Your BAföG eligibility mainly depends on whether your degree programme is eligible for funding and whether your parents’ income and your own resources are not enough to cover your needs. In 2026, the maximum rate for students under 30 with their own flat and their own health and long-term care insurance is €992 per month. Half of it is a grant, the other half an interest-free loan, and you will have to repay at most €10,010.
Key points at a glance
- Entitlement depends on an eligible degree programme, your age, your academic progress and your financial need. The programme must generally begin before your 45th birthday.
- The maximum rate is €992 per month (under 30, own flat, own health and long-term care insurance). If you live with your parents, it is €671.
- Half is a grant and half is an interest-free state loan. Repayment is capped at €10,010.
- The reform is planned but not yet passed. The rates do not rise in the 2026/27 winter semester. The first step is planned for 1 April 2027.
BAföG eligibility: who has a claim?
Students in an eligible degree programme are entitled to BAföG if they cannot cover their needs from their own resources and from their parents’ support. The BAföG office at the Studierendenwerk (student services organisation) decides in each individual case.
These points play a role:
- A degree programme at an eligible university in which you prove your academic progress
- Your age at the start: the programme must generally begin before your 45th birthday
- Your income and assets and, for parent-dependent funding, those of your parents
- Nationality or residence status, which is checked in each individual case
There are exceptions to the age limit, for example if you acquired the entry qualification through an entrance examination, if you only reach the limit during your bachelor’s degree and start your master’s immediately afterwards, or if you start later for family reasons, for example because you are raising a child under 14. The reform intends to abolish these exceptions from April 2027 (planned).
When do you receive BAföG regardless of your parents’ income?
In certain cases, your parents’ income does not count. This applies, for example, if you start studying at 30 or older, after five years of employment since your 18th birthday, after vocational training of three years plus three years in the profession, or if you obtained the Abitur through the second educational path at an evening high school or college. Full orphans also qualify. All the conditions are explained in our guide on parent-independent BAföG (in German).
How much is BAföG in 2026?
The needs rate is made up of a basic amount, a housing allowance and supplements for health and long-term care insurance. The current values have applied since the 2024/25 winter semester for the basic amount and the housing allowance. They are listed in the FAQ of the Studierendenwerke (in German).
| Component | Amount per month |
|---|---|
| Basic amount for students | €475 |
| Housing allowance, not living with parents | €380 |
| Housing allowance, living with parents | €59 |
| Health insurance supplement (under 30) | €102 |
| Long-term care insurance supplement (under 30) | €35 |
| Supplements from age 30 (self-paying) | €185 for health insurance, €48 for long-term care insurance |
| Childcare supplement | €160 per child under 14 |
This results in the following maximum rates:
| Situation | Maximum rate |
|---|---|
| Under 30, own flat, own insurance | €992 |
| Under 30, living with parents, own insurance | €671 |
| From 30, own flat | €1,088 |
| From 30, living with parents | €767 |
| Family-insured, own flat | €855 |
| Family-insured, living with parents | €534 |
How the maximum rate is calculated: the €475 basic amount plus the €380 housing allowance plus the €102 and €35 supplements add up to €992. Whether you reach the maximum rate depends on your income. More on the insurance supplements can be found in our guide on the BAföG health insurance supplement (in German).
How does your parents’ income affect BAföG?
The office sets your parents’ income against allowances. Only the part above the allowance reduces your BAföG. The values at a glance:
| Allowance | Amount |
|---|---|
| Parents married or in a registered partnership | €2,540 net per month |
| Each parent in other cases | €1,690 net per month |
| Supplement per additional child or dependant | €770 |
Of the income above the allowance, 50 % remains exempt, plus 5 % per child. The rest is counted against your needs.
Example A (highly simplified, with assumptions): The parents are married and have an assessable net income of €3,200 per month. You have no siblings, live alone and are insured yourself. €3,200 minus €2,540 leaves €660 above the allowance. Half of this, €330, is counted. Your BAföG is then €992 minus €330, which is €662 per month.
