Financial aid for the purchase of school supplies

Acquisitions for school are quite expensive. The cost of notebooks, pens, drawing materials, sports equipment, calculators, water bottles, etc. add up quickly. When the child starts school, the school bag, pencil case, sports bag, etc. have to be added. Parents and single parents with a small income can apply for financial assistance.

All children should have equal educational opportunities. The school supplies package ensures the purchase of sufficient school equipment.

• For the first school semester, there are 116 euros for materials needed at school.
• For the second school semester, there is another 58 euros.
• Together, that's 174 euros per school year for each eligible school child.

The so-called school supplies package is part of the benefits from the education and participation package.

To receive the financial aid, the following requirements must be met:

• Parents or single parents with a schoolchild receive child allowance or housing benefit or
• Parents or single parents are recipients of citizen's allowance (formerly unemployment benefit II), social benefit, social assistance or asylum seeker benefits

Pupils up to the age of 25 are eligible.

Parents and single parents who receive housing benefit or child supplement can apply for the school supplies package at their local municipal administration. Please remember to include cash receipts and receipts for the purchase of school supplies with the application, as well as your current notice of approval for housing allowance or child supplement. You can submit the expenses up to 12 months retroactively against submission of the receipts.

The recipients of benefits under SGB II (Hartz IV), SGB (social assistance) and AsylbLG (asylum seeker benefits) usually receive the lump sums automatically and do not have to submit a separate application. The subsidy for school equipment is automatically included with the application for subsistence benefits. For children under the age of 7 and over the age of 15, you must submit a school certificate to the office.

In addition to school supplies, eligible families can receive further financial support for participation in school, daycare, day care and leisure activities.

The education and participation package includes benefits for:

• participation in excursions and one or more-day trips to school or daycare
• pupil transportation
• learning support
• lunch meals at daycare and school
• participation in social and cultural life