Child benefit from 18

You may continue to receive child support for your adult child if any of the following conditions are met:

• Your child is undergoing initial vocational training. The training may also be multi-part, if it leads to the intended profession.
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• Your child completes a bachelor's degree, a dual study or a master's degree that builds on the previous course of study in terms of time and content.
• Interruptions in the training due to illness or maternity do not jeopardize the claim, even a change of subject during the studies.
• Your child performs a voluntary social year (FSJ), a voluntary ecological year (FÖJ), a federal voluntary service or a European Union voluntary service (EFD).
• Your child completes a voluntary service or an internship for vocational training or career orientation.
• Your child completes an internship or semester abroad with reference to vocational training or studies.

In these cases, you are also entitled to child benefit:

• Your child is in a transitional period between graduation from school and the start of training or studies. However, the transition period may not exceed four months.
• Your child makes a second school education, vocational training or a second study, but meanwhile works no more than 20 hours per week or is marginally employed.
• Your child does not find a training place after graduating from school. However, you must prove to the Employment Agency that your child is seriously trying to find a training place.
• Your child is younger than 21 years, after the completed training looking for a job and has registered with the Employment Agency or Job Center looking for work.
• Your child has a disability and insufficient means to cover his or her own living expenses. Child benefit for a disabled child can be paid for life under certain conditions.

• Your child is in regular employment.
• Your child is taking a work-and-travel trip or a pure sabbatical abroad.
• Your child has reached his or her 25th birthday.

Whoever applies for child benefit for an adult child must prove the child's living situation with evidence and certificates. This includes, for example:

• Internship confirmation or copy of the internship contract
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• School certificate
• Proof of vocational training or a copy of the training contract
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• Certificate of enrollment
• Agreement on voluntary service
• Evidence in the absence of training or employment (eg applications, rejection letters)
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• Certification from the employment agency that your child is registered as a job or training seeker
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Which documents you need to submit, you can find out on the information portal of the Employment Agency. There you can download forms and forms.

Please note that you must always notify the Family Benefits Office of any changes in a timely manner, for example, if your education ends or your child drops out of college.

Yes, this is possible. Child benefit can be paid directly to your child, but only if you do not pay child support and your son or daughter runs an independent household and provides for himself or herself. This can also be a shared apartment at the place of training or study. On the portal of the Agentur für Arbeit you will find the corresponding application form.