BAföG for students: who gets the grant?

Created: 12/28/2021, 3:22 PM

From: Andrea Stettner

Those who begin their studies are entitled to student loans under certain conditions.

© Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez / dpa

BAföG should enable young adults to finance their studies.

Read here who is entitled to money from the state and what requirements apply.

Anyone who moves out of home to start studying has to finance their own living from now on.

Many earn the necessary money with part-time jobs or receive a financial contribution from their parents in order to be able to pay rent, clothes and food.

But not all parents can regularly support their children with cash payments.

So that these children can also afford to study, there is funding from the state, the so-called BAföG.

Also read:

What is BAföG?

BAföG is the abbreviation for

.

The BAföG is a state social benefit that should enable everyone to complete an apprenticeship, regardless of their social and economic situation.

Half of it is granted as a grant and half as an interest-free loan.

The latter has to be paid back.

Who can get BAföG?

As a rule, German

and

receive BAföG

Schoolchildren and foreign students can also receive student loans if they meet certain requirements.

Students may be a maximum of 29 years old at the beginning of their bachelor’s degree, and not older than 34 years at the beginning of their master’s degree.

Exceptions to this apply, for example, to students who are raising their own children.

What are the other requirements for BAföG?

The following requirements also apply to students:

• The

  first degree

  is completed full-time.

• If you

  change subjects

  , the funding continues within the standard period of study.

  However, the change of subject must take place at the latest at the beginning of the 4th semester and for an important reason (e.g. a change in inclination).

  Good to know: The first three semesters are considered an orientation phase and are not included in the maximum duration of BAföG funding for the new course.

• A

  master’s degree

  is funded if it builds on a bachelor’s degree.

• The

  second educational path

  is also usually funded, including a subsequent course of study.

According to

additional, supplementary and second training courses are

not necessarily funded.

Also interesting:

What role does the parents' income play?

When calculating the amount of BAföG, the financial situation of the students is also taken into account.

Also includes:

• Student

  income

• Student assets as well

• Income of parents

  or spouse / partner

If, for example, the

, students may not receive student loans.

However, the parents' entire income is not taken into account for the calculation - certain allowances reduce it.

The

depend, among other things, on the

status of the parents, the number of siblings and their education, or on maintenance payments from the grandparents.

According to

there are no specific income limits - neither above nor below.

The

by the way does not count the income of the parents.

When is parent-independent BAföG paid?

However, there is also the so-called

-

(or independent of the income of the spouse / partner).

This is paid if students have already financed themselves for a long time and

• "

  Were gainfully employed for

  five years

  after the age of 18

   or

  three years

  
  

  after a 3-year training period

  (longer employment if the training period is shorter)",

informs

on their website.

The

depends on the way, according to the standard time that is set in the study or examination order of the field of study.

Those who do not receive BAföG can also apply for a scholarship or have to take up a part-time job.

Until when do I have to apply or enroll for a degree?

You can read that here.