In short: Last updated: October 2026. Under § 7 (3) BAföG, a first change of field is generally presumed to be for an important reason if it takes place before the start of the 4th semester. After that you must prove the reason yourself. From the 5th semester, you also need a proof of performance under § 48 BAföG.
Changing your field of study is not unusual. For BAföG (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz, the German federal student financing law), however, what matters is when you change and how you justify the reason. The rules are in § 7 (3) BAföG, and they apply in a fixed order. This guide explains what applies after the 4th semester, how semesters are counted and what you need to know about the proof of performance.
The most important points
- Until the start of the 4th semester, a first change of field is generally presumed to be for an important reason.
- After the 4th semester, you must prove the important reason yourself.
- At universities, the important reason only applies until the start of the 5th semester. After that, only an unavoidable reason (in German: unabweisbarer Grund) comes into consideration.
- Semesters that the new university credits from the old course are deducted when counting the subject semesters.
- From the 5th semester you need a proof of performance under § 48 BAföG. The reform draft would remove it. This is not yet decided.
What counts as a change of field
The law distinguishes between dropping out and changing your field. A change of field means that you pursue another professional qualification or another training goal at an educational institution of the same kind. Dropping out means that you permanently stop attending educational institutions of this kind, including the related internships.
For example, someone who moves at a university from biology to medicine stays at a university but pursues a different training goal. That counts as a change of field. Anyone who gives up their studies altogether falls under dropping out. Section 7 (3) BAföG contains similar presumptions for both cases, so it is worth classifying your situation precisely before you act.
The presumption: when the change counts as important
The law works with two kinds of reason. The important reason under number 1 applies to dropping out or changing your field for an important reason. The unavoidable reason under number 2 is the stricter variant. The timing of the change is decisive, because a clear limit applies to universities.
| Timing of the change | What applies under § 7 (3) BAföG |
|---|---|
| Before the start of the 4th semester | An important reason is generally presumed (first change) |
| From the start of the 4th semester until before the 5th semester | The important reason (number 1) must be proven by you |
| From the start of the 5th semester | Only an unavoidable reason (number 2) comes into consideration |
The table shows the core of the rule. The office decides in each case whether your reason counts as important or unavoidable. That is why you should write the reason down early and back it with evidence, such as documents about your health, a change of course recommended by the university or advice from a student counselling service.
How the subject semesters are counted
Under § 7 (3) BAföG, when calculating the relevant subject semester, the semesters are deducted that the educational institution credits from the original field to the new course. Credits therefore affect the question of which subject semester you are in on paper in the new course.
A worked example shows the principle. Assumption: you are in your third semester in the old course and then change. The new university credits you with two semesters. For the presumption period, the decisive semester is then the one calculated after the credit, not the third. How the office calculates this exactly, it will confirm to you in writing on request.
Ask your university for a written confirmation of the credits. Without this information, the office cannot determine the subject semesters cleanly.
Proof of performance under § 48 BAföG
From the 5th semester, funding at universities is only paid once a proof of performance is available. The proofs are named in § 48 (1) BAföG: a certificate of an intermediate examination, a confirmation from the educational institution that the usual performance has been achieved, or proof of ECTS credit points. The confirmation must be issued after the start of the 4th semester.
After a change of field, the proof often falls into a tricky phase, because the new university has not yet recorded the earlier achievements in full. Clarify early which proof applies to you. The matching form is Form 5, which we explain in our guide to the BAföG forms.
What the reform draft would change
The government draft for the 30th amendment of the BAföG law (Bundestag printed paper 21/8405, dated 7 October 2026) provides for removing the proof of performance under § 48. That would end the requirement from the 5th semester. Whether and from when this applies is open, because the draft has not been passed. Until it is promulgated, the current rules apply.
For the change of field itself, § 7 (3) remains the key provision. Whether the presumption rule in § 7 (3) stays unchanged is not a point we have verified in the draft for this guide. If you change in 2027, check the status of the legislative process shortly beforehand. More on this in our guide to the BAföG reform 2027 (in English).
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to justify the change?
Yes. You must present the important or unavoidable reason to the office. Up to the start of the 4th semester it is generally presumed, after that you need to back it with evidence. A comprehensible description with documents is the safest route.
Does the rule also apply to dropping out?
Yes, in terms of structure. Section 7 (3) BAföG covers a first change of field and dropping out of training together for the presumption. Whether your case is a dropout or a change depends on the exact classification, which you clarify with the office.
Does this apply now or only from 2027?
The current law applies now. The changes from the reform draft are so far only a draft. As long as the draft has not been promulgated, § 7 (3) and § 48 in their current version apply to you.
What happens if the proof of performance is missing?
Then no funding is paid from the 5th semester until the proof is available. Submit the proof as soon as it exists. The rule on submission in the previous semester helps if documents arrive late, provided they reach the office within the first four months of the following semester.
How to proceed now
- Check which subject semester you are in and whether your change takes place before the 4th or before the 5th semester.
- Document the reason for the change with evidence, such as certificates or correspondence.
- Have the new university confirm in writing which semesters are credited.
- Submit the proof under § 48 in time, at the latest by the start of the 5th semester, and contact the office if documents are missing.
Related guides
- Changing Degree Course: When It Makes Sense
- BAföG Reform 2027: What Is Changing and When
- BAföG abgelehnt: Widerspruch richtig formulieren
- BAföG application: deadlines and documents (in German)
Sources: § 7 BAföG, subsection 3 (gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed October 2026); § 48 BAföG, proof of performance (gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed October 2026); German Bundestag, printed paper 21/8405, draft amendment of the BAföG law (7 Oct 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
