Kurt Hahn Trust

The Trust seeks to foster Anglo-German understanding, and to honour the memory of Kurt Hahn. Hahn's initiatives led to the foundation of Schule Schloss Salem, Gordonstoun, Outward Bound, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the first United World College. 

It was founded in 1986 by Mr Peter Carpenter, Director of Studies in Education at Churchill College. He had the active support of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, former Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, who became Founder-Chairman of the Trust. Both had been pupils of Kurt Hahn's at Gordonstoun School. 

The Trust's funds are handled by its Patrons, Trustees and Committee of Management. 

The fund has been built up through the generosity of donors in the United Kingdom, as well as in Germany, and includes gifts from numerous former holders of Kurt Hahn awards 

The Kurt Hahn Trust is administered by the International Student Office. For queries, email kurthahntrust@admin.cam.ac.uk 

Registered Charity No. 296190 

Applications for 2026-27 academical year are now closed. 

The Scholarships are intended to assist students of German nationality or who are domiciled resident or normally resident in Germany to pursue graduate studies at the University of Cambridge. 

Scholars will be required to become candidates for a Cambridge degree and should be based in Cambridge for the majority of the academical year. 

The value of the Kurt Hahn Scholarships is up to £4,000. This is intended to be a contribution towards maintenance costs and does not cover the cost of University or College fees. 

Scholarships are tenable for one year only and cannot be postponed to another year. 

Applicants should also note that they are eligible for a Kurt Hahn Scholarship only once during their lifetime; unsuccessful applicants may reapply for funding in subsequent years. 

Academic merit will not be the sole consideration: evidence of more than usual enterprise, breadth of interest, and social awareness will also be considered.  

Applications for the 2026 summer awards are now closed. 

The Trust offers the following scholarships and awards to students currently studying at Cambridge:  

The Kurt Hahn Trust Award for Summer Study 

The Trustees of the Kurt Hahn Trust offer annual awards of up to £1000 towards expenses on courses in Germany during the long vacation 2026, designed to improve a student's knowledge of the German language and German culture and institutions. 

Undergraduate or postgraduate students of any nationality at the University of Cambridge are eligible to apply, except for students of German in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages who are not eligible. 

Applicants should ask their College Tutor OR a Faculty member for a reference to certify that the award would be of benefit to their academic work. 

The German Cambridge Society 

The German Cambridge Society is offering two awards to enable students from Cambridge to attend the International Summer School at Humboldt Universität Berlin. 

The course will be from 13th July 2026 until 7th August 2026. 

These awards are open to all current undergraduate and postgraduate students, including those from Modern and Medieval Languages. 

Native speakers of German are not eligible. 

Applicants should ask their College Tutor or another appropriate Faculty member for letter of support to certify that the award would be of benefit to their academic work. 

The scholarship will include the course fee and accommodation but does not include travel to Germany or the refundable deposit for accommodation in Germany. However, the travel costs will be subsidised with 100,00 € by the German Cambridge Society after receiving the receipt. 

Patrons 

  • H.E. Miguel Berger, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Germany Embassy in London 
  • H.E. Jill Gallard, British Ambassador to Germany, Berlin 

Trustees 

  • Alison Rose, Principal of Newnham College (Chair) 
  • Dr Bernhard Fulda, Chatong So Fellow and Director of Studies in History, Sidney Sussex College 
  • Dr Axel Gelfert, Professor of Philosophy, Technical University of Berlin 
  • Dr Charlotte Woodford, Affiliated Lecturer in German and Director of Studies, Selwyn College 

Committee of Management 

  • Alison Rose, Principal of Newnham College (Chair) 
  • Prof. Dr. Peter Friz, Department of Mathematics, TU Berlin 
  • Prof. Dr. Lutz Gade, Chair of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Heidelberg 
  • Prof. Holger Babinsky, Professor of Aerodynamics and Fellow of Magdalene College