The 27th BAföG Amendment Act (BAföGÄndG) will come into force from the winter semester 2022/2023. Anyone who has not previously received BAföG funding could now receive BAföG from the winter semester 2022/2023. We have summarized the most important changes for you here.

1. Increase in BAföG (parental) income allowances by 20.75 %

By increasing the allowances for parental income, more students should receive BAföG. These allowances determine how much students' parents are allowed to earn so that their children can receive BAföG benefits.

2. Increase in BAföG income allowances for students

For BAföG recipients, a €520 mini-job is not counted towards BAföG, i.e. the amount of BAföG funding remains unchanged in the case of a mini-job.

3. Increase in the BAföG asset allowance

Anyone in training should be able to draw on their own financial reserves within limits without this being offset against the funding. To this end, the allowance for the assets of trainees to be taken into account will be increased from the previous 8,200 euros in the fall of 2022:

Asset Allowances	§ 29 BAföG
trainees themselves	from previously 8,200 euros up to the 30th birthday to 15,000 euros from the 30th birthday on to 45,000 euros
sprouse or partner	2,300 euros (remains unchanged)
per child	each 2,300 euros (remains unchanged)

4. Increase in BAföG benefit rates by an average of 5.75 %

	Previously		From Winter Semester 2022/2023 on
Basic needs:	427.00 €		452.00 €
Needs for Accomodation	living with parents	not living with parents	living with parents	not living with parents
	56.00 €	325.00 €	59.00 €	360.00 €

5. Increase in health and long-term care insurance surcharges

The BAföG surcharge for health insurance also takes into account the average individual supplementary health insurance contribution, which has also been levied on students by statutory health insurers since 2015. It increases from 84 to 94 euros (for own health insurance contributions), the long-term care insurance supplement from 25 to 28 euros (for own health insurance contributions).

6. For over-30s: increase in BAföG health and long-term care insurance surcharges

The health and long-term care insurance surcharges will be increased for students who, as a rule, can no longer be insured in the low-contribution student health insurance scheme from the age of 30 and who have higher costs in the voluntary statutory health insurance scheme: The health insurance supplement will rise from a maximum of 155 to a uniform 168 euros; the long-term care insurance supplement from a maximum of 34 to a uniform 38 euros.

7. Increase in the BAföG childcare allowance

(for training-related childcare outside regular daycare opening hours) from 150 euros to 160 euros per month.

8. Increase in the BAföG age limit: for students under the age of 45

(previously: Bachelor's students under the age of 30 and Master's students under the age of 35). Exceptions, e.g. in the case of child rearing/care, continue to apply.

9. In future, one-year degree courses that take place entirely abroad will also be funded

This includes Master's degree courses in non-EU countries.

10. Extension of the maximum funding period in serious crisis situations

In future serious crisis situations in which university operations are significantly restricted nationwide, the Federal Government should be able to extend the maximum BAföG funding period appropriately by decree. During the coronavirus pandemic, each federal state had regulated this for itself.

11. More moderate repayment modalities for existing debtors

Anyone who missed the deadline of 29.02.2020 despite clear reminders will receive the more favorable conditions “ex officio” (=automatically).

12. Elimination of the written form requirement for digital applications

The written form requirement does not apply to digital applications on the www.bafoeg-digital.de portal.

How high are the BAföG requirement rates then?

There are differentiated rates depending on insurance contributions and the type of accommodation.

Applies from fall 2022:

Health and Long-term Care Insurance	Age	in Germany or within the EU
		not living with parents	living with parents
without own insurance contributions, because family insured	up to 24 (extension possible if there was a previous voluntary service)	812.00 euros	511.00 euros  (BAföG housing needs can be topped with SGB II)
with their own insurance contributions	up to 29 years	934.00 euros	633.00 euros
own voluntary statutory insurance	30 years and older	1.018 euros	717.00 euros

Further information on the BAföG reform can be found on the BMFTR website.