Parental Allowance for Students: Minimum Amount, Application and BAföG

In short

Parental allowance for students: you are entitled to it even while you study. The minimum amount is €300 a month and the maximum is €1,800 a month. You apply at the parental allowance office responsible for your place of residence. The application can be backdated by up to three months. Whether and how parental allowance affects your BAföG, you should clarify in writing with the BAföG office beforehand.

Am I entitled to parental allowance for students?

Yes. Parental allowance does not depend on your student status. You need a place of residence in Germany, and you must care for and raise the child yourself. There is also a rule on employment: while you receive the benefit, you may not work more than 32 hours a week. This applies even if you have a job alongside your studies.

If you did not work before the birth, you still receive the minimum amount. Your entitlement then does not depend on your earlier income. Studying does not count as employment under the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (BEEG) if your university registers you as a student. A side job with an employment contract, however, is counted as employment.

How much parental allowance do students receive?

The amount depends on your net income from employment in the twelve months before the birth. The benefit replaces 67 percent of that income. If your income is lower, the minimum amount is paid. The following example shows the calculation for parental allowance as a student with a minijob.

1. Net income from the minijob before the birth: €520 a month.
2. Replacement rate of 67 percent: €520 × 0.67 = €348.40.
3. Comparison with the minimum amount: €348.40 is above €300, so the calculated amount applies.
4. Without employment income before the birth, the minimum amount of €300 a month applies.

These figures are a simplified calculation. The parental allowance office determines the actual amount on the basis of your income records. Sibling bonuses, multiple births and partner months change the total.

How do I apply?

You submit the application for parental allowance as a student to the parental allowance office responsible for your place of residence. Many cities also offer an online application. You will need the birth certificate, proof of your income for the past twelve months and a certificate from your university confirming your student status. The parental allowance office checks whether you work fewer than 32 hours a week in the months after the birth.

Backdating by up to three months only applies if you already had the entitlement during that period. If you apply later, you lose the months before the application month. That is why applying early is worthwhile, even if the documents are not yet complete. You can submit them later.

What does parental allowance mean for my BAföG?

Whether parental allowance is offset against your BAföG cannot be answered in general terms. It depends on the type of benefit and on the funding period. That is why you should speak to the BAföG office before you start receiving the benefit and get the answer in writing. A verbal answer is not sufficient in a dispute.

Independently of parental allowance, the child can change your funding in its own right. With a child, BAföG provides a separate childcare supplement. The article BAföG with a child: childcare supplement and extension (in German) describes it.

Which deadlines apply?

1. Before the birth: clarify your residence, employment and entitlement with the parental allowance office.
2. After the birth: apply as early as possible, at the latest by the end of the child’s first month of life.
3. In parallel: notify the BAföG office of the birth and ask about the offset.
4. During your studies: check whether you need to extend exam deadlines and agree this with the examination office.

Frequently asked questions

Do I get parental allowance as a student?

Yes. Being a student is not a reason to exclude you from parental allowance. What matters are your place of residence, the care of the child and your employment, not your status as a student.

What is the minimum parental allowance?

The minimum amount is €300 a month. It also applies if you did not work before the birth.

How far back can I claim parental allowance?

The benefit can be claimed retroactively for up to three months before the application month. Do not wait too long with your application.

Is parental allowance offset against BAföG?

This needs to be checked on a case-by-case basis and clarified in writing with the BAföG office beforehand. A general answer is not possible.

Related articles

• Pregnant while studying: what you need to know now (in German)
• Child benefit during studies: entitlement and requirements (in German)
• Studying with a child: money and insurance (in German)
• BAföG with a child: childcare supplement and extension (in German)

Sources and verification

• Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act (BEEG), sections 2, 4, 7 and 12, gesetze-im-internet.de, retrieved 20 October 2026.
• Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, information page on parental allowance with the minimum and maximum amount, retrieved 20 October 2026.
• kita.de, article on parental allowance, status 8 September 2026, retrieved 20 October 2026. Secondary source, figures checked against the law.
• Student services, page on parental allowance and BAföG, no update date, retrieved 20 October 2026. Secondary source for the offset.

Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
Editorial team: Academycon

If you want to go through your situation with a child and studies in detail, the next step is the online check from Academycon.

Last updated: October 2026. This guide does not replace individual advice.