German students can apply for BAföG, but under certain circumstances, foreign students can receive benefits too.

It is not possible to say universally if you will receive BAFöG as an international student or not. It depends on diffenrent thing:
Students who came to Germany solely to study (for example with a student visa) are not eligible. Asylum seekers and asylum applicants are also not eligible.

Foreign students can receive BAföG if they …

• are citizens of the European Union and have a right to permanent residence in line with the EU’s Freedom of Movement Law or are foreign students with a permanent residence permit
• or one parent are or were employed in Germany and have a corresponding residence permit
• are recognized refugees

Please clarify directly with the Amt für Ausbildungsförderung (Office for Educational Funding) if you can get BAföG.

Education systems eligible for benefits are schools, vocational schools, universities, universities of applied sciences, academies and colleges. The Studierendenwerk is only responsible for the funding of students.

Immediately after your admission or enrolment at your university! If the application is approved, you will get BAföG beginning the month of the start of your education – but at the earliest in the month of your application.

Please clarify first with the Amt für Ausbildungsföderung (Office for Educational Funding) if you get BAföG as a foreign student. If yes you can apply with a “quick application” (Kurzantrag) first in order to keep the deadline. All further forms are in German.
You can also make the application online with the Online-Tool "BAföG Digital".

The amount of the BAföG-funding depends on the student’s earnings and assets as well as the earnings of his or her parents, spouse or registered partner. The maximum amount is as follows: If you still live with your parents it’s 592 Euros, otherwise it’s 861 Euros (both if you are below 30 years of age). (Valid from winter semester 2020/21)

Please allow for eight weeks before the first payment will arrive after you have handed in the complete forms and documents. At busy times during the start of the semester it might take longer. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

The maximum duration of support is determined by the standard period of study in the subject field, independently of whether you actually received BAföG services for the total period of time in your education or training. The maximum duration of support is also stated in your grant approval. Students who have to look after close family members (from care level 3 onwards) can also apply for a maximum of two semesters of BAföG beyond the maximum period of funding.

Educational support can be granted if you have not yet turned 30 at the beginning of the period of education (35 for Master’s courses). In exceptional cases, e.g. if you are raising children under 14 years, you can receive support later than this.

If you change your field of study before the beginning of the fourth semester, you are still eligible for support if the change is for “important reasons”. In the first two semesters, the law usually assumes there are “important reasons”, after the beginning of the third semester you must give reasons for the change. Please seek information from us before changing so you do not lose your entitlement to support.

In general, educational support is provided per year. Thereafter the application for support must be repeated. If made in full at the latest two (better three) months before the old approval period ends, your BAföG payments can continue without interruption.