Entry Process
In the area, from which applicants for the Stiftung Maximilianeum come, about 400 of those doing the Abitur each year achieve an average of 1.0. Between six and eight candidates are admitted.
Stage 1: Recommendation by the school (April)
Every year, the headmasters and headmistresses of all secondary schools in Bavaria (or parts of Germany that belonged to Bavaria in 1852, today mostly part of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Saarland) have the opportunity to recommend outstanding students in Year 12 or 13 for admissions to the Maximilianeum Foundation/the Wittelsbach Jubilee Foundation. Excellent academic performance is an essential prerequisite to be eligible for admission. Financial circumstances of the applicants’ families do not play a role in the application process. Studies in theology for a church office and medicine are not eligible for funding. Self-application is excluded. Furthermore, some additional requirements must be met in accordance with the basic regulations of the foundation which are described in detail on the German webpage.
Stage 2: Abitur
In order to be considered for the special examination, students must fulfill certain grade requirements. For detailed information, please refer to the German version of the website.
Stage 3: Admission to the Max Weber Scholarship Programme (End of June)
The “Ministerialbeauftragtenprüfung”/”Eliteprüfung” not only serves to decide whether candidates are accepted to the Max Weber Scholarship Programme; successful participation is also a prerequisite for the candidates to be invited to the special examination (stage 4). More detailed information on the required results can be found on the German version of the website.
Stage 4: Special Examination for Admission to the Maximilianeum Foundation at the Ministry of Education (Beginning of July)
​The Special Examination takes place in the Ministry of Education and is carried out by a panel of secondary school teachers. By asking questions on a wide variety of topics based on but not limited to contents covered at school, the candidates’ ability to apply their knowledge to unfamiliar tasks is assessed.
Stage 5: Interview with the Advisory Board
(End of July/Beginning of August)
The final stage of the admissions procedure takes place in the Maximilianeum Foundation and consists of an interview held by the advisory board of the foundation. The aim of this stage is to assess aspects such as communication skills, curiosity, the ability to reflect and emotional intelligence. Finally, the advisory board proposes candidates to be admitted to the foundation; admission is then granted by the President of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Successful completion of the examination process and the interview do not imply that candidates hold a legal right to be admitted.