German public universities are usually free for students. Providing student loans and grants is seen as a means to pave the way to higher education for children whose parents cannot afford to fund their children's education otherwise. The federal law that regulates these student loans and grants is called "Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz" or "BAföG" for short, and the loans, grants, and combinations thereof are usually referred to simply as "BAföG" by students. Eligible groups include high school students, full-time university students, second path education students, and students of schools for professional training.
Eligibility dependent on parent income
The eligibility for student loans is dependent upon parent income, as parents are required by law to fund their children's education, including higher education. Therefore students could theoretically sue their parents for funds for their education. For low-income families, BAföG loans take over when these obligations cannot reasonably be met by parents. BAföG loans are usually given out half as zero interest loan and half as grant money to university students. High school students get the full amount as grant money if they are eligible. The current maximum amount per month is 735.00 €. For every own child below the age of 10, living in the student's household, an additional 130.00 € can be requested. This can be reduced gradually if student or parent income or student assets exceed certain amounts. Thus the amount paid out can be lower than the maximum amount, down to 10 € per month should the calculations return that amount. Even though such a low sum may seem pointless, they are beneficial to students as eligibility for a BAföG loan makes the student eligible for other benefits like cut-rate telephone service or waiving of public television licence fees. Generally, BAföG loans are independent of student achievement or grades for two years. After that, a certain minimum grade level has to be met and proof of participation is required to remain eligible. Change of field of study is allowed once during the first two years without becoming ineligible. For university studies, every field of study has a predefined maximum study duration, after which the student becomes ineligible for BAföG. Further funds can be granted as low-interest loan for another two years if certain criteria are met. To qualify for BAföG, one must generally be a citizen or permanent resident of Germany and/or have lived in Germany for five consecutive years. There are some exceptions. Generally, BAföG repayments are capped to a maximum of 10,000 € regardless of the total loan sum that was granted. An immediate repayment, fast graduation and very good grades can result in a reduced total amount.
Alternatives to BAföG
Alternatives to BAföG include the Bildungskredit from KfW, , and scholarships. However, in most cases to qualify for a private loan, one must have German citizenship, have EU citizenship and have resided in Germany for three consecutive years, or have graduated from a German secondary school.
Eligibility independent from parent income
In some cases, most notably if the student has worked full-time for a number of years before returning to student status, BAföG eligibility is calculated independent from parent income, because parents' obligation to fund their children's education ends once the children enter the workforce full-time. In those cases, only student income and assets are consulted for BAföG eligibility and amount calculation.
