Financial assistance

The hardship fund is an interest-free loan of up to 2,000 euros that can provide rapid assistance in an emergency financial situation. Further information can be found under ‘Student credit and loans’.

Links

• Student credit and loans

Seezeit provides support for students with emergency assistance (Nothilfe) in severe emergency financial situations that are not covered by other social benefits or other funding options. The aim is to enable students to continue to study successfully. The maximum level of support is up to 300 euros, for a maximum of three consecutive months. You can apply at the social counselling department if you are registered at any of the universities under our supervision.

The fund is largely financed by Seezeit; Since 2016, the University of Konstanz Alumni Association has also supported our emergency aid for students of the University of Konstanz.

Downloads

• Guidlines Seezeit Nothilfe
• Application Seezeit Nothilfe

Note: To fill out the application directly on the computer, you have to download it first and save it on the device.

Every child is entitled to maintenance. Legitimate and illegitimate children are classed the same for this purpose. The level of maintenance is based on the ‘Düsseldorf Table’ and is income-related. Only whenever the parents’ income is below a certain level does the government assist in student financing via BAföG.

Taken as a benchmark value, the normal requirement for a child studying full-time who is not living with their parents is 812 euros per month (excl. potential personal health insurance contributions by the student and excluding tuition fees).

If your parents do not wish or are unable to pay, you can make an advance application at the relevant BAföG office in accordance with § 36 BAföG. The office will evaluate your prospects for success and can then make a claim against the persons liable for maintenance payments where appropriate.

Links

• Düsseldorf Table
• Deutsches Studentenwerk: Information on maintenance
• BAföG office
• Studis Online: Maintenance entitlement
• Studis Online: Advance payment procedure as per BAföG

This is a state benefit aimed at helping to secure the livelihood of children and relieving the financial burden on dependent parents. For children currently going through education, the entitlement to child benefit normally lasts until the child reaches the age of 25. Applications for child benefit must be received from the parents in writing at the Familienkasse (family desk) of the relevant agency.

Who is entitled to this benefit?
The parents are normally eligible. If, however, the parents provide very little or no support, the child can apply for the money to be paid to them directly (so-called ‘Abzweigung’ [diverted payments] in accordance with § 74 EStG). For children reaching full maturity, child benefit can be awarded up to their 25th birthday. Parents living apart can agree collectively which of them should receive the child benefit.
A leave of absence from studies is regarded as an interruption and can lead to the cessation of child benefit payments. In the case of leave from studies as a result of illness and existing university affiliation, the child benefit entitlement is not interrupted see also link Diensanordnung A 15.7 as well as under A 15.11.
Interruption for a voluntary internship see under A 15.8. para. 3

Child benefit for student parents

If students receive benefits for their own children, their own entitlement to child benefit is subject to the same conditions as for children reaching full maturity. Their educational status is only lost if they take a leave of absence from their studies! If only one semester - and no longer - is taken off for the birth of a child, the student will be considered until the beginning of the semester. If the absence of leave is extended due to bringing up a child, there is no entitlement to child benefit! Cf. official regulations link A 15.11

How much money can I get?
Child benefit is tax-free income and the following monthly payments have been awarded since 1 July 2019:

• € 250.00 per child

Application
You can obtain the required application forms from the Familienkasse at your employment agency. It is also possible to complete applications online, print them off and send a signed copy in the post. Application

Forms can be also be obtained from the relevant Familienkasse:

Responsibility for Konstanz,Ravensburg and Weingarten
Familienkasse Baden-Württemberg-Ost
Schützenstrasse 69
88212 Ravensburg
Tel +49 800 - 4 5555 30 (child benefit and child supplement)
Tel +49 800 - 4 5555 33 (payment dates)
familienkasse-ravensburg[at]arbeitsagentur.de

Links

• Familienkasse at the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)
• Official regulations for child benefit

Entitlement to orphan's pension exists whenever one or both parents are deceased and the general qualifying period for pension insurance has been completed. This is five years. You can apply for this directly with the pension insurance provider or at your local insurance office (located at the local or municipal government offices).

Just as with child benefit, (half)orphan’s pension is also payable upon reaching your 18th birthday provided the following conditions are complied with:

• educational status is available
• personal income of the surviving dependant does not lead to discontinuation of pension
• the surviving dependant is under 27 years of age

It is possible to receive benefits during the interim period, e.g. from exam time to starting an internship provided that the admission to the internship takes place within 4 months of the exams.

Information on levels of orphan's pension and other information can be found here:

Links

• German pension insurance for orphan's pension

As a rule: students whose education and/or studies are eligible for ‘merit-based’ funding through the BAföG, vocational training grants or education allowance have no entitlement to Citizen's Income.

‘Merit-based’ in this case means that it doesn’t matter whether an application is submitted for BAföG or whether benefits are being received at all. The decisive factor is that the educational training is eligible for funding, which is a disqualifying criterion in the first place for the receipt of Cititizens's Income.

However, there are exception and it’s therefore worthwhile doing some research on the subject. You are welcome to contact us:
 

• in the event of leave of absence due to sickness or pregnancy
• for the month that first-year students are admitted onto a course of study, as long as a decision has not yet been reached regarding the BAföG, the student is not living with their parents and has previously been in receipt of ALG II (§ 27 (3) (4) SGB II) see ‘special information’ link, 27.19
• additional needs due to pregnancy from week 12 onwards (§ 21 (2) SGB II)
• additional requirements for single parenthood
• additional requirement for expensive nutrition
• certain one-off benefits (e.g.initial clothing allowance during pregnancy and child birth in accordance with § 24 (3) SGB II and initial home allowance including household appliances, excursions, multi-day school trips, extra costs for school meals or nursery schools, adequate learning support for schoolchildren and club membership fees)
• school materials per academic year and pupil of 150 euros respectively on 1.8.
• students living with their parents and receiving BAföG, whose parents are in receipt of ALG II (§ 7 (6) (2) SGB II)
• Discretionary provision: hardship funds for atypical life situations in the form of a loan, provided that exemption in accordance with § 7 (5) SGB II means particular hardship: particular hardship cases during the final semester in which there are exceptional, atypical and potentially non self-imposed circumstances, which have prevented a timely completion of education or which have led to other hardships (§ 27 (3) (1) SGB II) see ‘special information’ link, point 27.10. There is also a concurrent entitlement to housing benefit for funds paid solely in the form of a loan (§ 8 section 1 S 3 WoGG)
   

Links

• Employment agency- Citizens'Income
• Employment agency - special information on § 27 SGB II
• Benefits to cover living costs