Apply for BAföG for a school visit

BAföG is the abbreviation for Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz. BAföG is the colloquial term for the funding you can receive under this law. You receive this support to finance

• your livelihood during school attendance or
• under certain Conditions of a prescribed internship in the context of your school attendance (see further notes).

To receive the monthly grant, you must meet some requirements. The most important are:

• You yourself have no or only a low income, e.g. from a "mini-job".
• Your spouse/life partner and/or your parents do not have a higher income.
• Your assets are below the tax-free amount of EUR 15,000 up to the age of 30 or EUR 45,000 from the age of 30 or only slightly above.
• You are pursuing full-time education.
• Age limit: 45 years (exceptions are possible).

The monthly fixed requirement is initially based on the type of school attended.

A basic entitlement to BAföG exists for further general education schools from grade 10 only if you cannot live with your parents because, for example, the school is too far away.

If you attend a vocational or technical school to obtain a vocational qualification, you can also receive funding:

• If you live with your parents:
  
  • EUR 262 if you attend a vocational school or a technical school that leads to a vocational qualification after at least 2 years, or
  • EUR 474 if you attend an evening secondary school, a vocational college or a specialized secondary school that you can only attend if you have completed vocational training.
  • EUR 480 if you attend a technical college class whose attendance requires completed vocational training, an evening high school or a college.
• If you do not live with your parents:
  
  • EUR 632 if you attend a secondary general school, a vocational school, or a specialized upper secondary school that you can attend without having completed vocational training, or
  • EUR 736 if you attend an evening general school, an evening vocational school, or a specialized secondary school that you can attend only if you have completed vocational training.
  • EUR 781 if you attend a technical college class whose attendance requires completed vocational training, an evening high school or a college.
• If you have a child younger than 14 living in your household, you will also receive a childcare supplement: EUR 160 for each child.
• If you cannot have family insurance and have to make contributions to health and long-term care insurance privately, you will receive a health and long-term care insurance supplement.

You can also receive BAföG if you spend a year abroad during your school years. In the case of a stay abroad, there are supplements to the travel costs for the outward and return journey and, if applicable, for health insurance abroad.

The supplements are reduced if you, your spouse/life partner or your parents have a higher income.

Income is defined as the sum of positive income in the income tax assessment in the penultimate year before the start of the grant period. The following tax-free amounts are to be deducted from this:

• EUR 2,415 if your parents live together
• EUR 1,605 for each parent if your parents live separately and
• EUR 1,605 for a spouse/life partner.
  Note: If your parents or your spouse/life partner currently earn significantly less than in the year before last before granting, you can apply for an income update. In that case, the income in the grant period will be used.
• Your own income, if it exceeds EUR 520 per month.
• Note: Training allowances from public funds will be fully counted towards the requirements without taking into account any allowances!
• Your own assets, as far as they are higher than EUR 15,000 until the age of 30 or higher than EUR 45,000 after the age of 30.

Note: The starting point for the income calculation is the sum of positive income. In the case of training assistance law, this is the gross income less the

• income-related expenses,
• social lump sum and the
• actual taxes paid, including church tax and solidarity surcharge.

Child benefit that your parents receive for you is not counted.

BAföG independent of parents: Your parents' income is not taken into account if you

• have been gainfully employed for five years after reaching the age of 18, or
• have completed a three-year training program and have been gainfully employed for at least three years thereafter (if your training program is shorter, your employment will be longer).
• In exceptional cases, if you are over 30 years old at the start of training and
• you are attending an evening school or college.

As a student, you will receive the financial support as a grant. You do not have to pay anything back.

Requirements

• You attend one of the following types of school as a student or trainee:
  
  • secondary general school and vocational school (including classes of all forms of basic vocational training) from grade 10 if you cannot live with your parents because of your training,
  • technical and vocational secondary school class (without completed vocational training), if you cannot live with your parents,
  • vocational school class or technical school class (without completed vocational training), if it provides a vocational qualification in a course of education lasting at least two years,
  • vocational and technical secondary school class (with completed vocational training),
  • evening secondary school, vocational upgrading school, evening secondary school, evening grammar school and college, or
  • higher technical school or academy that confers a degree that is not equivalent to a university degree under state law,
  • you attend the school full time.
  • You are a foreigner and, for example:
    
    • hold a permanent residence permit or a settlement permit,
    • are a citizen of the Union and are entitled to freedom of movement under Union law as an employee or self-employed person, or are entitled to freedom of movement themselves as the child or spouse of such a citizen of the Union,
    • have prospects of remaining in Germany, for example a corresponding residence title for family, humanitarian or political reasons, or
    • have already resided in Germany for 5 years or more prior to the start of the training and have worked during this time.

Note: Since the legal regulations are very complex, you should contact your responsible office for educational support at an early stage.

Internship:

You will receive BAföG for the internship, provided that it is required by the education regulations and, in the case of an internship outside the EU, that it lasts at least 12 weeks. In the case of internships abroad within the EU, shorter internships can also be funded.

What documents do I need?

• Certificate of the school or training institution
• Copy of the certificate of registration or the lease agreement
  

  If you do not live with your parents.

• Proof of health and long-term care insurance with legal basis and contribution amount
  

  If you are not covered by family insurance.

• If applicable, proof of own income during the grant period,
  

  for example

  • Pay slip, part-time job, work contract
  • Orphan's pension certificate,
  • Scholarship certificate or Riester pension certificate
• Proof of assets or debts as of the date of application
  

  for example bank statement

• Estimation of the value of your car
  
  • if you have a car
  • for example printout from an internet page with a comparable offer
• Motor vehicle registration certificate
  

  if you have a car

• If necessary, further documents
  

  Depending on the case, further documents may be required. Please follow the instructions in the application forms. The BAföG office responsible for you will request any missing documents.