Frequently asked questions (FAQs) - studierendenwerk darmstadt

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General information

The application can be submitted completely digitally at www.bafög-digital.de. The digital application is sufficient. It is not necessary to send a signed application by post or e-mail!

What documents are required for funding a Master's programme?

To apply for educational support for the Master's programme, you will need the documents of an initial application and proof of completion of the Bachelor's degree. The application can be submitted completely digitally at www.bafoeg-digital.de.

If the Bachelor's degree has not yet been completed and admission to the Master's programme is conditional, funding can be provided for a maximum of 12 months subject to repayment. Proof of provisional admission is required for verification.

When are BAföG benefits paid out?

The grant is paid out monthly in advance. This means that payment is always made at the end of the previous month for the following month. If you have not received a grant in a particular month, please check your notification.

Exemption from the obligation to pay the licence fee

All students who receive BAföG and do not live with their parents have the option of being exempted from the obligation to pay the licence fee. It is important that the rented property is not owned/part-owned by one or both parents. After submitting the rental agreement or the registration certificate, you will receive a certificate of exemption from the obligation to pay the licence fee from your local education support office.

Not received the certificate? Please contact your administrator.

What changes must the BAföG office be informed of?

Changes are part of life. As they may affect the amount of BAföG funding, they must be reported to the office immediately. This applies in particular to

Personal circumstances:

e.g. discontinuation of studies, end of studies, change of subject, internship semester, leave of absence, study abroad, change of university, relocation, change of tenancy, change of bank details, income, marital status, other

Parents/spouse/siblings:

z. e.g. marital status, end or start of sibling's education, siblings moving out of parental home, etc.

How do I communicate changes?

Of course via BAföG-Digital - a change notification is available there, which reaches us immediately after sending.

Applicant

How high is my demand?

The requirement is usually made up of the basic requirement and the supplement for accommodation. In addition, it is possible to receive a supplement for health and long-term care insurance as well as a childcare supplement if the requirements are met.

Click here for the current amounts.

What is the age limit for BAföG entitlement?

You are entitled to BAföG funding if you start your studies before the age of 45. If you have already reached the age of 45 at the start of your studies, you can only receive BAföG under certain conditions. Reasons for this are, for example, if the admission requirements for the degree programme were achieved via the 2nd educational pathway, child rearing, etc. This applies to both Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes.

How much can I earn in addition to my BAföG without it being deducted?

The calculation period is the approval period set by the BAföG office. For a period of 12 months, approximately €6,456.00 may be earned from non-self-employed work in addition to BAföG without this being deducted from the amount of funding. This corresponds to a monthly average of approx. €538. If the approval period is shorter than 12 months, the sum must be adjusted accordingly to the shorter period.

What should I do when I start a voluntary internship?

In any case, you must inform your responsible office for educational support. Please also state whether the voluntary internship is part-time or full-time. You should also submit your internship contract and state the amount you expect to be paid for the internship.

Taking up a voluntary internship can have a significant impact on your entitlement to BAföG funding. We recommend that you seek advice from your case officer before taking up an internship.

BAföG and scholarships - is that possible?

There are scholarships that can be received in addition to educational support without affecting the amount of support. Others, on the other hand, affect the amount of funding or even completely exclude BAföG funding, e.g. a scholarship from a scholarship organisation for gifted students.

Check with your education funding office before taking up the scholarship.

When is Form 5 due and what is it for?

From the fifth semester onwards, educational support will only be provided if the educational institution certifies that the usual achievements of the respective semester have been achieved. Form 05 must therefore be completed by the training centre. A transcript of records is not sufficient in this case (exception: Protestant University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt).

What are the consequences of dropping out or ending my studies?

Cancellation or completion of studies generally terminates the entitlement to educational funding. The Office for Educational Assistance must be informed immediately by submitting the relevant evidence (e.g. certificate of exmatriculation, degree certificate) in order to avoid overpayments.

Do I receive BAföG funding if I am on leave of absence from my studies?

