BaföG (state funding)
BAföG is the common abbreviation for "Bundesausbildungs-förderungsgesetz" (German Federal Training Assistance Act). Under this law, students can receive financial support to secure their livelihood, provided they meet certain conditions.
If the student's parents do not earn enough to pay for the student's upkeep, the state normally grants a monthly subsidy of up to €735 for the duration of the standard period of study in accordance with the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG). Half of the funding is provided as a grant and half as an interest-free loan. Of this loan, a maximum of €10,000 must be repaid later (as of 2016).
Different assessment bases apply for studying abroad, so that applying for benefits can be worthwhile even if the student is otherwise not entitled to BAföG.
BAföG benefits are granted according to income or assets. The application should be made in the city where the university is located, not in the student's place of residence. Students of the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt should submit their application for BAföG to the Studierendenwerk Thüringen (Thuringia Student Services).
