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Financial Aid

Financing Your Studies

BAföG

(Federal Training Assistance Act) BAföG is a government financial aid programme for German or international students studying in Germany. Please independently verify whether you meet the eligibility requirements for BAföG. Eligibility depends on various factors. For more information, contact the BAföG Hotline at: 0800 223 63 41 or visit: www.bafög.de

Child Allowance (Kindergeld)

Adult children under the age of 25 are entitled to child allowance (Kindergeld). As financial support, parents can transfer the child allowance directly to their studying children. More information: www.arbeitsagentur.de

Housing Assistance (Wohngeld)

To help cover your living costs during your studies, you can check whether you are eligible for housing assistance (Wohngeld). For applications, the Wohngeld office at your local municipality is your point of contact. In many federal states, you can also apply for Wohngeld online. Nationally applicable information is provided by the responsible ministry via the following link:

BMWSB Wohngeld for Tenants - BMWSB

Scholarships

Germany offers a wide range of scholarship programmes. Here you will find a list of well-known scholarship programmes:

  • Begabtenförderungswerke — 13 foundations supporting talented students based on academic performance and civic engagement (www.stipendiumplus.de)
  • DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) — scholarships for international students (www.daad.de)
  • Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes — self-application option for 1st/2nd semester students
  • Aufstiegsstipendium for professionals with completed vocational training and work experience: Full-time students: €992/month + €80 book allowance + €160/child (under 14) Part-time students: €3,045 annually More information: www.sbb-stipendien.de/aufstiegsstipendium

Study Credits

If you are not eligible for a scholarship, you can also take out a student loan. You can find information at the following pages:

  • KfW Study Credit — government-backed student loan (www.kfw.de)
  • DKB Student Education Fund (www.dkb.de)
  • Festo Education Fund — partner institution (www.festo-bildungsfonds.de)

Employer Support

Employees who study part-time alongside work may receive support from their employers through flexible working arrangements and/or partial or full coverage of tuition fees.

Tax Deduction (Werbungskosten)

You also have the option of claiming your tuition fees as a tax deduction under business expenses (Werbungskosten).

Halved Tuition Plan

Full-time students can reduce their monthly fees by 50% while doubling the contract length, deferring the remaining costs until after graduation.

Advancement Stipend (Aufstiegsstipendium)

For professionals with vocational training and work experience: Full-time students: €992/month + €80 book allowance + €160/child (under 14) Part-time students: €3,045 annually More information: www.sbb-stipendien.de/aufstiegsstipendium

Contact

Our student counseling team is happy to support you with any questions about financing your studies. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at: +49 30 259 3092-47 or by email at: Studienberatung@hi-university.de