International Parliamentary Scholarship – IPS (Internationales Parlaments-Stipendium)
The German Bundestag, in cooperation with the Humboldt University of Berlin, has been implementing the International Parliamentary Scholarship programme (Internationales Parlaments-Stipendium, IPS) since 1986 by annually offering internship opportunities to approximately 120 students from all around the world. Twenty-eight countries participate in the programme, including several countries that offer internship opportunities for German students in their own parliaments. Latvian students have had the opportunity to do internship at the German Parliament since 1992.
The goal of the International Parliamentary Scholarship is to strengthen partnership and cooperation between Germany and countries represented by participants of the programme. The Scholarship is aimed at highly qualified, energetic and open youths who are interested in politics and who desire actively and with a great sense of responsibility to shape the political future of their country. The German Bundestag offers a 15-week placement at an office of a member of the Bundestag and thus provides an opportunity to get acquainted with the parliamentary system and political decision making in Germany, as well as to acquire practical experience in parliamentary work. In order to apply for the Scholarship, follow the updates on the website of the Embassy of Germany in the Republic of Latvia. More information on the IPS programme is available on the website of the Bundestag.
The International Parliamentary Scholarship programme provides graduates of Latvian universities with the opportunity to learn more about the work of the German Bundestag and public life in Germany by taking part in the work of MPs’ offices. The rules of the German Parliament require Latvian applicants for the International Parliamentary Scholarship to be Latvian citizens under the age of 30, have a good command of the German language, and hold a university degree.
EU member states are interested in creating exchange programmes that enable students to learn about the political experience of other countries and expand their language skills. Since 2010, the Saeima has been offering a counterpart programme for German students who wish to gain an insight into the work of the Latvian Parliament. This programme gives an opportunity for German youths to learn about the democratic and parliamentary experience in Latvia, and it promotes the visibility of Latvia and its politics in Germany.
In 2025, this programme was implemented for the 11th time, and from 28 August to 26 September two students from Germany undertook internships at the Saeima: Anna Friederike Utsch and Johannes-Leon Pilgram Alfred von Eyb. The young people were becoming acquainted with the work of Members of the Saeima under the guidance of Jana Simanovska (PRO), Deputy Head of the Group for Promoting Cooperation with the Parliament of Germany, and Harijs Rokpelnis (ZZS), a member of the same Group. Alongside their internship at the Saeima, both students were also attending lectures at the University of Latvia. To ensure more effective participation of the German students in the meetings of committees and parliamentary groups, the Saeima also admitted students from Ventspils University of Applied Sciences – Elēna Šatrovska and Matīss Jansons – who provided interpretation between Latvian and German for the German students during the meetings.