BAföG and Siblings: Parental Allowances Explained

BAföG and siblings often surprises students when they first apply. Your parents’ income counts toward the grant, and whether your brothers or sisters trigger an extra allowance depends on whether they are in a training or study program that qualifies for BAföG support themselves. This guide explains the parental income allowances (Elternfreibetrag) under § 25 BAföG and works through an example.

Key points

• Married or registered partners have a shared allowance of 2,540 euros per month. Single parents have 1,690 euros each (§ 25 para. 1 BAföG).
• Each further child or dependent without a BAföG-eligible training course raises the allowance by 770 euros (§ 25 para. 3 BAföG).
• Siblings who are in an eligible training course do not bring this supplement.
• Only half of the parental income above the allowances counts (§ 25 para. 4 BAföG). An additional 5 percent per child with an allowance also applies, and the responsible office checks how this works for your siblings.
• These figures reflect current law. The draft BAföG reform only provides for an annual increase from 1 August 2028.

Which allowances apply to your parents?

The office first deducts the allowances from your parents’ income. The amount depends on whether your parents are married or in a registered partnership, whether one parent is single, whether a stepparent lives in the household and whether other children or dependants have to be supported. For the German term, see the glossary entry on the parental income allowance (in German).

Status: October 2026. The figures have been in force since 1 August 2024 and, according to bafög.de (status December 2025), remain unchanged.

Children in the legal sense are not only your biological siblings. Under § 25 para. 5 BAföG, they also include foster children, children of a spouse or partner taken into the household and grandchildren taken into the household. Such children can trigger the 770-euro supplement as well, as long as they are not themselves in an eligible training course.

If the family has extraordinary expenses, a further part of the income can be left out of the calculation. Under § 25 para. 6 BAföG this requires a separate application, which must be made before the funding period ends. The law names extraordinary burdens under §§ 33 to 33b of the income tax act and costs for dependants with disabilities.

Do siblings in training count?

Not for the 770-euro supplement. The law excludes children who are themselves in a training course eligible for BAföG or support under § 56 SGB III (§ 25 para. 3 BAföG). Your parents’ allowance therefore stays lower if your siblings are studying. The table below shows the effect on the amount counted.

Worked example. Assumption: the parents’ income after deductions is 3,000 euros per month. The additional 5 percent per child is not included and can lower the amount counted. The calculation is simplified and does not replace the office’s own calculation.

How do you estimate the parental share?

A few steps give you a rough estimate. It helps you prepare the application but does not replace the official decision.

1. Determine your parents’ income for the relevant calendar year under § 24 BAföG.
2. Add up the allowances: the parental allowance, a supplement for a stepparent if relevant, and 770 euros for each child without an eligible training course.
3. Deduct the allowances from the income. If a positive amount remains, it is the basis for the calculation.
4. Count only half of that amount (§ 25 para. 4 BAföG).
5. Compare the result with your requirement, for example 855 euros for living away from home (assumption), and include your own earnings.

What should you state in the application?

The application asks for details about your family, the incomes involved and the training of your siblings. Incomplete information delays processing. Current forms and notes are available on bafög.de, and the responsible BAföG office (Amt für Ausbildungsförderung) answers questions about your case. For the overall amount, read the guide on eligibility and amounts (in German).

Frequently asked questions

Does my brother or sister count if they study?

Not for the 770-euro supplement. Under § 25 para. 3 BAföG, that supplement only applies to children without an eligible training course. The office checks individually whether the additional 5 percent applies to a sibling who studies.

Does an allowance apply to a stepparent?

Yes. A non-biological spouse or partner of a parent raises the allowance by 850 euros (§ 25 para. 3 no. 1 BAföG). That person’s income is also taken into account, so it belongs in the calculation.

Will the allowances change with the BAföG reform?

The government bill for the 30th amendment of the BAföG (Bundestag printed paper 21/8405, status 7 October 2026) provides for an annual increase of 1.5 percent, first from 1 August 2028. This is a draft. Until it is promulgated, today’s figures apply. See the guide to the BAföG reform 2027 (in German).

What if my parents’ income changes?

The relevant year is the one set out in § 24 BAföG, not the current year. If income changes clearly during the funding period, it can only be taken into account through a separate application (§ 24 para. 3 BAföG). The allowances themselves stay the same as long as the number of children does not change.

Where can I find the current amounts?

bafög.de lists the allowances clearly. The only binding decision, however, is the notice issued by the responsible BAföG office.

Next steps

1. Check whether your siblings are in an eligible training course. This decides whether the 770-euro supplement applies.
2. Clarify your parents’ marital status and whether a stepparent lives in the household.
3. Make a first estimate with the scheme above before you apply.
4. Ask the responsible BAföG office if you are unsure which details are required.

Related guides

• BAföG Rates 2026/27: Figures, Allowances and Limits
• Student Support Rate (BAföG) 2026: Amounts and Example
• Elternfreibetrag BAföG: glossary entry (in German)
• BAföG 2026: Rates, Housing Allowance and Exemptions (in German)
• BAföG Reform 2026: What Is Planned and What Is Settled (in German)

Sources: § 25 BAföG, parental income allowances (German law text) (status: October 2026); bafög.de, Which allowances are granted (German) (status: December 2025); Draft bill, 30th BAföG amendment, Bundestag printed paper 21/8405 (status: 7 October 2026).

Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.