Expecting a regular salary during the Referendariat (traineeship) falls short. You do not receive a salary in the usual sense, but trainee allowances (Anwärterbezüge). Whether you are a civil servant on probation (Beamter auf Widerruf) as a trainee teacher, or a legal trainee with a maintenance allowance (Unterhaltsbeihilfe), depends on your state and subject. The trainee teacher salary in particular varies considerably by state. This page only lists values for which a source exists. States without a verified amount do not appear in the tables.
Short answer
Your pay during the traineeship depends on your state and your career path. Trainee teachers receive a trainee basic amount that is set by state law. Legal trainees receive a maintenance allowance in most states. The tables below list only amounts with a source and a status date for each state.
How do teacher training and legal traineeship differ?
Trainee teachers hold a public-law employment relationship. The state pays the trainee basic amount under its own pay rules. Depending on the state, supplements apply, for example for family. Legal trainees are supported through a maintenance allowance. The length of the preparatory service and the insurance position also differ. The insurance question is covered in the guides Health allowance during the traineeship (in German) and Health insurance after the traineeship (in German).
Trainee teacher salary by state
| State | Trainee allowance per month (gross) | Source and status |
|---|---|---|
| Bavaria | €1,735.21 (A 13). With supplement €1,770.08 | Annex 10 BayBesG, valid from 1 February 2025 |
| Berlin | €1,667.47 (A 13). With supplement €1,706.14 | GVBl. Berlin No. 3 of 31 January 2025, annex 3, valid from 1 November 2024 |
| Hesse | €1,868.96 (A 13). With supplement €1,916.59 | GVBl. 2026 No. 57, annex VI, valid from 1 July 2026 |
| Lower Saxony | €1,761.92 (grammar schools, vocational schools). €1,722.66 (primary schools, lower secondary and intermediate schools, special needs education) | Ministry of Culture Lower Saxony, valid from 1 April 2026 |
Maintenance allowance for legal trainees by state
| State | Maintenance allowance per month | Source and status |
|---|---|---|
| North Rhine-Westphalia | €1,585.17 (basic amount, family supplement added on top) | Ordinance on the maintenance allowance, valid from 1 April 2026 |
Why the amounts cannot simply be compared
Comparing trainee amounts on their own says little. Supplements, duration and deductions are often regulated differently. Family supplements, allowances for certain locations and the question of whether you bear health allowance or health insurance contributions yourself all change the net result. When you compare, look at the gross and net amounts and the date of the table. Also check whether your subject has its own rate under state law.
How to proceed now
- Check whether you are doing teacher training or a legal traineeship, because that determines the legal basis for your pay.
- Read the current version of your state’s pay or maintenance allowance regulation.
- Ask the responsible office in your state which supplements apply to you.
- Calculate with the net amount rather than the gross figure, and plan your health insurance at the same time.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get a salary or BAföG during the traineeship?
For trainee teachers the pay is called trainee allowance. For legal trainees it is usually a maintenance allowance. Whether other training support is possible is decided by the responsible office in each individual case.
Do I have to pay tax on the allowances?
Trainee allowances and maintenance allowances can be subject to income tax. Whether and how much depends on your total income and your personal situation. Your tax office or a tax adviser can clarify this.
Sources and checks
All amounts come from state law or official publications. Retrieved 20 October 2026. Sources by state:
- Bavaria: Annex 10 BayBesG, valid from 1 February 2025, gesetze-bayern.de
- Berlin: GVBl. Berlin No. 3 of 31 January 2025, annex 3, berlin.de
- Hesse: GVBl. 2026 No. 57, annex VI, verkuendung.hessen.de
- Lower Saxony: Ministry of Culture, status 1 April 2026, mk.niedersachsen.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia, maintenance allowance: ordinance in the version valid from 1 April 2026, recht.nrw.de
- Saxony: Adjustment act on remuneration and pensions 2026 to 2028, revosax.sachsen.de
States missing from the tables have no verified primary source in this version. We will add them once the amount is available in state law or from the payroll office. For North Rhine-Westphalia an increase from 1 August 2026 has been announced. For Saxony an increase of €60 from 1 April 2026 is planned under the adjustment act 2026 to 2028.
Information, not individual advice.
Editorial team: Academycon · Last updated: October 2026
If you want to run through your situation during the traineeship, start the online check at check.academycon.de.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
