Newsletter with information on BAföG reform, citizen’s allowance, additional payments & Co. – AStA social counselling WiSe 24/25
We welcome you with our new newsletter from the AStA TU BAföG and Social Counseling in the winter semester 24/25! We advise students in solidarity and in a partisan manner on all aspects of student financing and co. In our new newsletter we want to inform you about news and changes concerning the topics of the AStA counseling.
1. BAföG
1.1 BAföG reform
1.2 Study start-up aid
1.3 Flexible semesters
1.4 Change of specialisation
1.5 Adjustment of the allowance for own income to the mini-job limit
1.6 Allowance for income from final theses
1.7 Judgement of the Federal Administrative Court on higher BAföG standard rates
2. citizen’s allowance/Bürgergeld/Hartz IV
2.1 Citizen’s allowance increase 2024
2.2 Back payment of heating and other housing costs: entitlement to citizen’s allowance
3 Housing benefit reform
4. FAQ on student financing
5. applications for grants and exemptions Semesterticket
1 BAföG
1.1 BAföG reform
The new BAföG changes came into force on 5 June 2024. We go into the following changes in more detail in the newsletter
– Study start-up aid
– Flexibility semester
– Change of subject study programm
– Adjustment of the allowance for own income to the mini-job limit
Other changes include
– Minimal increase in BAföG rates
– Higher allowances for parents’ income
– Income of underage siblings will no longer be taken into account
All information here: https://www.bafoeg-rechner.de/FAQ/bafoeg-2024.php
1.2 Study start-up aid
From the winter semester 24/25, there will be a study start-up grant. Eligible students under the age of 25 can receive financial support to start their studies. The amount is a one-off lump sum of €1,000 and does not have to be repaid and is not offset against social benefits. It can be applied for from September. The application must be submitted by the end of the month following the start of your studies. This means that if you start your studies in October, you must submit your application by 30 November at the latest.
Further information here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/artikel-englisch/studienstarthilfe-2/
1.3 Flexibility semester
The so-called ‘Flexibiliätssemester’ authorises you to extend your BAföG entitlement by one semester once, either in the Bachelor’s or Master’s programme, without giving reasons. The prerequisite for applying for a flexible semester is that you have successfully completed the “Leistungsnachweis” of the 120CP and that you are still within the (extended) funding period. You cannot use the flexibility semester to postpone the “Leistungsnachweis”. Even after the flexibility semester, you can apply for funding beyond the maximum funding period with a legally recognised reason.
You can find out more about this topic here: https://www.bafoeg-rechner.de/FAQ/flexibilitaetssemester.php
1.4 Change of study programme
With the BAföG reform, the deadline for changing your degree programme has been extended: You can now change your Bachelor’s degree programme until the end of the 4th semester and continue to receive BAföG funding.
You can find out more about this topic here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/bafoeg-und-sozialberatung/faq-studienfinanzierung-bafoeg-wohngeld-buergerhartz-co/#k)-Change of degree programme
1.5 Adjustment of the allowance for own income to the mini-job limit
The allowance for own income has been increased from approx. €522.50 to €556. This means that you can earn as much as is possible with a mini-job. As always, the allowance is not calculated per month, but per approved period (Bewilligungszeitraum or BWZ). So from October 2024, you can earn €6,680 in a 12-month BWZ.
More information on the income limit can be found here: https://www.bafoeg-rechner.de/FAQ/eigenes-einkommen-nebenjob.php
1.6 Income allowance for final theses
If the final thesis written in a company was not necessarily prescribed in your study regulations, the compensation may not be completely deducted from your BAföG. Until now, the BAföG office has wrongly assumed that the remuneration for final theses, just like that for compulsory internships, is deducted in full(!) from your BAföG amount. An administrative court has now ruled that the allowance also applies to this income. We had already encouraged you to contest this decision.
You can find out more here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/artikel-englisch/retroactive-allowance-for-bafoeg-for-final-theses-within-a-company/
1.7 Judgement of the Federal Administrative Court on higher BAföG rates
Following a ruling by the Federal Administrative Court on 20 May 2021, it appears possible that the BAföG standard rates are unconstitutional (because they are too low). The Federal Constitutional Court must now make the final decision. To ensure that you get your money back in the event of a possible unconstitutionality, we recommend that you file an appeal within the 4-week period for each new BAföG decision in order to benefit from a possible subsequent increase. You will not be at a any disadvantage!
You can find more information here: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/artikel/bundesverwaltungsgerichts-urteil-ermoeglicht-widerspruch-fuer-mehr-bafoeg/
2 Citizen’s income/Bürgergeld/Hartz IV
2.1 Citizen’s allowance (Bürgergeld) increase 2024
In January 2024, the Citizen’s Income rate rose from €502 to €563. Unfortunately, this is still far too little! You are entitled to citizen’s allowance during holiday- and part-time semesters. But NOT during full-time studies.
2.2 Back payments for heating and other housing costs: entitlement to citizen’s allowance
If you receive a high back payment for heating and utility costs, you may be entitled to Citizen’s Allowance (Bürgergeld) for that month. If your living costs for that month cannot be covered by your own income, you are entitled to citizen’s allowance in the amount of your uncovered needs! The basic requirements are that you are officially studying part-time or on leave of absence and that you apply for the citizen’s allowance in the month in which you have to pay the utility bills.
You can find out more about this topic here: https://www.tacheles-sozialhilfe.de/aktuelles/archiv/zum-uebernahmeanspruch-auf.html
3. Housing benefit (Wohngeld) reform
On 1 January 2025, housing benefit will be increased (https://www.bmwsb.bund.de/SharedDocs/kurzmeldungen/Webs/BMWSB/DE/2024/07/Wohngeld-Kurzinfo.html). Students who are generally NOT entitled to BAföG are entitled to housing benefit. In addition, you are always entitled to housing benefit if you are on holiday or in a part-time semester. However, there is a minimum income requirement for housing benefit. Housing benefit and citizen’s allowance (Bürgergeld) are mutually exclusive, just like BAföG and housing benefit.
More information here in our FAQ: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/social-and-bafoeg-advising/faq-financing-your-studies-bafog-housing-allowance-burgerhartz-amp-co/#5.-Housing-allowance
4. FAQ on student financing
If you have any questions about student financing, you can find our detailed FAQ on our website (https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/social-and-bafoeg-advising/faq-financing-your-studies-bafog-housing-allowance-burgerhartz-amp-co/).
5. subsidy and exemption applications for the semester ticket
You can apply for a subsidy or exemption from the semester ticket fee.
The deadline for accepting your subsidy applications for WiSe24/25 is 30.09.2024 for everyone!
More about the subsidy application: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/semesterticket-office/grant/
The deadline for the full exemption application is 30.09.2024. Please note that incomplete applications will be rejected without further request. More about the exemption application: https://asta.tu-berlin.de/en/semesterticket-office/exemption/
The deadline for newly enrolled students ends 6 weeks after enrolment!