General Description
The BAföG is the main German state-sponsored student support scheme. Students enrolled in degree courses at a German university are entitled to receive a monthly stipend of up to 670 euro a month (the exact amount depends on various factors including the housing and health insurance situation of the applicant, as well as the income, savings, and assets of the applicant, and those of his/her spouse or parents; 50% of the stipend is awarded as a scholarship, and the rest as an interest-free loan). The duration of financial assistance is based on the standard period of study (Regelstudienzeit) for the chosen discipline.
Requirements
Applicants must be registered as regular non-doctoral students at a higher education institution headquartered in Germany. Financial assistance is provided if the student's achievements give reason to expect that he or she will attain the desired training goal. This is generally assumed as long as attendance and participation requirements are met. Students must provide evidence of progress in their studies at the end of the fourth semester (or at the end of the second semester if the study plan includes intermediate exams to be taken before that date). These scholarships are means-tested. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Germany; the age limit for candidates is set at 30 years if they are studying a Bachelor´s degree and 35 years for Master´s degree students.