Funding According to the German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG)
Under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), the state provides financial support for higher education if neither the student themselves nor their parents, spouse or partner in a registered civil partnership are able to cover the costs of living and education.
Information, links and points of contact regarding BAföG
BAföG payments are generally granted half as a state grant and half as an interest-free loan. The amount of funding depends, amongst other things, on the type of course and the student’s personal and financial circumstances. Repayment begins no earlier than 5 years after the end of the maximum funding period for the first course of study undertaken. The maximum amount to be repaid is 10,010 Euro. The instalments amount to 130 Euro per month; repayment is income-dependent.
BAföG can also be used to support a stay abroad. In special situations, the parents' income is not taken into account, you could receive parent-independent funding. You can also apply for grants and loans to bridge short-term bottlenecks, e. g. when you graduate.
Information and advice is available at the BAföG office of the Studentenwerk Potsdam. You can also apply for funding there.
The BAföG calculator helps you to calculate your possible entitlement in advance, but does not always provide reliable results.