Studying without BAföG usually works with several sources. These include support from your parents and child benefit, a part-time job, a scholarship and, as a last supplement, a loan. The benchmark for the need is the maximum BAföG rate of €992 per month for students under 30 with their own flat and their own health insurance. A mini-job of up to €603 per month covers part of it, and the Deutschlandstipendium (a merit-based scholarship) can contribute €300 per month.
The key points in brief
- Work out your need first. The BAföG maximum rate of €992 per month is a useful anchor.
- If your parents earn a lot, BAföG can still pay a partial grant. An application clarifies your entitlement.
- A mini-job of up to €603 per month is possible. As a working student you may work at most 20 hours per week during the semester.
- The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 per month, regardless of your parents’ income.
- Loans come last. The Bildungskredit currently costs 4.09% effective, the KfW student loan 6.38% effective.
How much money do you need when studying without BAföG?
The BAföG maximum rate consists of the basic need (€475), the housing allowance (€380) and the supplements for health and long-term care insurance (€102 and €35). Together they come to €992. It is not a cost statistic, but it is a good starting point for your monthly student budget (in German).
When it comes to housing, it pays to look at reality. A shared flat costs €510 on average across Germany, €850 in Munich, and €650 in Berlin and Hamburg. In 76 of the 90 university cities studied, the average rent is above the €380 BAföG housing allowance. If you live with your parents, you can budget considerably less.
Why don’t you get BAföG, and is that final?
BAföG depends on your parents’ income, your own income and your assets. If your parents’ income is above the allowance, only the part above it is taken into account, and only proportionally.
- The allowance for married or registered-partner parents is €2,540 net per month. In other cases, each parent is allowed €1,690.
- Each further child and each further dependant adds €770.
- Of the income above the allowance, 50% remains exempt, plus 5% per child.
- Your own assets remain exempt up to €15,000 (up to age 29). Your parents’ assets do not count.
It is therefore worth applying even if your parents earn well. Even a partial grant helps, because BAföG is half grant and half interest-free loan. Repayment is capped at €10,010. The article everything about BAföG (in German) explains how the calculation works in detail. The Studierendenwerke answer the most frequent questions in their BAföG FAQ (in German).
The rules may change. The government draft of the BAföG reform plans to raise the housing allowance from €380 to €440 on 1 April 2027. This is planned, but not yet decided.
Funding your studies when your parents earn too much
If BAföG is not available, your parents are the most important source. As a guideline for maintenance, the Düsseldorf Table sets €990 per month for students living away from home (guideline value 2025). This includes up to €440 warm rent. Health and long-term care insurance are not included.
In addition there is child benefit of €259 per month, which is generally paid during training or study until the 25th birthday. For this you currently need to file an application with the Familienkasse. In a first degree there is no limit on hours or earnings. In a second training, you may work on average at most 20 hours per week. More details are in the article child benefit during studies (in German).
Go into the conversation with concrete figures. Show your budget, say what you will cover yourself, and suggest how much the family could contribute as maintenance, a loan or a rent subsidy.
Student loan or part-time job: what suits you?
A part-time job creates income without debt, but it takes time. A loan bridges shortfalls, but it costs interest. The table sets the options side by side.
| Option | Amount | Important |
|---|---|---|
| Mini-job | Up to €603 per month | Pension contribution of 3.6% for you, exemption on request possible |
| Working student | At most 20 hours per week during the semester | Exempt from health, long-term care and unemployment insurance, but subject to pension insurance |
| Bildungskredit | €100, €200 or €300 per month, at most 24 months | 4.09% effective, application with the Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt), maximum age 35 |
| KfW student loan | €100 to €650 per month | 6.38% effective, variable, no collateral, age 18 to 44 |
What rules apply to a part-time job?
The minimum wage is €13.90 per hour. For €603 gross in a mini-job, you therefore work about 43 hours per month. As a working student, you stay insured through the student health insurance, as long as you work at most 20 hours per week during the semester. Several jobs are added together.
Where to find suitable jobs is shown in the article finding a part-time job as a student (in German). How taxes and levies affect your pay is explained in part-time jobs and taxes (in German).
What does a student loan cost?
The Bildungskredit runs through the Federal Office of Administration and the KfW. Repayment starts four years after the first payment, with €120 per month. Details are in the article on the Bildungskredit from the Federal Office of Administration (in German). A student loan comparison (in German) sets the KfW student loan side by side with private offers.
Worked example: €400 per month over four years results in a payment of €19,200. Interest comes on top, and its amount depends on the interest rate (currently 6.38% effective, variable) and the repayment period. So have the total repayment calculated concretely before you sign a contract.
