in 🇩🇪 Germany

Supplements

Supplements for BAföG to Finance Vocational Training (Berufsausbildung) in Germany 2025

In addition to the basic needs and housing allowance, various supplements can be granted under BAföG to account for the specific life circumstances of the applicant. These supplements increase the overall need and aim to ensure that applicants who have additional financial burdens receive adequate support. The most important supplements are the health and long-term care insurance supplement as well as the childcare supplement.

Health and Long-Term Care Insurance Supplement

Apprentices who are independently insured for health and long-term care during their Vocational Training (Ausbildung) receive a supplement to the regular needs rates. This supplement is granted to cover the costs of voluntary or private health and long-term care insurance. The current amounts are:

  • 94 euros per month: Supplement for health insurance
  • 28 euros per month: Supplement for long-term care insurance

This supplement is only granted if the applicant bears the contributions to health and long-term care insurance themselves. Applicants who are family insured through their parents do not receive this supplement.

Childcare Supplement

A childcare supplement is granted for apprentices with their own children under the age of 14. This supplement currently amounts to 160 euros per month per child and is intended to cover childcare costs during Vocational Training (Ausbildung). The supplement is paid regardless of whether the applicant is a single parent or living in a partnership.

Additional Needs for Single Parents

Single parent apprentices can claim an additional need under certain conditions. This supplement is intended to compensate for the special financial burdens arising from the sole responsibility for the care and support of the children. The amount of this supplement is determined individually.

Foreign Supplements

For apprentices who complete part of their Vocational Training (Ausbildung) abroad, there are specific foreign supplements. These supplements are intended to cover higher living costs and special expenses during the stay abroad. They include:

  • Travel Cost Supplement: Reimbursement of costs for round trip travel to the training location abroad.
  • Supplement for Living Costs: An additional amount based on the living costs in the respective country.
  • Supplement for Semester Fees Abroad: Coverage of tuition fees up to a certain maximum amount when the training takes place at a foreign educational institution.

Graduation Supplement

For apprentices who are in the last twelve months of their Vocational Training (Ausbildung), a supplement may be granted to support graduation. This supplement aims to provide applicants with more time to prepare for final exams by compensating for a potential loss of secondary employment.

Special Regulations

Some supplements are automatically considered in the BAföG calculation when the relevant evidence is provided. This particularly includes the health and long-term care insurance supplement as well as the childcare supplement. Other supplements, such as the additional needs for single parents or the foreign supplements, must be applied for separately.

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