GermanyFastlane Scholarship Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 22 August 2025

These Terms and Conditions govern the GermanyFastlane Scholarship. By submitting an application, you agree to these Terms and Conditions.

1. Sponsor and Contact

The scholarship is offered by AMI Data & Solutions GmbH, with its principal office at: 

Kurfürstendamm 193 b

c/o AMI Steuerberatungsgesellschaft mbH

10707 Berlin, Germany

Contact: [email protected]

References in these Terms to Sponsor, we, our, or us mean this entity.

2. Scholarship Summary

One recipient will receive a total award of 12,000€ intended to support first-year living costs in Germany. The award prioritizes funding the legally required blocked account amount and related setup costs, with any remaining funds, if any, paid out in equal monthly installments during the first academic year. The award is not intended for tuition and is paid in Euro only.

Clarification: The award does not require any ongoing services. The only required act is the one-time public posting of the application video under Section 5.3. Any further publicity is voluntary per Section 6.3a.

3. Application Period and Key Dates

Application period: from publication of these Terms until 31st of March 2026 at 23:59 Central European Time. Winner announcement: 31st of May 2026 on our YouTube channel and/or website and by direct contact to the selected recipient. Sponsor may update dates with notice on the scholarship page.

4. Eligibility

4.1 Open to individuals who are not citizens or permanent residents of Germany and who currently reside outside Germany, intending to start a study program in Germany in the winter semester 2026. Bachelor, Master, and other degree types are eligible.

4.2 You do not need an admission letter at the time of application. The award is contingent on later proof of admission to a recognized German higher education institution. Proof must be provided before any funds are disbursed and by a date reasonably set by the Sponsor that aligns with the start of winter semester 2026.

4.3 Entrants must be able to obtain any visas or permits required to study in Germany. The scholarship does not guarantee visa issuance or university admission.

4.4 Minors. If you are under 18 or under the age of majority where you live, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application and any award documents.

4.5 Employees, contractors, and representatives of the Sponsor, and members of their immediate families and households, are not eligible.

4.6 The scholarship is void where prohibited by law, and is not open to individuals or jurisdictions subject to applicable sanctions or export control restrictions.

4.7 Equal opportunity. Selection does not consider race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other protected status.

5. How to Apply

5.1 Complete the online application form at the link provided by the Sponsor, including accurate personal details and study plans.

5.2 Create a short video of one to two minutes recorded in landscape orientation that introduces you, explains your goals, your motivation to study in Germany, and how our content has helped you.

5.3 Upload the video to YouTube and provide the link in the application form. The video may be set to public or unlisted with a shareable link. Both settings are accepted for the scholarship.

Applicants must include the hashtags #maxyoko and #germanyfastlane in the video title or description.

If the video is set to public, the hashtags also allow others to discover your story and be inspired. Public posting is entirely voluntary and has no effect on the evaluation or chances of selection.

5.4 Limit of one application per person. Submissions that are incomplete, inaccurate, unintelligible, late, or that violate these Terms may be rejected.

6. Content Rules and Rights

6.1 Your video must be your original work. Do not include third-party copyrighted material, trademarks, or music unless you have a written license that allows this use. Do not include images or personal data of others without their written permission.

6.2 Prohibited content includes hate speech, harassment, illegal activity, adult content, misinformation, and any violation of platform rules.

6.3 Use of submissions. You grant the Sponsor a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use your submission solely to administer and evaluate the scholarship.

6.3a Promotional use. We will only use your name, image, likeness, or video for promotional or educational purposes if you give separate explicit consent. You may withdraw that consent at any time, which will not affect prior lawful uses.

6.4 Platform disclaimer. The scholarship is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by YouTube. You agree to comply with YouTube's terms of service and community guidelines.

7. Selection and Verification

7.1 Qualified applications will be reviewed by the Sponsor. Selection will consider a combination of authenticity, academic performance, and financial need. Evidence of commitment to learning basic German is a positive factor. Purchase of any product or course will not improve chances. This is a merit and need based selection. No element of chance is used. No fee or purchase is required to enter.

7.2 Finalists may be asked to provide additional documents, including identification, transcripts, evidence of financial need, proof of German study, or references.

7.3 The selected recipient will be contacted using the details provided in the application. If the recipient does not respond within seven calendar days, or cannot be verified, or does not meet these Terms, the Sponsor may select an alternate recipient.

8. Award Amount and Disbursement

8.1 Total award is 12,000€. Primary method: the Sponsor will first allocate from the 12,000€ an amount equal to the legally required blocked account minimum in effect at the time of funding, plus the blocked account provider’s setup fee and the first month’s provider fee. If any amount remains, it will be paid to the recipient in equal monthly installments during the recipient’s first academic year in Germany. For clarity, first academic year means the twelve-month period starting with the month of initial enrollment in Germany.

Alternative method: if the Sponsor cannot directly fund the recipient’s blocked account for regulatory or technical reasons, the award will be paid as monthly installments calculated as 12,000€ minus the blocked account setup costs, divided equally across the remaining months of the first academic year.

For clarity, “blocked account setup costs” include the provider’s account opening fee, the first month provider fee, and any bank or payment transfer fees charged by the provider.

If the legally required blocked amount plus setup costs exceeds 12,000€, the Sponsor will fund up to 12,000€ and the recipient is responsible for any shortfall needed to meet legal requirements.

Compliance: Disbursement is subject to successful completion of any required identity, anti-money-laundering, and sanctions checks by the Sponsor and payment providers.

8.2 Payments are made in Euro. Bank fees, currency conversion charges, and any taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. The Sponsor is not responsible for delays caused by banking or compliance checks.

