A hardship fund (Härtefallfonds) is a pot from which universities or student services organisations help students in an acute financial emergency. It is not a statutory social benefit but voluntary help, and each institution sets its own rules. If you want to benefit from it, you should know the regulations of your own university or student services organisation.
Short answer: A hardship fund is voluntary help from universities or student services organisations for students in an emergency that they did not cause and cannot otherwise avert. There is no legal entitlement. Often the help is an interest-free loan rather than a grant. Last updated: October 2026, using the example of the Leipzig regulations dated 11 February 2025.
The Most Important Points at a Glance
- A hardship fund is voluntary help. There is no entitlement to it.
- The emergency must be unavoidable and must not be your own fault.
- Often an interest-free loan is granted, and a grant only in exceptional cases.
- The amount is decided case by case and depends on the funds available.
- The rules differ by institution. Ask the student counselling service (Sozialberatung) of your student services organisation or your university.
Who Can Use a Hardship Fund?
As a rule, eligible are students at the universities for which the respective institution is responsible. The regulations of the Leipzig student services organisation (Studentenwerk Leipzig), for example, require that the semester fee has been paid. You also need to show that you did not cause your emergency yourself. Incomplete applications are not processed there.
Which Emergencies Are Recognised?
Typical cases are costs for your studies, for living expenses, for health insurance or for the semester fee that you temporarily cannot pay from your own resources. What matters is that the situation cannot be averted otherwise. If another benefit can resolve it, the hardship fund usually does not apply. A general overview of funding is in our guide to financing your studies without BAföG.
Loan or Grant: What Do You Get?
The form of help depends on the institution. The regulations of Studentenwerk Leipzig, version dated 11 February 2025, serve as an example.
| Feature | Example: Studentenwerk Leipzig |
|---|---|
| Form of help | Usually an interest-free loan without a guarantor, a grant only in justified exceptions |
| Repayment | Usually agreed within three months |
| Maximum amount | None stated, decided case by case within the available funds |
| Frequency | Usually only once during your studies |
| Legal entitlement | None |
Last updated: October 2026. Source: regulations on allocating help from the hardship fund of Studentenwerk Leipzig, version dated 11 February 2025. Assumption: you receive a loan of 600 euros and must repay it within three months. That would be 200 euros a month.
How Does the Hardship Fund Differ From the BAföG Hardship Rule?
BAföG has its own hardship rule in section 23(5). On special application, part of your income can remain exempt from being counted if it is needed for special training costs that are not covered by the needs rate. The upper limit is 390 euros a month (as of October 2026, gesetze-im-internet.de). The rule is set out in the law, and the BAföG office decides in each individual case. A hardship fund, by contrast, is voluntary help from the institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get help from a hardship fund more than once?
That depends on the regulations. Studentenwerk Leipzig usually grants help only once during your studies. Other institutions set different rules, so ask before you apply.
Do I have to attend counselling in person?
That varies by institution. In Leipzig, personal counselling rather than email is generally expected. Ask in advance which documents and steps are required.
Where do I apply?
Usually the student counselling service of the student services organisation or a unit of the university is responsible. The exact contact point is on your university’s website, where you will also find the current regulations.
Does an interest-free loan burden me?
It increases your debts, though without interest. Plan the repayment early, because the deadlines are often short. If you cannot meet the repayment, speak to the institution early.
Related Reading
- Studying Without BAföG: Your Funding Options
- BAföG 2026: Eligibility, Amount and Repayment Explained
- Student loan comparison, criteria and rates 2026
- Student funding in figures 2026/27: BAföG, child benefit and allowances (in German)
Sources: Regulations on allocating help from the hardship fund, Studentenwerk Leipzig, version dated 11 February 2025 · Section 23 BAföG, gesetze-im-internet.de, as of October 2026.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