In principle, there is no entitlement to BAföG funding for a semester on leave. It is irrelevant whether a semester of leave was applied for before the start of the semester or was retroactively approved by the university. Semesters on leave are not included in the maximum funding period.

My application was rejected due to missing documents. Can I still get BAföG?

If the application was rejected due to incompleteness, you have the option of submitting the missing documents. If the application is completed within one month, you can receive benefits retroactively from the month of application.

Who should I contact regarding my BAföG repayment?

Half of the BAföG grant is a gift. The other half is an interest-free loan. The Federal Office of Administration in Cologne is responsible for repaying the legitimate loan amounts. Please direct all questions and concerns to this office.

What options are there for repaying a reclaim?

If you have received a notice of repayment because you have to pay back too much BAföG funding and you are unable to repay this in one amount from your income or assets within four weeks, you can apply for a deferral with payment by instalments.

Please contact your administrator in this regard. Once the documents have been checked, you will be informed whether and under what conditions payment by instalments can be granted.

Please note that this does not include repayment of the loan portion to the Federal Office of Administration!

Parents/spouse

Do I have to submit Form 3 for both parents if my parents are jointly assessed for income tax and also have a joint income tax assessment?

Yes, both parents must fill in and submit form 03.

What do I have to submit if one parent does not work in the relevant calendar year?

In any case, a Form 03 must also be submitted for a non-working parent. On page 3, you have the option of ticking the box to indicate that no income was earned in the relevant calendar year.

What is the difference between a wage tax statement and an income tax assessment?

Employees receive the income tax statement from their employers at the end of the year. The income tax assessment is issued by the tax office after an income tax return has been submitted. However, an income tax return must be actively submitted to the tax office for this purpose.

What do I do if my parents/spouse have not yet received the income tax assessment for the relevant calendar year?

In this case, all income details must be provided in full on Form 03 and all proof of income such as payslips, income tax calculation, etc. must be submitted. The grant will be paid subject to reclaim. The income tax assessment will be requested in due course and the final calculation of the authorisation period will be made.

What can I do if my parents earn significantly less during the period of authorisation (e.g. retirement, unemployment) than in the relevant calendar year?

You have the option of submitting an application to update the income of a parent or your spouse by the end of the authorisation period if they earn significantly less than in the relevant calendar year. In this case, the current income for the full calendar years covered by the authorisation period will be used for the calculation. In addition to Form 07, we then require evidence of the relevant income years (e.g. income tax statement, individual statements, etc.) and any estimates of the period in the future. If an update is approved, BAföG funding will be granted subject to reclaim. The period will be finalised in due course.

What do I do if I don't know one or both parents/ have no contact with one or both parents and don't know where they are?

An additional declaration on the unknown place of residence of a parent can be completed here in accordance with § 11 Para. 2a BAföG. Please contact your responsible administrator.

How can I receive parent-independent BAföG?

In principle, BAföG training grants are calculated on the basis of the parents' income from the calendar year before last. The requirements for parental-independent support are defined by law.

The parents' income is not taken into account if the trainee

has reached the age of 30 at the start of the training period,
has been employed for five years at the start of the training period after reaching the age of 18, or
has been gainfully employed for three years at the start of the training period after completing at least three years of previous vocational training or, in the case of shorter training, for a correspondingly longer period.

The trainee must have been in a position to support him/herself from his/her earnings during the years of employment.

What should I do if my parents do not cooperate or my studies are at risk?

If your parents or one of your parents refuse to submit the required income documents or to pay you the maintenance amount calculated in the BAföG notification, you can submit an application for advance payment (form 08) to the responsible office. As there are still many questions to be clarified in most cases, have the advance payment procedure explained to you in detail in advance and seek advice from your education support office.

Contact

Student financing

Mensa Lichtwiese

Peter-Grünberg-Straße 3
64287 Darmstadt

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Postal address:
Studierendenwerk Darmstadt
Studienfinanzierung
Postfach 10 13 21
64213 Darmstadt