More BAföG for more students - How will BAföG be improved for autumn 2022?

From the winter semester 2022/2023, the 27th BAföG Amendment Act (BAföGÄndG) will be implemented. Those who have not previously received BAföG funding could now receive BAföG from the winter semester 2022/2023 on. The most important changes are:

1. Increase of the BAföG (parental) Income Allowance by 20.75%

By raising the allowances for parental income, more students are to receive BAföG. These allowances determine how much students' parents may earn in order for their children to receive BAföG benefits.

2. Increase in BAföG Income Allowances for Students

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

3. Increase in the BAföG Asset Allowance

Those in training should be able to draw on their own financial reserves within limits, without this being offset against the subsidy. To this end, the allowance for the assets of trainees to be taken into account will be raised from the previous 8,200 euros in autumn 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 of BAföG Requirement Rates by 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 Supplements

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

6. For those who are older than 30: Increase in BAföG Health and Long-term Care Insurance Supplements

The health and long-term care insurance supplements will be increased for students who, as a rule, can no longer be insured in the low-contribution student health insurance from the age of 30 and have higher costs in the voluntary statutory health insurance: The health insurance supplement will increase 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

This is for training-related childcare outside regular Kita opening hours and it raises from 150 euros to 160 euros per month.

8. Raising the BAföG Age Limit: for Students under 45 years of Age when Starting their Studies

Previously the start of the Bachelor's degree under the age of 30 and start of the Master's degree under the age of 35 years of age was considered. Exceptions, e.g. in the case of child rearing/caring, still apply.

9. One-year study programmes that take place entirely abroad are also to be funded

This means programmes like a Master's programmes and is also considered in non-EU countries.

10. Regulations in Events of Future Crisis Situations

In the event of future serious crisis situations in which higher education operations are considerably restricted across the region, the Federal Government is to be able to extend the maximum BAföG funding period appropriately by ordinance. During the Corona pandemic, each federal state had regulated this for itself.

11. More Moderate Repayment Modalities for Old Debtors

Anyone who has missed the 29.02.2020 deadline despite clear reminders will receive the more favourable conditions "ex officio" (=automatically).

12. Digital Applications

If the application is submitted digitally on the portal BAföG Digital, the written form requirement does not apply.

What are the BAföG requirement rates?

There are graduated rates of need depending on insurance contributions - as well as the form of housing.

From autumn 2022 the following rates apply:

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 on the homepage of the BMBF.