Example B: The same parents, but you have a younger sibling who is still entitled to maintenance. The allowance rises to €2,540 plus €770, which is €3,310. The €3,200 is below that, so nothing is counted, and you receive the maximum rate of €992.
The office calculates income according to its own rules, with deductions. If your parents’ income situation has changed, raise this with the office. Parental assets do not count for funding.
How much may you earn and own yourself?
Your own income up to €603 gross per month has had no effect on BAföG since 1 January 2026. The limit is linked to the minijob threshold. If you earn more, the funding decreases proportionately.
For assets, there is an allowance of €15,000 up to age 29 and €45,000 from age 30. An additional €2,300 applies for each child and for a spouse. If you are considering a side job, take a look at our guide to side jobs during your studies (in German).
Is BAföG a grant or a loan?
Both. Half of the funding is a grant, and the other half is an interest-free state loan. Only the loan has to be repaid, and even then only up to a ceiling.
How does BAföG repayment work?
Repayment starts five years after the end of the maximum funding period. The Federal Office of Administration (Bundesverwaltungsamt) sends you the determination and repayment notice beforehand, roughly four and a half years after the end of the standard period of study. The instalment is €130 per month or €390 per quarter.
In total, you have to repay at most €10,010. That is 77 instalments of €130. After the 77th instalment you are debt-free, even if your loan was larger.
Example (assumption): You receive €992 per month for four years, a total of €47,616. Half, €23,808, is loan. Because of the ceiling, you only have to repay €10,010. If your maximum funding period ends in September 2028, repayment begins around autumn 2033 and lasts just over six years.
- If you later earn little, you can apply for an exemption if your assessable income is below €1,690 per month. The amount rises with a spouse and children. The interest-free status remains.
- If a residual debt remains after 20 years and you have demonstrably made efforts to repay, it is cancelled.
- If you repay the loan early, a discount applies. The Federal Office of Administration states the amount in the notice.
- If you pay more than 45 days after the due date, default interest of 6 % per year is charged.
You will find the rules and deadlines at the Federal Office of Administration (in German).
How long is BAföG paid?
The maximum funding period corresponds to the standard period of study of your degree programme. It applies regardless of whether you received BAföG in every semester.
It can be extended for serious reasons, such as illness, disability, pregnancy, caring for close relatives from care level 3 onwards, or raising a child up to the age of 14. Under the rules since the 2024/25 winter semester, there is also one flexibility semester, once in your life, without giving reasons. The help to complete your studies can pay for up to twelve months after the maximum funding period, but it is a full loan.
If you change your subject, the timing matters. Until the start of the fourth subject semester, a good reason is presumed. After that, you must demonstrate it. From the fifth subject semester onwards, a change is only possible for an unavoidable reason. You can apply to the BAföG office for a binding preliminary decision.
How do you apply for BAföG?
The application is made online via BAföG Digital. Funding is generally only paid from the month of application, so start early. How to do it, which documents you need and how to apply for continued funding is explained in the guide to applying for BAföG (in German).
What does the BAföG reform change?
Procedural status: the Federal Cabinet adopted the reform (30th BAföG Amendment Act) on 12 August 2026. The government draft (parliamentary paper 21/8405 (in German)) was sent to the Bundestag on 7 October 2026. The Bundestag and the Bundesrat have not yet reached a final decision. All values below are therefore planned.
| From | Planned change |
|---|---|
| 1 April 2027 | Housing allowance from €380 to €440. Health insurance supplement from €102 to €121, long-term care insurance supplement from €35 to €39. |
| 1 August 2027 | Basic amount from €475 to €503. Housing allowance for living with parents from €59 to €41. Supplements of €124 and €40. |
| 1 August 2028 | Allowances rise by 1.5 % per year. |
| 1 April 2029 | Basic amount of €563. The housing allowance for living with parents is abolished. Supplements of €132 and €43. |
Arithmetically, the maximum rate would therefore rise to €1,075 from April 2027, €1,107 from August 2027 and €1,178 from April 2029. An increase in the housing allowance already in the 2026/27 winter semester does not take place.
