How to Finance Studies with a Family

Overview

Support for students

Before and after childbirth

Income support

Child benefit (Kindergeld)

Child benefit can be paid for own, foster or adopted children, grandchildren, children of the spouse or the civil partner from birth until the age of 18 – in certain cases also beyond that age. Furthermore you have to belong to one of the following groups of persons:

1. German citizens, if their place of residence or the place where they usually stay is located in Germany.
2. Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or of Switzerland if their place of residence or the place where they usually stay is located in Germany and who are entitled to freedom of movement.
3. Persons, who live in another country and who are either wholly liable to pay tax in Germany or who are treated accordingly.
4. Foreign nationals in possession of  a valid settlement permit. Certain other resident permits may also entitle to child benefit.
5. Refugees and persons entitled to asylum who have been incontestably recognised as such.

This list is not exhaustive. Possible claims based on international and supranational law or the Federal Child Benefits Act are not taken into account here.

You can find more information about this in the Family Portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (familienportal).

You can find details of the current amount as well as further information on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.

You can submit your application online after the birth.

The hotline of the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse) is at your disposal under +49-(0)-800-4555530 (free of charge within Germany's fixed-line network).

Maternity allowance (Mutterschaftsleistungen)

Maternity allowance compensates for loss of income when an (expectant) mother is not allowed to work during her pregnancy or after childbirth, e.g. during the maternity protection periods.

You can find out more about the different types of maternity allowance in the Family Portal of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (familienportal).

 Bildung und Teilhabe (BuT) (Education and Participation)

The purpose of education and participation benefits (also known as “Educational Package" (Bildungspaket)) is to support children whose parents are drawing unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld II), social benefit (Sozialgeld), social welfare (Sozialhilfe), supplementary child allowance (Kinderzuschlag) or housing benefit (Wohngeld). For example, the cost of nursery, pre-school and school excursions or dinner money can be covered.

You can find more information on the website of the City of Frankfurt (in German only).

Bundesstiftung Mutter und Kind (Federal Foundation - Mother and Child)

The Federal Foundation – Mother and Child provides assistance in financially difficult situations for expenses related to pregnancy and birth, such as maternity clothes or a baby layette. There is no legal entitlement to this support, benefits depend on the respective emergency situation and are means-tested.

Applications for financial support should be submitted to pregnancy counselling centres, e.g. pro familia, Workers' Welfare Association (Arbeiterwohlfahrt), Caritas, Federation of Welfare Associations in Germany (Deutscher Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband), German Red Cross (Deutscher Rotes Kreuz), Diakonisches Werk (a charitable organisation of Protestant churches in Germany), donum vitae, Catholic Women's Welfare Service (Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen) or the pregnancy counselling centres of the cities and districts (and not to the foundation).

Frankfurt Pass

The Frankfurt Pass is a service provided by the City of Frankfurt for low-income households with their first place of residence in Frankfurt. It entitles families to many concessions at public institutions in the city and on public transport.

You can find detailed information on the website of the City of Frankfurt (in German only).

Supplementary child allowance (Kinderzuschlag) 

As a supplement to child benefit, parents on a low income can receive supplementary child allowance if they have enough income for themselves but it does not cover all the family’s needs.

You can find more about this in the Family Portal of the Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (familienportal).

Culture Pass (Kulturpass)

The purpose of the Culture Pass (Kulturpass) is to enable unemployed persons and people on a low income in Frankfurt to participate in the city's rich cultural portfolio. The pass, which is issued by the association Kultur für ALLE e. V., costs €1 per year for adults and 50 cents for children and enables holders to visit about 200 cultural institutions.

Detailed information can be found on the association's website: Kultur für ALLE e. V. (in German only).

Reduced fees for childcare in Frankfurt

Children in after-school facilities and extended school care (Erweiterte Schulische Betreuung) as well as children newly admitted to nursery school up to 3 months before their third birthday (early admissions (vorgezogene Aufnahmen)) can be entitled to a reduction in fees. Applications for a reduction in fees (in German only) can be submitted to the Municipal Education Authority of the City of Frankfurt (Stadtschulamt Frankfurt am Main).

Maintenance advance for single parents (Unterhaltsvorschuss for Alleinerziehende)

A child is eligible for advance maintenance payments if he/she lives in Germany with a single parent and does not receive maintenance from the other parent (or an orphan's pension), or only partially or irregularly, to the amount of the statutory minimum maintenance allowance (Section 1612a (1) Civil Code) and if he/she is not yet 18 years of age.

All information about advance maintenance payments can be found in the Family Portal of the Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (familienportal). 

Housing benefit (Wohngeld)

To ensure adequate and family-friendly accommodation, there is the possibility to apply for housing benefit. It can make sense for those persons to apply for housing benefit who are drawing unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld ALG I), have a “mini job" or are supported by their partner or family. Whether housing benefit is granted depends on the following factors: 

• Income
• Rent
• Number of other people in the household and their income

A combination of housing benefit and unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld ALG II) within a benefit community (Bedarfsgemeinschaft) is possible under certain circumstances.

Note: You can use the housing benefit calculator on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (Wohngeldrechner) (in German only) to find out whether you are in principle eligible for housing benefit.

You can find further information about housing benefit on the website of the City of Frankfurt (in German only).