8.3 Continued disbursement requires timely proof of ongoing enrollment and good standing each semester, and continued compliance with these Terms. If the recipient withdraws, defers, or is dismissed, remaining installments may be cancelled at the Sponsor’s discretion.

8.4 Purpose of funds. The scholarship is intended for living costs such as housing, food, local transport, and health insurance. The award is not a salary, employment benefit, or tuition grant, and it does not create an employment or agency relationship with the Sponsor.

8.5 No ongoing services owed. Apart from the one-time public posting requirement in Section 5.3, the recipient owes no services. Any additional publicity activities are voluntary and based on separate consent under Section 6.3a.

9. Taxes and Regulatory Matters

The award is provided by the Sponsor as financial support for study in Germany. Because public posting of the application video is a mandatory condition of participation, the award is expected to be treated as taxable income in your country of residence, and may later be taxable in Germany if you become tax resident there (for example, as “other income” under §22 no. 3 German Income Tax Act, or as “Income from Other Sources” under Indian tax law).

The Sponsor will disburse the full advertised amount. At its sole discretion, the Sponsor may increase the gross award amount so that the recipient, after paying applicable taxes, receives a net benefit approximately equal to 12,000€. The calculation of any gross-up is based on reasonable estimates of applicable tax rates. The Sponsor does not guarantee that the net benefit will be exactly 12,000€, and is not responsible for differences due to individual circumstances, tax residency status, or changes in law.

Any remaining taxes, surcharges, or reporting obligations are the sole responsibility of the recipient. The Sponsor does not provide tax advice and does not withhold or remit taxes on your behalf. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek independent advice in their jurisdiction.

The award does not guarantee that visa, admission, or blocked account requirements will be satisfied, and decisions by authorities are outside the Sponsor’s control.

10. Code of Conduct

Recipients must act with integrity and respect. Any fraud, misrepresentation, harassment, discrimination, academic dishonesty, or breach of platform rules may result in disqualification or termination of the award.

11. Privacy and Data Protection

11.1 Data controller. The Sponsor is the controller of personal data collected in connection with the scholarship.

11.2 What we collect. We collect application information and the contents of your video, contact details, proof of identity and eligibility, and any documents you submit.

11.3a Lawful bases. We process application data as necessary to take steps at your request prior to a potential award and to perform our agreement with the selected recipient (GDPR Art. 6(1)(b)). We also process data for our legitimate interests in administering and communicating about the scholarship in a fair and transparent manner (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)).

11.3b Photos and video. Publication of your image or voice for promotional purposes is based on your explicit consent and on the German right to one’s image. You may withdraw consent at any time, which will not affect prior lawful uses.

11.4 Transfers. Your data may be processed in countries outside your own. Appropriate safeguards will be used where required by law.

11.5 Retention. We retain data for as long as needed to run the scholarship and for a reasonable period thereafter for recordkeeping and legal obligations, typically up to 24 months after the winner announcement, unless a longer period is required by law.

11.6 Your rights. Subject to law, you may have rights of access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, and objection. To exercise rights contact us at the address above. You also may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

11.7 Privacy policy. Additional details are provided in our Privacy Policy at https://www.germanyfastlane.com/pages/datenschutzerklarung which forms part of these Terms.

12. Intellectual Property and Publicity

Except for the license in Section 6, entrants retain ownership of their submissions. By accepting the award, the recipient may choose to participate in reasonable publicity. Publicity beyond the application video required under Section 5.3 is voluntary and not a condition of receiving the scholarship.

13. General Conditions

13.1 The Sponsor may disqualify any person who tampers with the application process, violates these Terms, or acts in a disruptive or unsportsmanlike manner.

13.2 If the scholarship cannot proceed as planned for reasons including fraud, technical failures, platform outages, or events beyond the Sponsor’s control, the Sponsor may modify, suspend, or cancel the scholarship, or award the funds using a method that is fair and appropriate in the circumstances.

13.3 The Sponsor’s decisions on all matters are final and binding.

13.4 No purchase is necessary to apply. Purchasing any product or service from the Sponsor does not increase chances of selection.

13.5 Assignment and transfer. Applications and awards are personal and may not be sold, assigned, or transferred.

14. Limitation of Liability and Release

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Sponsor and its officers, employees, and agents are not liable for any indirect or consequential loss, or for any loss arising from participation, from use of platforms, or from acceptance or use of the award. Nothing in these Terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for any liability that cannot be limited by law. By participating you release YouTube from any responsibility in connection with the scholarship.

15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, without regard to conflict of laws rules. The courts of Munich, Germany shall have exclusive jurisdiction, subject to any mandatory consumer protection rights in your country of residence.

16. Severability and Interpretation

If any provision is found invalid, the remaining provisions remain in effect. Headings are for convenience only. In case of conflict between language versions, the English version controls.

17. Questions

Questions about the scholarship or these Terms may be sent to [email protected]

Attachment A: Checklist for Winner Verification

The Sponsor may request the following.

1. Government issued identification and current address.
2. Proof of admission to a recognized German higher education institution for winter semester 2026.
3. Proof of ongoing enrollment and good standing each term during the funded year.
4. Educational transcripts or certificates.
5. Evidence supporting financial need, such as a statement of expected costs and resources.
6. Confirmation of a bank account in your name in the European Economic Area or a blocked account provider that can receive Euro payments.
7. Signed eligibility confirmation and any tax forms required by law.

Attachment B: Content Guidelines for Videos

Your video should be two to five minutes, landscape orientation, and must include your name, country, intended field of study, motivation to study in Germany, and how our channel has helped you. Avoid third party music, logos, or footage unless you own or have written permission. Keep the tone respectful and truthful.
You may set your video as public or unlisted on YouTube. Both are accepted. Please add the hashtags #maxyoko and #germanyfastlane in the title or description.