Newsletter with information about BAföG, ALG II, heating costs etc. – AStA Social Advising summer semester 2022
Dear Fellow Students,
We welcome you to our new newsletter from the AStA TU Social and BaföG Advising for the 2022 summer semester. We offer solidarity-based consulting that takes your side in all questions relating to financing your studies. Our latest newsletter, which is sent out at the beginning of each semester, provides all relevant news and updates about our counselling topics in one place.
Newsletter overview
1.1 Extension of individual standard period of study
1.2 “System-relevant” income
1.3 50 years of BAföG – no reason to celebrate!
1.4 Ruling of the Federal Administrative Court on higher standard rates
1.5 Heating cost allowance
1.6. Small BAföG “reform” in winter semester 22/23
2.1 Heating costs
2.2 Simplified application
3.1 Increase
3.2 Heating cost allowance
4.1 Flat-rate energy allowance of EUR 300
4.2 Child allowance
4.3 Subsidy for the semester ticket
4.4 Public transport – “90 days, 9 euro”
1. BAföG
1.1 Extension of the individual standard period of study
As with the three preceding semesters, winter semester 21/22 was another so-called “corona semester.” This increases your individual standard period of study. For BAföG recipients, this means a longer maximum funding period. If you were still within your standard period of study in the winter semester, you just need to submit a regular follow-up application. In other cases, please contact us at the Social and BAföG Advising office.
More info: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/artikel/individuell-verlaengerte-regelstudienzeit-gilt-auch-in-diesem-wintersemester-2021-2022/
1.2 “System-relevant” income
Anyone who works in a job classified as “system-relevant” or who works more hours as a result of the pandemic will not have this additional “system-relevant” income counted as BAföG-relevant income until at least the end of December 2022. You will need a certificate from your employer to prove this. This allows you to earn significantly more than the usual EUR 5,400 per year without reducing your BAföG claim. In some cases, this also applies for income earned in the past.
Here you can read the updated regulation under 8.: https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/de/home/_documents/keine-nachteile-beim-bafoeg-wegen-corona.html
More info: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/artikel/weiterhin-keine-anrechnung-des-systemrelevanten-einkommens-im-bafoeg/
1.3 50 years of BAföG – no reason to celebrate!
We as AStA TU support the campaign “50 years BAföG – (no) reason to celebrate!” that is demanding a long overdue and fundamental reform of BAföG! You can read the demands of the campaign here. Also sign the petition for fairer BAföG.
More info: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/pressemitteilung/50-jahre-bafog-kein-grund-zu-feiern/
1.4 Ruling of the Federal Administrative Court on higher standard rates
Following a ruling of the Federal Administrative Court on 20 May 2021, BAföG standard rates may be unconstitutional (because they are too low). To get your money back in case this is confirmed, we recommend that you file an appeal against every new BAföG notice letter within the 4-week period, so that you can benefit from any retroactive increase of the rate.
More info here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/artikel/bundesverwaltungsgerichts-urteil-ermoeglicht-widerspruch-fuer-mehr-bafoeg
1.5 Heating cost allowance
Due to rising energy prices, the government approved a heating cost allowance for students who receive BAföG. Students who received BAföG or Aufstiegs-BAföG during this period and did not live with their parents can apply for this allowance (unlike the housing benefit, you need to submit a separate application to get this allowance!). The subsidy is EUR 230 for everyone, regardless of income, child support, etc. More info and (soon) the application form can be found here: https://www.bmbf.de/bmbf/shareddocs/faq/2022_heizkostenzuschuss.html
1.6. Small BAföG “reform” in winter semester 22/23
The government approved a BAföG reform for the coming winter semester 22/23. Important changes are the higher thresholds for parental income, the significantly higher age limit for BAföG recipients (from 30/35 to 45 years!) and the much higher financial means threshold for BAföG recipients (from EUR 8,200 to 45,000). If you were previously ineligible for BAföG due to your age, your parents’ income or your financial means, you might want to try again in the 2022/23 winter semester! If you have any questions, come and see us for advice. As soon as the revised law is passed, we will provide more information about it on the AStA website.
2. Hartz IV
2.1 Heating costs
Unfortunately, there is no separate heating cost allowance for recipients of unemployment benefits (ALG II). However, since March 2020 there is a Social Protection Package which includes a so-called implied adequacy (Angemessenheitsfiktion) of the rent. This means: even if your apartment or the heating costs should be too high, the Jobcenter must pay the costs. In addition, the Energy Package includes a one-time payment of EUR 200 for all Hartz IV recipients: https://www.spd.de/aktuelles/entlastungspaket/
2.2 Simplified application
The Social Protection Package also includes a simplified application procedure designed to provide you easier access to Hartz IV. In addition to the mentioned implied adequacy, this simplified procedure also does not check your existing financial means, as would normally be the case.
3. Housing benefit
3.1 Increase
Since 1 January 2022, there has been a so-called “automatic” increase of the housing benefit every two years. This is intended to prevent housing benefit recipients from becoming ineligible, for example, if they receive slightly higher wages due to the increased minimum wage: https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/DE/themen/bauen-wohnen/wohngeld/wohngeld-faq-liste.html
3.2 Heating cost allowance
As part of the second relief package, recipients of housing benefits will receive a one-time heating allowance of EUR 270: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/das-ampel-entlastungspaket-wegen-putins-krieg-wie-es-dazu-kam-was-es-bedeutet-wie-viel-es-kostet/28197398.html
4. Miscellaneous
4.1 Flat-rate energy allowance of EUR 300
In addition to the mentioned subsidies, all tax-paying employees receive an energy allowance of EUR 300 from their employer. The important thing to remember here is that the employer only makes the payout; the money comes from the federal government. The draft states “all employees subject to income tax (tax brackets 1-5) will be paid a one-time energy price allowance of EUR 300 in addition to their salary”. Students who are NOT employed on a mini-job basis (450 euro job) should also benefit from this. Unfortunately, the exact process is not yet clear. Self-employed people are also to receive the allowance: https://www.rbb24.de/politik/beitrag/2022/03/koalition-energie-benzin-entlastung-unterstuetzung-entlastung.html
4.2 Child allowance
In summer, all families will receive a one-time allowance of EUR 100 for all children eligible for child benefits; so if you are still eligible for child benefits, it’s best to talk to your parents about what to do with the money. In addition, all children in “precarious” situations will receive EUR 20 per month, which is a preliminary step towards a larger reorganization of child benefits: https://www.spd.de/aktuelles/entlastungspaket/
4.3 Subsidy for the semester ticket
As for every semester, students with low income can apply for a subsidy for the semester ticket. Unfortunately, the deadline for the upcoming semester has already expired. More info: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/semesterticket-office/
4.4. Public transport – “90 days, 9 euro”
The Relief Package also includes a reduced-rate public transport ticket valid for three months. It is supposed to cost EUR 9 per month. There are currently many hints that subscription customers and students with semester tickets will benefit, but whether all students will benefit and when this will happen is, unfortunately still not clear. However, we will of course continue to provide updates on our website: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/
We wish you a great 2022 summer semester!