The BAföG housing allowance (Wohnpauschale) is a fixed flat amount, not a refund of your rent. Many students assume that their actual housing costs are covered. They are not. This guide shows how the allowance is calculated, how large the gap can be at typical rents and what the draft for 2027 would change.
Short answer: The BAföG housing allowance for students living away from home has been EUR 380 per month since 1 August 2024, regardless of your actual rent. Students living with their parents receive EUR 59. If your rent is higher, you must cover the difference from other sources. The draft of the 30th BAföG amendment raises the allowance to EUR 440 from April 2027.
The most important points
- The housing allowance for students living away from home is EUR 380 per month (status October 2026). It depends on your living arrangement, not on your rent.
- Students living with their parents receive a housing allowance of EUR 59 per month.
- If your warm rent is above EUR 380, a gap remains that you have to cover yourself.
- The draft plans EUR 440 from 1 April 2027. It has not been adopted yet.
- Compare your rent including all service charges with the need, not only the cold rent.
How is the BAföG need made up?
The BAföG need consists of the basic need for students and the housing allowance. The basic need is EUR 475 per month. The housing allowance is paid on top and depends on where you live. For students living away from home it is EUR 380, and for students living with their parents EUR 59. The rates apply since 1 August 2024 (source: BAföG law).
| Living arrangement | Basic need | Housing allowance | Total need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living away from home, up to age 24 | EUR 475 | EUR 380 | EUR 855 |
| Living with parents, up to age 24 | EUR 475 | EUR 59 | EUR 534 |
These are the basic rates without supplements. For ages 25 to 29, supplements for health and care insurance apply (EUR 102 and EUR 35 per month). For a full overview of the rates, see our guide Student Support Rate (BAföG) 2026: Amounts and Example.
Calculation example: how large is the gap at your rent?
Assumption: you live away from home, are under 25 and pay a warm rent of EUR 520 including all service charges. Then the gap is EUR 140 per month (520 minus 380). After the rent, EUR 335 of the EUR 855 need remains for food, learning materials, phone, transport and insurance. Whether that is enough depends on your spending.
With the draft value of EUR 440, the gap in the same example would shrink to EUR 80. The calculation assumes that the draft is adopted unchanged and the allowance applies from the stated date.
| Item | Today (EUR 380) | Draft (EUR 440, from April 2027) |
|---|---|---|
| Warm rent (assumption) | EUR 520 | EUR 520 |
| Housing allowance | EUR 380 | EUR 440 |
| Gap to cover from your own funds | EUR 140 | EUR 80 |
Why is the allowance not linked to the rent?
The allowance is a typified benefit. The law assumes an average housing need and pays a fixed amount instead of reimbursing each rent separately. This simplifies administration, but it means that expensive cities and cheaper regions are treated the same. If you live in an expensive city, you carry the risk of the difference.
That is why it pays to plan your rent realistically before you sign a lease. A flat that is affordable only with help from your parents can quickly become a problem if the family situation changes.
What does this mean for your flat search in practice?
Plan the rent not by your wish, but by the sum of cold rent, service charges and electricity. In a shared flat the share is often lower, but common costs apply that you should include from the start. A single flat is easier to plan but usually costs more. Compare both with the EUR 855 need, not with the amount you would like to have.
One-off costs such as a deposit, moving costs or basic furnishing are not shown separately in the monthly allowance. Build a separate reserve before you move in. If you have to save up the deposit from your monthly need, shortages follow quickly.
What would the draft of the 30th BAföG amendment change?
The government bill (printed paper 21/8405) raises the housing allowance for students living away from home from EUR 380 to EUR 440 from the summer term 2027, that is from 1 April 2027. For students living with their parents, the allowance is planned to fall from EUR 59 to EUR 41 and then to be removed. The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space presents the increase as part of the reform (source: BMFTR, cabinet decision).
The Bundesrat has criticised the late start of the housing allowance increase. It is open whether the draft will be adopted in this form. Plan with the EUR 380 that applies today and treat EUR 440 as a scenario. For an overview of the status, see our guide BAföG Reform 2027: What Is Changing and When.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get more if my rent is above EUR 380?
No. The allowance stays at EUR 380 even if your rent is higher. BAföG does not cover the difference. If you pay more rent, you have to save elsewhere or look for other support.
Should I count the warm rent or only the cold rent?
For your own planning, use the warm rent including all service charges, because it determines your actual monthly budget. The allowance itself is a lump sum that does not reimburse individual items. Calculate both and keep rent and service charges separate in your overview.
Does the housing allowance also apply in a student hall of residence?
The form of accommodation determines which rate applies. Whether a hall place counts as living away from home is decided by the office in each case. Ask in advance so that you do not calculate with the wrong rate.
Can I receive housing benefit on top?
This is possible but depends on the individual case. Your eligibility depends on income, living arrangement and your own BAföG entitlement. Our guide Student Housing Benefit: Who Qualifies and How to Apply explains the requirements.
What to do now
- Add your warm rent including all service charges and compare it with the EUR 380 allowance.
- Plan the rest of the EUR 855 need for food, learning materials, transport and insurance.
- Before you sign a lease, ask the office which living arrangement it recognises.
- Plan with today’s figures and review the draft on the allowance before you sign long-term contracts.
Related guides
- Affordable student housing: strategy, portals and costs
- Student Housing Benefit: Who Qualifies and How to Apply
- BAföG Reform 2027: What Is Changing and When
- Student Support Rate (BAföG) 2026: Amounts and Example
- BAföG-Bedarfssatz (in German)
Sources: Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), gesetze-im-internet.de; German Bundestag, printed paper 21/8405 (status 7 October 2026); Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, cabinet decision on the BAföG reform (12 August 2026).
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
