The BAföG payment date is what many applicants care about most: when is the money in your account, and what applies if the notice takes long? This guide answers the most common questions based on section 51 BAföG. It explains the monthly payment in advance, the advance payment (Vorausleistung) in case of long processing, and the rules on rounding and the minimum amount.
In short: Under section 51(1) BAföG, funding is paid monthly in advance and by bank transfer. If a first application takes too long, the office pays advance payments for four months under section 51(2), up to four fifths of the need, if it has not decided within six weeks or paid within ten weeks. Last updated: November 2026.
Key points
- Payment is monthly in advance and non-cash, that is to your account (section 51(1) BAföG).
- For first applications and after interruptions, the office can pay advance payments if it does not decide or pay in time (section 51(2)).
- Advance payments are limited to four months and at most four fifths of the need and are subject to recovery.
- Amounts are rounded to full euros, and monthly amounts below 10 euros are not paid (section 51(3) and (4)).
- The study start grant (Studienstarthilfe) is applied for and paid separately from BAföG.
When is BAföG paid?
Section 51(1) BAföG regulates the manner of payment: funding is paid monthly in advance, and non-cash. You therefore receive the money not retroactively at the end of the month but for the current month. The provision names no particular calendar day. When the money reaches you depends on the responsible office and your bank. If in doubt, ask the office named in your notice. How to read the notice is explained in BAföG-Bescheid verstehen (in German).
Before anything is paid, the application must be filed and approved. The start of funding follows the application month, as described in applying for BAföG retroactively (in German). How long a notice applies is covered in BAföG-Bewilligungszeitraum (in German).
What happens if the notice takes long?
Section 51(2) BAföG provides in this case, by its wording, for a provisional payment for four months, which this guide calls advance payment for short. It applies to a first application in a training stage or after an interruption. The table summarises the conditions.
| Feature | Rule under section 51(2) BAföG |
|---|---|
| When does the advance payment apply? | The office cannot decide within six calendar weeks or cannot pay within ten calendar weeks. |
| For which applications? | First application in a training stage or application after an interruption. |
| For how long? | Four months. |
| How much? | At most four fifths of the expected need under sections 12, 13, 13a and 14b BAföG. |
| Subject to what condition? | Payment is subject to recovery. |
Assumption: your need under section 13(1) no. 2 and (2) no. 2 BAföG is 855 euros per month (475 euros basic need plus 380 euros housing allowance for students not living with their parents). Four fifths of that is 684 euros. This is the ceiling of the advance payment per month. The amount actually paid depends on your income and assets and those of your parents.
Note the reservation of recovery: if the decision shows that you are entitled to less, the excess may have to be repaid. Do not confuse this provisional payment by the office with the advance payment (Vorausleistung) under section 36 BAföG when parents do not pay maintenance, covered in Vorausleistung beim BAföG (in German).
How is the amount rounded, and is there a minimum?
Section 51(3) BAföG regulates rounding: monthly amounts are rounded to full euros. Remainders up to 0.49 euros are rounded down, from 0.50 euros up. Under subsection 4, monthly amounts below 10 euros are not paid.
| Calculated monthly amount (assumption) | Paid out |
|---|---|
| 312.49 euros | 312 euros |
| 312.50 euros | 313 euros |
| 9.80 euros | nothing, because below 10 euros |
| 10.00 euros | 10 euros |
The amounts in the table are examples of the rounding rule, not funding amounts.
What role does your bank account play?
Because payment is non-cash, you need an account to which the office can transfer. You state it in the application. Check the account details carefully before sending and tell the office about changes so that payments do not go astray. When submitting documents, choose only one route. Notes are in uploading BAföG documents (in German).
What to do if the payment does not arrive?
Start by checking the status of your application. The Studentenwerk Niederbayern/Oberpfalz points out that BAföG Digital shows queries and missing documents. As long as the office is waiting for a document, it cannot make a final decision. Submit anything missing promptly and use only one route. If a complete first application has been without a decision for six weeks, ask the office about the advance payment under section 51(2) BAföG. Note the date and contact person of every exchange so you have a record for further queries.
How does it work for the study start grant?
The study start grant is a separate benefit with its own application. Under section 56(3) BAföG it is applied for electronically through BAföG Digital by the end of the month after training begins. When the money arrives is described in Studienstarthilfe: Wann das Geld auf dem Konto ankommt (in German).
What does the BAföG reform change about payment?
The government draft of the 30th BAföG Amendment Act (Bundestag document 21/8405) has not been passed. The first reading was on 15 October 2026. The draft raises the needs rates in steps, which becomes relevant for payments once the act is promulgated. Until then, section 51 applies in its current form. For an overview see BAföG Reform 2027: What Is Changing and When.
Frequently asked questions
Is BAföG paid at the start or the end of the month?
In advance, that is for the current month (section 51(1) BAföG). The statute names no fixed calendar day. What matters is when the office instructs the payment.
Can I get money before the notice arrives?
Under the conditions of section 51(2) BAföG, yes: for first applications and after interruptions, the office can pay advance payments for four months of up to four fifths of the need if it has not decided within six weeks or paid within ten weeks.
Do I have to repay the advance payment?
It is subject to recovery. If the final decision shows a lower entitlement, the excess can be reclaimed.
Why do I get nothing if the amount is below 10 euros?
Under section 51(4) BAföG, monthly amounts below 10 euros are not paid. This mostly concerns cases in which income or assets almost use up the entitlement.
Is the study start grant paid together with BAföG?
No. It is a separate benefit under section 56 BAföG with its own application through BAföG Digital.
What to do now
- Check that the correct account is stated in the application.
- Read the assessment period and the amount in your notice.
- If there are delays, ask the office about an advance payment after six weeks without a decision.
- Plan fixed costs only once the payment has actually arrived.
Related guides
- BAföG Reform 2027: What Is Changing and When
- BAföG-Bescheid verstehen: Was jede Zeile bedeutet
- BAföG-Bewilligungszeitraum: Wie lange ein Bescheid gilt (in German)
- Studienstarthilfe: Wann das Geld auf dem Konto ankommt
- BAföG 2026: Eligibility, Amount and Repayment Explained
Sources: Section 51 BAföG, payment (accessed November 2026) · Section 56 BAföG, study start grant (accessed November 2026) · Section 13 BAföG, need for students (accessed November 2026) · Bundestag, document 21/8405 (draft act, October 2026) · Studentenwerk Niederbayern/Oberpfalz, BAföG Digital.
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
