The training voucher (Bildungsgutschein) from the Federal Employment Agency confirms that you meet the requirements for funding further vocational training, and the agency then covers the costs of an approved measure. A university degree is therefore not the standard case. Whether a particular course or distance learning programme is eligible is decided by the agency in the advisory interview, and there is generally no legal entitlement. The advisory interview must take place before the training starts.
Key facts at a glance
- Purpose: The voucher applies to approved further training measures under § 81 (4) SGB III. It is aimed at unemployed people and people at risk of unemployment, and under certain conditions also at employees.
- University study: A university degree is not the standard case. Check this with the agency before you enrol.
- Decision: It is generally at the discretion of the agency or the job centre. There is an entitlement only under certain conditions.
- Benefits: Course fees, examination fees, travel costs, childcare and, in some cases, a further training allowance and bonuses.
- Process: First advice, then the voucher, then choosing the course and provider. The voucher is usually valid for one to three months.
Can I finance a degree with the training voucher?
This cannot be answered with a general yes. The training voucher covers approved further training measures, and the agency decides in the advisory interview whether a measure is funded. The Federal Employment Agency page on the training voucher (in German) does not list degree programmes.
Older professional guidance from the Federal Employment Agency (valid from 2016 to 2021) refers to § 180 (3) No. 1 SGB III. According to it, measures are excluded if they mainly convey knowledge that corresponds to qualifying degree programmes at universities. The notes speak rather against a regular degree. Whether this rule still applies in the same way today is for the agency to clarify in the advisory interview.
Is a distance learning course eligible for a training voucher?
For distance learning and e-learning, the agency responsible is the one in whose district the provider has its head office. Approved distance courses are eligible, for example in business, technology or health and care. A distance degree at a university is not listed in the overviews of eligible distance courses, so funding is rather unlikely. Do not rely on providers’ advertising claims: ask the agency before you enrol or sign a contract.
What is the training voucher?
The training voucher is the certificate from the Federal Employment Agency confirming that the requirements for funding further vocational training are met. The legal basis is § 81 (4) SGB III. Colloquially, people often say the employment office pays for the training. In fact, the agency covers the costs of the measure if the provider and the course are approved.
Since 1 January 2025, job centre clients can also receive the voucher via the Federal Employment Agency.
Who receives a training voucher?
The voucher is aimed above all at unemployed people and at people at risk of unemployment whose training is needed to end or avert unemployment. For unemployed people, further training that improves employability and makes sense for the labour market is enough.
| Group | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Unemployed people | The training ends the unemployment or improves employability, and it makes sense for the labour market. |
| People at risk of unemployment | The training is needed to avert unemployment. |
| Employees | The measure goes beyond a short job-related adjustment and lasts more than 120 hours. The vocational qualification is generally at least two years old, and there has been no subsidised further training in the last two years. The employer can contribute. |
| Job centre clients | Possible since 1 January 2025. |
In principle, the decision lies at the discretion of the agency or the job centre after personal advice. An entitlement to funding exists under certain conditions where a vocational training or a lower secondary school leaving certificate is missing.
Students are not a group the voucher explicitly names. If you are reorienting your career and are looking for an approved measure, you can still seek advice from the agency. There is a separate article on further training alongside studies (in German).
What does the training voucher pay for, and how much is it?
The voucher is not a payment of a fixed amount. The agency covers the costs of the approved measure, and the amount depends on the course and the provider. You do not have any upfront costs.
| Benefit | Content |
|---|---|
| Course fees | Including learning materials, work clothing and examination fees |
| Aptitude assessment | Costs are covered |
| Travel and accommodation | Travel costs, accommodation away from home and meals |
| Childcare | Costs are covered |
| Further training allowance | €150 a month for qualification-oriented training, for unemployed people and for employable benefit recipients |
| Further training bonus | €1,000 after passing the intermediate examination, €1,500 after passing the final examination, for training occupations lasting two years or more |
Worked example: you are unemployed, the retraining leads to a qualification in a training occupation and lasts two years. That gives 24 months times €150 further training allowance, which is €3,600, plus the €1,000 and €1,500 bonuses. Together that is €6,100 on top of the agency covering the costs of the measure.
How do you apply for the training voucher?
You need an advisory interview at the Federal Employment Agency before the training starts. The voucher is usually issued directly in the interview. The official description is in the Federal Government service catalogue (in German).
- Arrange an advisory appointment at your Federal Employment Agency office or, as a job centre client, at the job centre.
- In the interview, explain which further training you need and why it improves your chances on the labour market.
- Have the voucher issued if the agency agrees.
- Find an approved provider offering an approved measure. The agency speaks of approval by an “expert body” (fachkundige Stelle).
- Hand the voucher in to the provider. Once the provider has returned it to the agency, the agency reviews it for about two weeks. You can file an objection against the decision within one month.
What does AZAV mean?
AZAV stands for Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung (accreditation and approval regulation for employment promotion). It means that both the training provider and the measure must be approved. In individual cases, the agency can approve a measure itself where there is a particular labour-market interest.
How do you prepare for the advisory interview?
The clearer your goal, the easier it is to judge in the interview whether the measure makes sense for the labour market. This matters all the more because the decision lies at the agency’s discretion.
- Note your career goal and why the further training leads there.
- Bring your CV and certificates so that your previous qualifications are clear.
- Pick out one or two measures beforehand and ask the provider whether the provider and the course are approved.
- Clarify how long the measure lasts and which costs arise, so that the advice can be specific.
Do not enrol and do not sign a contract before the agency has agreed.
How long is the training voucher valid?
The voucher is limited in time, usually to one to three months. It is also limited regionally and to a specific training goal: as a rule it applies at your place of residence and at places you can reach daily. The voucher sets the duration of the measure up to the training goal.
What can you do if the training voucher does not fit?
Other options remain for further training. Many platforms offer content free of charge, and an overview is in our article on free courses and learning platforms (in German). If you are already working or about to start working, options are listed under further training after your degree (in German).
Frequently asked questions
What is a training voucher worth?
The voucher itself has no fixed amount in euros. The agency covers the costs of the approved measure. Travel costs, childcare and, depending on the case, a further training allowance of €150 a month and bonuses of €1,000 and €1,500 can be added. The advisory interview clarifies the exact amount.
Do I get a training voucher as a student?
The Federal Employment Agency does not name students as a target group, and a university degree is not the standard case. Whether a particular further training measure is an option is decided by the agency after personal advice. Speak to the agency before you enrol or sign a contract, because the advisory interview must take place before the measure starts.
Can I get the voucher as an employee?
Yes, under additional conditions. The further training must go beyond a short job-related adjustment and last more than 120 hours. Your vocational qualification is generally at least two years old, and there has been no subsidised further training in the last two years. The employer can contribute.
Is there a legal entitlement to the training voucher?
Generally not. The decision lies at the discretion of the agency or the job centre after personal advice. An entitlement exists under certain conditions where a vocational training or a lower secondary school leaving certificate is missing. Clarify with your advisor during the interview which conditions apply in your case.
Next steps
- Work out which further training you need and which career goal lies behind it.
- Check which group you belong to: unemployed, at risk of unemployment or employed.
- Arrange the advisory interview before you enrol or sign a contract.
- Use the voucher to choose an approved provider and an approved measure.
- Plan around the validity of the voucher, which is usually only one to three months.
Related reading
- Where to find free courses: the best learning platforms (in German)
- Further training after your degree: options at a glance (in German)
- The best books for students: personal recommendations (in German)
- Writing a bachelor’s thesis: guide, timeline and tips (in German)
- Health insurance during distance learning (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
