Scholarships for Australian-German Student Exchange (SAGSE) awards scholarships to Australian students each year to travel to Germany for 10 weeks during their summer holidays. The exchange program aims to give students an insight into a foreign culture and build friendships between the youth of these two countries. Each year approximately 30 students in years 11 and 12 from NSW, Western Australia and Victoria are selected by SAGSE to participate in the program. Whilst in Germany students stay with a host family and are expected to attend school regularly and also participate in other activities organised by GASS Germany. These include a five day Wintercamp, regional days and a Berlin Camp.
Upon return to Australia, students form a part of the German Australian Students' Society (GASS). GASS assists SAGSE in the annual search for host families, organise social events for the German students throughout their exchange (such as camps, trivia nights and Melbourne Weekend), and provide support for the Australian students who travel to Germany later in the year.
Each year SAGSE and GASS welcome a group of German students to Australia in the middle of June for approximately 10 weeks. During this time, the students will live with Australian host families and attend school with their host brothers/sisters.