The Studierendenwerke recommend not financing an entire degree by loan. Loans supplement maintenance and income, for example for exam phases or a stay abroad. Their notes are on the page about loans for students (in German).
Which scholarships are available without a BAföG entitlement?
For scholarships, performance, commitment and personal circumstances matter most. The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 per month regardless of parental income, funded equally by the federal government and private sponsors. The university usually selects recipients once a year for the winter semester, and each university sets its own deadlines.
There are also 13 scholarship foundations (Begabtenförderungswerke), which supported around 31,400 students in 2024. They pay a study cost allowance of €300 per month, regardless of income. The basic scholarship that may be possible on top depends on parental income. How to convince selection committees is covered in the article on applying for a scholarship (in German). An overview of types and providers is in scholarships during studies (in German). You can find further scholarships through the Studierendenwerke (in German).
How do you fund a degree from age 30?
If you start a degree at 30 or later, you have different options. Between the ages of 30 and 45 at the start of training, BAföG is generally paid independently of your parents, so parental and spousal income does not count. The maximum rate is €1,088 with your own flat, and the asset allowance is €45,000. How the age limit is counted is for the BAföG office to clarify. The article on parent-independent BAföG (in German) covers the requirements.
The Bildungskredit is open until your 36th birthday, the KfW student loan until 44. If you have completed vocational training, have at least two years of work experience and an outstanding professional achievement, you can also apply for the Aufstiegsstipendium (upgrading scholarship). For a full-time degree it pays €992 plus a €80 book allowance, and there is no age limit. Student health insurance ends with the semester in which you turn 30.
Is housing benefit available for students?
Anyone who is basically entitled to BAföG has no claim to housing benefit (Wohngeld), even if no BAföG is paid because of high parental income. There are exceptions, for example for a second degree without the BAföG requirements, or when the age limit or maximum funding period has been exceeded. Apply for BAföG first, as the rejection notice serves as proof. The Studierendenwerke (in German) set out the details.
What applies to health insurance?
Until your 25th birthday, you can stay on your parents’ statutory health insurance as a family member, if your total income does not exceed €565 per month (or €603 for a pure mini-job). After that, student health insurance applies, at around €143 to €148 per month. An exemption in favour of private health insurance (PKV) is irrevocable and applies for the entire degree. Returning to statutory health insurance (GKV) is only possible in narrow cases, and PKV contributions can rise. The article on private health insurance for students (in German) describes the consequences.
Example: a funding mix without BAföG
Example: Lea, 20, state university, own flat, BAföG rejected because of high parental income. The assumptions: a need of €992 per month, the parents pay €450 maintenance and pass on the €259 child benefit.
| Item | Amount per month |
|---|---|
| Need | €992 |
| Parental maintenance (assumption) | €450 |
| Child benefit (assumption, passed on) | €259 |
| Remaining gap | €283 |
Lea closes the €283 gap with a mini-job. At the €13.90 minimum wage, that is just over 20 hours gross per month, and a bit more because of the pension contribution. A loan is not needed in this case.
Frequently asked questions
How do I finance my studies without BAföG?
Usually through a mix of maintenance and child benefit from your parents, a part-time job, a scholarship and, if needed, a loan. Calculate your monthly need first, subtract the reliable income, and fill the gap in this order: part-time job, scholarship, loan.
Is a student loan or a part-time job better?
It depends on the gap. A mini-job of up to €603 per month avoids interest but takes study time. A loan provides breathing room, for example in the final phase, and currently costs 4.09% (Bildungskredit) or 6.38% (KfW student loan) effective. Many students combine a small job with a time-limited loan.
How do I finance a degree if my parents earn too much?
Still submit a BAföG application, because a partial grant is possible. Talk to your parents about maintenance, child benefit or a rent contribution, and supplement with a part-time job or a scholarship. Housing benefit is generally excluded if you are basically entitled to BAföG.
Do I get child benefit if I don’t receive BAföG?
Yes, both benefits are independent of each other. Child benefit of €259 per month is generally available during study until age 25. You need to apply to the Familienkasse. In a first degree, there is no limit on hours or earnings.
What to do now
- Work out your monthly need and write it down.
- Apply for BAföG, even if you expect a rejection.
- Talk to your parents and apply for child benefit at the Familienkasse.
- Check scholarships and the application deadlines of your university.
- Supplement with a part-time job, and take a loan only if a gap remains.
Related articles
- BAföG 2026: entitlement, amount and repayment explained (in German)
- Student loan comparison: providers, interest rates and alternatives (in German)
- Applying for a scholarship: how to convince selection committees (in German)
- Private health insurance for students: costs and benefits (in German)
- Studying over 30: funding with BAföG, scholarships, loans and part-time jobs (in German)
- Studying with a child: income, allowances and insurance (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
