Bafög changes and judgement on Bafög rates

Dear fellow students,
We would like to inform you about changes in the Bafög law and a decision of the Berlin Administrative Court:

Bafög changes

From 05.06.2024, new BaföG changes will come into force:
The so-called ‘Flexibiliätssemester’ authorises you, either in your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, to extend your Bafög entitlement by one semester and without giving reasons.
In addition, the deadline for changing subject areas has been extended: You can now change your degree programme up to the beginning of the 5th semester and continue to receive Bafög funding.
Further changes:
– Minimal increase in the BaföG rates
– Adjustment of the allowance for own income to the mini-job limit
– Higher allowances for parents’ income
– Introduction of the study start-up grant
– Income of underage siblings will no longer be taken into account

All information here:
https://www.bafoeg-rechner.de/FAQ/bafoeg-2024.php

Judgement on the amount of Bafög

We would also like to draw your attention to a judgement by the Berlin Administrative Court: It was again determined that the Bafög rates are too low. Even if the Berlin judgement is not groundbreaking, we see it as an indication that the Federal Constitutional Court will also come to a similar conclusion in the ongoing proceedings on the requirement rates. We therefore recommend that you always object to your Bafög calculations in order to be able to assert claims after a favourable decision.
All information on this can be found here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/artikel/bundesverwaltungsgerichts-urteil-ermoeglicht-widerspruch-fuer-mehr-bafoeg/
(in german)


If you have any questions, please contact our counselling service!
https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/social-and-bafoeg-advising/

General information can also be found in our FAQ:
https://asta.tu-berlin.de/bafoeg-und-sozialberatung/faq-studienfinanzierung-bafoeg-wohngeld-buergerhartz-co/