BAföG will be increase even further in winter semester 2021/22!

Last year there was a considerable increase in BAföG. This autumn, the amount of exempt from parental income increased even further: students who have not been granted BAföG so far will thus have much better chances of receiving support. Students who are already receiving BAföG or are even entitled to the maximum rate can also expect to profit from this increase.

Staring from winther semester 2021/22:

  • The maximum BAföG rate increases to 752 EUR for students under 25, to 861 EUR for students under 30 and to 941 EUR for students over 30.
  • Since last winter semester, the housing supplement for BAföG-supported students who do not live with their parents is 325 EUR.
  • The amount of assetes students may possess without them being taken into account amounts to 8,200 €. This means that students are allowed to own this much capital without it affecting their eligibility for BAföG.
  • Voluntarily paying health and long-term care insurances (e.g. from 31 years of age) increases the granted amount of BAföG (up) to 941 EUR per month
  • Parents' income allowances will be increased. Parents are allowed to have a 6 % higher income in comparison to winter semester 20/21 before it is credited against BAföG benefits.
  • For student's children (up to 14 years), a childcare supplement of 150 EUR. per month is paid as a subsidy per child upon application. Before, only children up to ten years were included
  • Those who care for close relatives (at least care level 3) are eligible to receive support beyond the maximum support period

Detailed information about the new BAföG on the website of Deutsches Studentenwerk (German)

BAföG 2019 - Easy access to funding

What else changes?

  • Half of the total amount of BAföG benefits received have to be amortized only five years after the end of the maximum support period (after the first degree).
    New: The amortization will be done in monthly instalments depending on income but at a maximum monthly rate of 130 EUR. After 77 instalments, a maximum of 10,010 EUR, the remaining debt is remitted. If a student, for example, receives the maximum BAföG rate of 861 € per month for six semesters of their Bachelor's and four semesters of their Master's programme, (BAföG maximum for students between 25 and 30 years, resulting to 51,660 € in total) they only have to pay back one fifth of the amount (10,010 EUR max.)—there is no cheaper way to finance your studies!
  • Students who need up to two semesters longer to finish their studies for reasons that are not recognised by the Department for Grants (BAföG-Amt), can now receive "Help for graduation". This is an interest-free loan which must be repaid in full (a so-called Volldarlehen). The prerequisite is that one is admitted to the final examination of the respective study program within four semesters after the end of the maximum funding period. The university/acadamy then has to confirm that the program can be completed within the following 12 months. The amortization of the loan is only required after the repayment of the regular BAföG (see example 5).

Examples

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Your parents are married to each other. Your father is a worker with an annual gross salary of 25,000 EUR. Your mother works as an employee and achieves a gross salary of 30,000 EUR.

Together they pay €8,000 in taxes each year. In addition to you, the student, there is another child who attends school and has no income of his/her own.

In the future, 188.66  EUR instead of 260.40 EUR will be credited monthly against the parents' income. You will then receive 555 EUR per month instead of 389 EUR.

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Your parents are married to each other. Both are self-employed. Your father has a total income of 60,000 EUR, your mother's total income amounts to 20,000 EUR. Taxes (including business tax) amounting to €15,000 are paid. You also have a school-aged sister with no income.

In the future, 231.00 EUR instead of 321,75 EUR per month are credited against your parent's income. You will receive monthly benefits of 513 EUR instead of  327 EUR up to now.

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In this example, both parents are divorced. Your father is self-employed and generates a total income of 25,000 EUR anually. He pays 2,800 EUR in taxes. Your mother is civil servant and has a total income of 33,000 EUR per year of which 4,800 EUR are payed in taxes. You do not have any siblings.

In the future, 349.38 EUR instead of 396.25 EUR are credited against your parent's income. As a result, you will receive 395 EUR instead of 253 EUR.

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Your father is employed and earns 33,300 EUR annually. Your mother is employed as well and earns 28,000 EUR per year. Both are married and pay 9,000 EUR in taxes. You are the only son of your parents but you did not receive any BAföG benefits due to your parent's income.

In the future, you will receive 92.00 EUR and do not have to pay the licence fee (Rundefunkbeitrag) because you receive BAföG benefits.

The financial advantage because of the new BAföG regulation amounts to 1,104 EUR per year!

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The person applying receives BAföG benefits amounting to 40,000 EUR during their regular duration of the study program. Subsequently, the applicant receives 10,000 EUR as "Help for graduation" full loan assistance to complete their studies.

Since half of the BAföG benefits received are a loan and the other half does not have to be repaid, the amount for amortization amounts to 20,000 EUR. The "Help for graduation" loan is a full loan. As a result, the person has to amortize 30,000 EUR.

Amortization starts five years after the maximum funding period ends. At first, the BAföG loan has to be repaid in monthly instalments of 130 EUR each. After 77 instalments, a total of 10,010 EUR, the rest of the loan is remitted. In our example, the person receiving the loans does not have to amortize 9,900 EUR.

With the 78th instalment, the amortization of the "Help for graduation" loan starts. Since this is a full loan, the total amount of 10.000 EUR have to be amortized.

Of a total of 50,000  EUR in funding, the applicant only has to pay back 20,010 EUR.

State of the sample calculations: autumn 2019

Questions on how to apply?

For general questions on the application for BAföG, please visit the BAföG service office at the Student Service Center (SSC).

Do not forget, even if the BAföG benefits you receive are low:
Half of it does not have to be paid back and BAföG-supported students are completely exempt from TV licence fees.