On the procedure, the draft also provides that applications are only possible via BAföG Digital, with exceptions only in special cases. The proof of performance from the fifth semester is to be abolished.
What other options and supplements are there?
If BAföG is low or you do not receive any, other routes remain. A scholarship during your studies (in German) is a grant that is often paid in addition to BAföG. If money is still short at the end, the overview of student loans compared (in German) helps.
Health insurance is also important. BAföG does not count as income for family insurance, which is free of contributions until the age of 25 if your income does not exceed €565 per month. What this includes is explained in our guide to family insurance during your studies (in German). You generally do not receive housing benefit (Wohngeld) if you are in principle eligible for BAföG, even if the notice shows zero euros.
| Feature | Values 2026 | 2027 (status) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic amount for students | €475 per month | €503 from the 2027/28 winter semester (planned, not yet passed) | Parliamentary paper 21/8405 (planned, not yet passed) |
| Housing allowance, living away from home | €380 per month | €440 from 1 April 2027 (planned, not yet passed) | Parliamentary paper 21/8405 (planned, not yet passed) |
| Housing allowance, living with parents | €59 per month | €41 from 1 August 2027, then abolished (planned, not yet passed) | Parliamentary paper 21/8405 (planned, not yet passed) |
| Maximum health insurance supplement from age 30 | €185 per month | €223 (planned, not yet passed) | DSW FAQ; parliamentary paper 21/8405 |
| Maximum long-term care insurance supplement from age 30 | €48 per month | €56 (planned, not yet passed) | DSW FAQ; parliamentary paper 21/8405 |
| Maximum rate, living away from home, from age 30 | €1,088 per month | Overall maximum rate not confirmed (planned, not yet passed) | bafög.de; DSW needs rates |
| Assets allowance from age 30 | €45,000 | Unchanged (planned, not yet passed; §29 not amended) | bafög.de; DSW FAQ 01-2026 |
| Age limit for starting | Before the 45th birthday | Unchanged (planned, not yet passed) | bafög.de; DSW FAQ |
Frequently asked questions
Can I get BAföG if I am over 30?
Yes, if your degree programme starts before your 45th birthday. From age 30 onwards, funding is generally independent of your parents’ income. The maximum rate is €1,088 and the assets allowance is €45,000. In borderline cases the BAföG office decides, so ask them before you apply.
Will BAföG rise in the 2026/27 winter semester?
No. The rates remain unchanged. The government draft only provides for the first step from 1 April 2027, and even that has not yet been passed.
How much may I earn alongside BAföG?
Up to €603 gross per month, your earnings have no effect on funding. This corresponds to the 2026 minijob threshold. With higher income, BAföG decreases proportionately. The earlier annual figure for the funding period no longer applies.
What happens if I drop out of my studies?
The funding paid up to that point remains half grant and half loan. The same ceiling of €10,010 applies to the loan. If you only change your subject, the deadlines for changing subject apply. Speak to the BAföG office beforehand.
How to proceed now
- Use the tables to check whether your degree programme is eligible and what your maximum rate would be.
- Roughly calculate with the parental allowances whether funding is possible, and apply even if you are unsure.
- Submit your application early via BAföG Digital, because funding usually starts in the month of application.
- Plan for repayment. It is at most €10,010, paid in instalments of €130, and begins five years after the end of the maximum funding period.
- Follow the reform, and do not count on amounts for 2027 that have not yet been passed.
Related articles
- Applying for BAföG: application, deadlines and documents (in German)
- Parent-independent BAföG: requirements and application (in German)
- BAföG health insurance supplement: what applies with PKV and GKV (in German)
- Scholarships during your studies: types, providers and requirements (in German)
- Second degree: costs, BAföG, child benefit and taxes (in German)
- Studying with a child: money, supplements and insurance (in German)
- BAföG abroad: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- BAföG reform 2027: what changes and when (in German)
- Repaying BAföG: start, instalments, exemption and partial waiver (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
