Financial support for students

The BMBF continues to support students throughout the winter semester with BAföG, other grants, and interest-free student loans. Students can apply for these starting on November 20, 2020.

From November 20, students who are facing hardship due to the pandemic can once again apply for temporary aid from the federal government in the form of a subsidy. Due to current developments relating to the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) has resolved to provide this help from November for the entire winter semester, i.e. up to March 31, 2021. The second component of the temporary aid for students - the KfW student loan scheme - has also been extended. Loans will be interest-free over the entire year of 2021.

The Federal Minister for Education, Anja Karliczek, explained: "We are not leaving students on their own during this pandemic. Just like in the summer, we will again offer subsidies up to the end of the winter semester as part of a temporary aid package for students who face hardship in the pandemic. This is how we intend to help students who have temporarily lost earning opportunities or the support of their parents due to the measures introduced to stem the pandemic. Our support package in the months from June to September was a success. I'd like to thank the Deutsches Studentenwerk and the individual student support organizations for their willingness to once again take care of the implementation. Because of the ongoing nature of the pandemic, we have introduced a number of changes and simplifications to the application and approval process in the student support organizations. This will help everybody, including students in their first semester, to more easily prove their hardship due to the pandemic."

In the same way as in the period from June to September, applicants must exclusively use the online tool.

This portal automatically passes on applications to the student support organization responsible for them. For students at the University of Siegen, this is the Studierendenwerk Siegen.

Eligible for the aid are students who, at the time of submitting their application, are registered at a state-run or state-recognized university in Germany, reside in Germany, and are not on a sabbatical. This applies to both German and foreign students and without any age limit. The subsidy will be paid monthly up to an amount of EUR 500 depending on the proven level of hardship.

Detlef Rujanski, Head of the Studierendenwerk Siegen, explains: "Here in Siegen, we've put together a dedicated team so that we can process the applications for aid rapidly. We want the students to get the money into their accounts quickly so that they can cover their costs of living."

The Minister for Education, Ms. Karliczek, explained that the most important instrument of financing studies remains the BAföG grant system: "In this legislation period and during the pandemic, we have already made a lot of improvements and simplified processes with the result that students on average receive higher grants. That's why I advise students to first check their possible entitlement to BAföG and apply for BAföG before they take advantage of our temporary aid or a KfW student loan."

FAQ about temporary aid provided by the BMBF.

BMBF hotline for temporary aid (please read the FAQs first, then the hotline will answer other questions you may have):
Phone: 0800 26 23 003
Email: ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende@bmbf.bund.de

Contact at the Studierendenwerk Siegen (for individual questions about applications):
Email: ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende@studierendenwerk.uni-siegen.de