Prerequisites
- You are preparing for an eligible training goal.
- The provider of your training is certified or has another quality assurance system.
- You meet the personal eligibility requirements.
- You meet the requirements for admission to further training (pre-qualification) and/or for admission to the examination. These are set out in the relevant training regulations.
- Even if you have dropped out of university or are a high school graduate without completing your initial training, you can still receive funding if you have the professional experience required by the training regulations. The prerequisite is that this is provided for in the relevant examination regulations.
- Your training meets the required minimum duration.
- Measures at the first level of continuing vocational training must comprise at least 200 teaching hours. Further measures must comprise at least 400 teaching hours.
- If you complete media-based training, this must be supplemented by classroom instruction or comparable mandatory media-based communication totaling at least 400 hours. In addition, regular success checks must be carried out.
- Your training meets the requirements for the distribution of teaching hours
- For full-time courses, at least 25 teaching hours per week must normally be held on four working days.
- For part-time courses, the courses must comprise an average of at least 18 teaching hours per month.
- Your training does not exceed the maximum time frame.
- Full-time measures may not last longer than three years in total.
- Part-time measures may not last longer than four years in total.
Documents required
You can find out which documents are required in your case from the application forms. You can find these on the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (see links). If you fill out the application online, the system will inform you about the necessary documents.
Please note
In addition to the grants from the advancement BAföG, you can receive a low-interest loan from the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) that can cover the difference between your advancement BAföG and the maximum grant amount. If you pass the advanced training exam at the end of your advanced training, the loan amount is reduced by 50 percent; if you start your own business, the loan is 100 percent waived.
If you become permanently ill during the training and are prevented from continuing your advanced training, you must inform both the training provider and the responsible body.
Deadlines
If you apply on time, the advancement BAföG will be paid to you from the month in which your training begins. Please note the processing times.
If you apply for the advancement BAföG after you have started your training, it can only be approved from the beginning of the month of application at the earliest.
You must apply for the measure contribution (funding of your course and examination fees) by the end of the measure at the latest. If the measure consists of several independent sections, the deadline is the end of the respective section of the measure.
