Short answer: The child maintenance advance (Unterhaltsvorschuss) is paid by the state when a parent pays no or irregular maintenance for a child. Under § 1 UVG (Federal Maintenance Advance Act), the age limit is generally twelve and can be extended to 18 under conditions (status October 2026). For adult students it is usually not relevant. Maintenance for studies can still arise from your parents’ duty under the German Civil Code (BGB).
Child maintenance advance and studying do not fit together at first sight, because the benefit is meant for children. Still, many people ask whether it continues during a degree or whether a claim exists when the other parent does not pay. This guide explains the age limits, the difference to parents’ training maintenance and the offices that decide in individual cases.
The key points in brief
- The child maintenance advance replaces missing or irregular child maintenance from the other parent.
- Under § 1 para. 1 no. 1 UVG, the age limit is generally twelve. Under para. 1a, it can be extended to 18 under conditions.
- Adult students usually have no entitlement to the maintenance advance.
- Parents’ duty to pay for training continues under the BGB, if its conditions are met (§ 1610 para. 2 BGB).
- Orphan’s benefits at the minimum level exclude the entitlement to the maintenance advance.
What is the child maintenance advance?
The child maintenance advance is a state benefit under the Federal Maintenance Advance Act (Unterhaltsvorschussgesetz, UVG). It steps in when a child lives with a parent who is single, widowed, divorced or permanently separated, and the other parent does not pay, pays irregularly or pays too little. The responsible office is the maintenance advance office of the youth welfare office (Jugendamt) where the child lives.
The state generally recovers the money paid from the parent who owes maintenance. For the child, this changes nothing about the benefit itself, but it is one reason why the office checks the conditions carefully.
Until when is the child maintenance advance paid?
Under § 1 para. 1 no. 1 UVG, the entitlement generally lasts until the child turns twelve. Para. 1a extends the age limit to 18 if the child does not receive citizen’s benefit (Bürgergeld), or if the need for assistance can be avoided through the benefit. The extension also applies if the parent with the child has at least 600 euros of income, excluding child benefit. This wording was checked in October 2026. Read the current legal text before you apply, because the rules can change.
The entitlement ends in any case when the child turns 18. Students are usually already adults when they start their degree.
| Case | Entitlement to child maintenance advance |
|---|---|
| Child under 12, other parent does not pay | Generally yes, if the other conditions are met |
| Child aged 12 to 17, conditions of para. 1a met | Yes, until the 18th birthday |
| Child aged 12 to 17, conditions of para. 1a not met | No, the age limit of 12 applies |
| Adult child in education | Generally no, maintenance follows the BGB |
What applies during studies instead?
Adult students can still have a claim against their parents. Under § 1601 BGB, relatives in direct line are obliged to provide maintenance to each other. Under § 1610 para. 2 BGB, maintenance includes the costs of an appropriate vocational training. Whether and how much parents must pay depends on their ability to pay under § 1603 BGB.
Under § 1603 para. 2 sentence 2 BGB, unmarried adult children up to 21 are treated like minors as long as they live in the parental household and receive general school education. This mainly concerns pupils. The rule does not apply to students as a general matter. The calculation is explained in the guide Unterhalt für studierende Kinder: Höhe und Dauer 2026 (in German).
Example with an assumption
Assumption: your child is 15, lives with you as a single parent, and the other parent pays no maintenance. Whether a claim exists then depends on the conditions of para. 1a. If your child does not receive Bürgergeld, or the need for help could be avoided through the benefit, the age limit extends to the 18th birthday. The maintenance advance office checks this on the basis of your information.
How does this relate to BAföG?
For BAföG, the parents are generally considered according to their income, provided you are entitled to funding. Allowances are deducted from the parental income. For single parents, the parental income allowance (Elternfreibetrag) is 1,690 euros per month, and for cohabiting spouses 2,540 euros per month (status 1 August 2024, official). These allowances are adjusted regularly, so the figure in your BAföG notice counts.
Keep the documents for both offices separately if you clarify a maintenance claim and BAföG at the same time. The guide Student Support Rate (BAföG) 2026: Amounts and Example explains the BAföG figures.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get the child maintenance advance if I am studying?
Usually not. The benefit ends at the latest when you turn 18, and students are usually older than that. If you are still a minor or the conditions of para. 1a are met, ask the maintenance advance office.
What happens if the other parent does not pay?
For children within the age limit, the state steps in with the maintenance advance. Adult students must assert their claim for maintenance against their parents themselves. If that does not succeed, a counselling service or the youth welfare office can help you decide the next step.
What applies to orphan’s benefits?
Orphan’s benefits at the minimum level exclude the entitlement to the maintenance advance. The orphan’s pension itself has its own rules, which you should clarify with the pension insurer and the BAföG office.
Is there an age limit for parents’ maintenance?
For the state, the UVG sets the age limit, at most 18. Parents’ maintenance for training follows the BGB and depends on their ability to pay (§ 1610 para. 2 and § 1603 BGB). There is no fixed age limit like the one in the UVG for this.
Where do I apply for the maintenance advance?
At the maintenance advance office of the youth welfare office where you or your child live. The office checks the conditions before payments start and explains your duties to cooperate.
What to do now
- Check your age and whether the other parent pays maintenance regularly.
- If you or your child are under 18 and a parent does not pay, contact the maintenance advance office of the youth welfare office.
- Clarify the parents’ training maintenance by looking at training costs, income and allowances.
- Get advice from the youth welfare office or a counselling service if needed, and ask for important information in writing.
- Check in parallel whether your BAföG application correctly takes account of the parental income.
Related guides
- Child Maintenance for Students: Amount and Duration 2026
- Student Support Rate (BAföG) 2026: Amounts and Example
- Studying with a child: money, benefits and insurance
- Studying with a Child: Supplements and Benefits in Germany
Sources: § 1 UVG, entitlement requirements (gesetze-im-internet.de, accessed October 2026); § 1601 BGB, persons obliged to pay maintenance; § 1603 BGB, ability to pay; § 1610 BGB, extent of maintenance.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
