Student housing benefit is only available if you are in principle not entitled to BAföG, for example in a second degree, after exceeding the BAföG age limit or the maximum funding period. Anyone who could receive BAföG is excluded, even if no money is paid because of parental income. You apply at the housing benefit office. How much you receive depends on your rent, your income and the size of your household.
Key points at a glance
- Housing benefit is excluded if you receive BAföG or could in principle receive it, even when the amount is zero.
- Housing benefit becomes possible in a second degree without BAföG eligibility, once the age limit or the maximum funding period has been exceeded, and when BAföG is only paid as a loan.
- You apply at the housing benefit office of your city or municipality. A rejection notice from the BAföG office serves as proof.
- The amount follows the general housing benefit rules and depends on rent, income and household size.
Housing benefit or BAföG: when do students receive housing benefit?
The basic rule is set out in Section 20(2) of the Housing Benefit Act (WoGG): anyone who receives or could in principle receive BAföG is excluded from housing benefit. This also applies if the BAföG amount is zero, for example because of your parents’ income. In households with several people, the exclusion applies if all household members could in principle receive BAföG.
An exception applies to BAföG that is paid only as a loan. Housing benefit approved for a period that begins with the start of training continues to be paid until the end of the approval period. For how BAföG itself works, see BAföG: eligibility, amount and repayment explained (in German).
| Your situation | Housing benefit |
|---|---|
| You receive BAföG | excluded |
| BAföG eligibility in principle, but €0 because of parental income | excluded |
| Training is not eligible for funding | possible |
| Second degree without BAföG requirements | possible |
| Age limit or maximum funding period exceeded | possible |
| Change of subject or dropping out without an important reason | possible |
| Missing proof of progress | possible |
| Funding from a scholarship foundation | possible |
| BAföG only paid as a loan | possible |
| Leave of absence | case by case, the housing benefit office decides |
Most of these exceptions are also listed by the Studierendenwerke. Whether one of them applies to you is ultimately decided by the housing benefit office. If in doubt, apply for BAföG first, because the rejection notice serves as proof at the housing benefit office.
The BAföG housing allowance is €380, while a shared-flat room costs €510 on average, which is €130 more. In 76 of the 90 university cities surveyed, the average rent is above the allowance. Housing benefit does not close this gap as long as you could in principle receive BAföG. Tips on how to find an affordable flat during your studies (in German) are in a separate article.
Housing benefit in a second degree, at the age limit and during a leave of absence
Is housing benefit possible in a second degree?
A second degree is only funded with BAföG under special conditions. If you do not meet them, you are in principle not eligible for BAföG and can apply for housing benefit. Whether this applies to you is decided by the BAföG office. Its rejection notice proves it to the housing benefit office.
What applies to the age limit and the maximum funding period?
BAföG is only available if you start your training before a certain age limit. If you have exceeded it, or used up the maximum funding period, you no longer receive BAföG and can have housing benefit checked. The same applies if proof of progress is missing, or if you changed subject or dropped out without an important reason.
Is there housing benefit during a leave of absence?
The housing benefit office decides this case by case. Ask there in advance and keep the leave of absence notice ready. Also clarify with the BAföG office how the leave of absence affects your BAföG.
Housing benefit application for students: where and with which documents?
You apply at the housing benefit office of your city, municipality or district. Its website has the form and tells you whether you can apply online. The office sets out which documents it needs. The following are typical.
- completed and signed application form
- identity card or passport
- tenancy agreement
- enrolment certificate
- proof of income for all household members, for example payslips
- rejection notice from the BAföG office if you apply for housing benefit because BAföG is not paid
Declare all income in full and truthfully. How long processing takes depends on the housing benefit office and on how complete your documents are. The approval period is stated in the notice, so arrange your follow-up application before it ends. How to challenge a notice is set out in the statement of legal remedies.
Housing benefit income limit and calculator: how much do students get?
Whether you receive housing benefit, and how much, depends on your rent, the total income of all household members and the number of people in the household. The general rules apply to students. A high income can also lead to a rejection. There is therefore no fixed sum for all students, because the housing benefit office calculates each case individually.
An online housing benefit calculator gives a rough estimate if you enter your rent, ancillary costs and income accurately. Only the notice from the housing benefit office is binding. Housing benefit was last increased by about 15 percent on 1 January 2025, and the next adjustment is planned for 2027. Amounts for that are not yet available.
Students with a child: what applies to housing benefit?
For the exclusion, the entire household counts. You are entitled to housing benefit if at least one household member is not eligible for BAföG, for example your child. Whether this applies to you, and in what amount, is calculated by the housing benefit office. For BAföG, a childcare supplement of €160 per child under 14 is added. What else you are entitled to as a student with a child is set out in the article on studying with a baby (in German).
What helps when neither BAföG nor housing benefit is paid?
Child benefit for students is generally paid until the 25th birthday, currently €259 a month. A separate article shows how long child benefit lasts during your studies (in German), and another takes you through the child benefit application step by step (in German).
If your parents do not meet their statutory maintenance obligation, the family benefits office can pay the child benefit directly to you on written application (diversion, form KG 17a). The entitlement to child benefit remains with your parents, and the family benefits office hears them.
Basic income support, called Bürgergeld until 30 June 2026, is generally not an alternative for students. If you are in training that is in principle eligible for BAföG, you have no claim to subsistence benefits (Section 7(5) SGB II). Exceptions exist, for example when a BAföG application has been filed but not yet decided.
Frequently asked questions
Will I get housing benefit if my parents earn too much?
Usually not. The exclusion also applies if no BAföG is paid because of parental income, as long as you would in principle be eligible for BAföG. What matters is whether your training is eligible for funding, not whether you actually receive payments. Whether an exception applies is shown by the rejection notice from the BAföG office.
Is housing benefit possible in a second degree?
It can be, if your second degree does not meet the BAföG requirements. Apply for BAföG first, because the rejection notice serves as proof at the housing benefit office. If the BAföG office funds your second degree, housing benefit remains excluded.
Can I get housing benefit during a leave of absence?
The housing benefit office decides this case by case. Ask there beforehand and keep the leave of absence notice ready. Also clarify with the BAföG office how the leave of absence affects your BAföG.
How much housing benefit do students get?
This cannot be stated in general terms. The housing benefit office calculates it from your rent, your total income and the number of household members. An online calculator gives you a first guide, but the notice sets the amount.
Here is what to do now
- Ask the BAföG office whether you could in principle receive BAföG, and get a rejection in writing.
- Check the website of your housing benefit office for the documents it requires and whether you can apply online.
- Gather your tenancy agreement, enrolment certificate and proof of income for all household members.
- Try an online calculator for a rough estimate before you apply.
- Note the end of the approval period and apply for the follow-up in good time.
Related articles
- Child benefit for students: eligibility and application (in German)
- BAföG: eligibility, amount and repayment explained (in German)
- Finding an affordable flat during your studies (in German)
- Pregnant during your studies: rights, money and insurance at a glance (in German)
- Second degree: costs, BAföG, child benefit and tax (in German)
- Studying with a child: money, supplements and insurance (in German)
- Parental allowance during your studies: minimum amount, application and BAföG (in German)
- Maintenance for children in education: amount and duration 2026 (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
