ten years, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has participated in the Germany Scholarship program.
The scholarship amounts to 300 euros per month. Of this amount, 150 euros are provided by private sponsors such as companies, foundations, alumni, and other private individuals. The remaining 150 euros are provided by the federal government. The Germany Scholarship is paid directly to the recipients by the universities. The funding is awarded regardless of income and can also be received in addition to BAföG (German financial aid for students).
Anyone who is enrolled at the University of Zittau/Görlitz or is making an application for a place at university is eligible to apply.
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