What is ”BAföG” ?

BAföG is a government-funded financial aid program that supports students with monthly payments during their education. It’s available to students at vocational schools, colleges, academies, and universities. Since the Studienkolleg Düsseldorf is officially recognized by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, our students are eligible to apply for BAföG.

How much support you receive depends on your parents’ annual income. In some cases, you can get up to €992 per month. Please note, however, that there’s no guarantee your application will be approved. Funding usually starts in the same month your course begins. BAföG works a bit like a loan — after finishing your studies, you’ll typically need to pay back half of the total amount, without any interest.

Who can apply?

To be eligible for BAföG as a Studienkolleg student, you must take part in a preparatory course that lasts at least six months and qualifies you for admission to a university or college afterward.

How to apply

You can submit your application online or send it by mail to the BAföG Office in Düsseldorf (Amt für Ausbildungsförderung Düsseldorf). It’s a good idea to apply as early as possible — ideally before enrolling at the Studienkolleg. For example, if you’re planning to start in the winter semester, try to submit your application by June.

You can find more information, application forms, and a checklist of required documents on the official BAföG website: https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/de/home/home_node.html 

Need help?
If you need assistance filling out the forms or have questions, you can make an appointment with the BAföG Office in Düsseldorf. They’ll be happy to help.