Financing school education

BAföG is not only available for students. Pupils at a vocational college can also receive BAföG. The best thing is that, unlike students, trainees do not have to pay the grant back later. The amount is based on the parents' income. You can find detailed information on funding and the requirements online at www.bafög.de.

Students at universities of applied sciences and technical colleges receive benefits under the Upgrading Training Act (AFBG) regardless of their parents' income, provided they do not receive any other remuneration. This includes benefits for living expenses (a so-called maintenance contribution) and contributions to measures. The maintenance allowance for full-time training is granted as a full grant. In addition, single parents can claim a childcare allowance under certain conditions. There is no age limit for funding under the AFBG. Fifty percent of the funding consists of a grant that does not have to be repaid; the other 50 percent is eligible for a low-interest loan agreement with the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).

The vocational training allowance supports trainees who are undergoing in-company or external training in a recognized training occupation and no longer live with their parents. The monthly allowance is intended to help cover living expenses if the training allowance is not sufficient. On the vocational training allowance page of the Federal Employment Agency, you will find detailed information on the requirements for the benefit and can submit the application directly online.

If you are of legal age, you have the option of taking out an education loan to finance your education. The loan is limited in time and has a low interest rate. Parents' income and assets do not play a role in the education loan. The loan must be repaid at a later date. Further information, requirements, documents to be submitted and an online application can be found on the portal of the Bundesverwaltungsamt.

Not only students can receive scholarships, but also trainees. Some schools, ministries, foundations and institutions support trainees who perform particularly well. Find out about the possibilities online or directly from the vocational college in question. The Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB), for example, manages two scholarship programs on behalf of and with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research: the Weiterbildungsstipendium and the Aufstiegsstipendium. SBB is also the point of contact for anyone looking for expert information and advice on promoting professional talent. Further information can be found on the SBB website.

If you are undergoing vocational retraining, you may be eligible for funding from the Federal Employment Agency under certain conditions. If you would like to retrain as a childcare worker, social assistant, nursery school teacher or curative education nurse, you can receive funding through education vouchers from the Federal Employment Agency. This is possible as the retraining courses take place at state vocational schools and technical colleges that are certified in accordance with AZAV.

Strict conditions apply to retraining courses, however. You can find out whether you are entitled to this during a consultation. You can find an advice center near you on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.

Pupils who attend a general or vocational school (vocational college) and are in a financial emergency situation may, under certain conditions, be entitled to benefits for trainees from the Jobcenter. This applies, for example, if they are in training, are not entitled to BAföG, but cannot support themselves. Further information can be found on the benefits for trainees page of the Federal Employment Agency.

Pupils who attend a vocational college receive a student ID card. This enables many discounts in everyday life, for example for public transport tickets and cultural events, the purchase of a notebook or when taking out a cell phone, streaming or internet contract.

Auszubildende, die ab 1. April 2024 einen Ausbildungsplatz in einer weiter entfernt liegenden Region annehmen, bekommen einen Mobilitätszuschuss. Damit sollen zwei Familienheimfahrten pro Monat im ersten Ausbildungsjahr finanziert werden.  

Außerdem erhalten Jugendliche Unterstützung bei der Berufsorientierung und beim Einstieg in die Berufsausbildung durch die Jobcenter und Agenturen für Arbeit. Sie können durch ein Berufsorientierungsjahr gefördert werden.