International Office

Financial Aid for Students

(last updated November 24th, 2020)

Students that have verifiable proof that they face pandemic-related financial hardship, that need immediate help and cannot receive other financial assistance (e.g. BAföG) can apply for the “Interim financial aid” (Überbrückungshilfe) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. International students from EU- and non-EU countries can also apply for the financial aid (up to 500 Euro) for the months of November 2020, December 2020, January 2021, February 2021 und March 2021  (a new application for each month).

FAQs Interim financial aid/Überbrückungshilfe

Please note, all documents have to be complete!

The application form states the following advice concerning bank statements:

„ Complete set of bank statements for all bank accounts held in your name for the entire calendar month prior to the application and the current month, so that the current account balance on the day before the application or the last bank working day before the application date is visible”

Before submitting your application:

• all bank statements have to be complete
• show balance of the day before sending the application
• list every turnover
• show your name

Otherwise, Studentenwerk can’t examine your application.

Further information from the Studentenwerk on interim financial aid you can find here.

On the following websites you will find information on financial aid:

• The Studentenwerk Frankfurt provides information about the possibility of a loan free of interest or support from an emergency fund. You will also find an overview of various contact points in financial emergencies.
  The FAQ of the Deutsches Studentenwerk (German student services) informs about many financial aspects in the crisis for students.

• The Protestant Student Community/"Evangelische Studierendengemeinschaft" (ESG) as well as the Catholic Student Community/"Katholische Hochschulgemeinde" (KHG) offer financial support for international students in need. For this purpose, a request for advice must be made first (ESG: lang@esg-frankfurt.de; KHG: barbaric@khg-frankfurt.de). Usually, you need to hand in your bank statements of the last three months, a certificate of enrolment and a statement on your financial emergency. 

• The Frankfurter Verein zur Förderung ausländischer Studierender in Not e.V. also helps international students that face financial hardship. Please contact studienkolleg@em.uni-frankfurt.de for further information.

• The KfW Group is making interest-free loans of up to EUR 650/month available to international students from July onwards. Further information here: Press release and KfW page on the student loan.

• BAföG (only available in German):

• Postponement of the start of lectures does not affect BAföG entitlement

• If examinations are postponed to times after the standard period of study, the submission date for the performance record may also be postponed accordingly

• If certain required proofs cannot be obtained (e.g. due to closure of the university), this does not prevent BAföG funding

• If your parents are currently earning less, e.g. due to short-time work, your chances of receiving BAföG or higher BAföG support are greater

• All students enrolled in Summer term 2020, whose BAföG entitlement ends regularly in March 2020 or later, are granted one extra semester of maximum time funding

• Find more information and all relevant documents here

• Goethe University's Job Center offers an overview of alternative student jobs in quarantine.

For further information on financing your course of study and financial emergencies, please visit the following website.

Housing Support

• General information about support possibilities regarding housing in Frankfurt:
• https://frankfurt.de/de-de/service-und-rathaus/verwaltung/aemter-und-institutionen/amt-fuer-wohnungswesen/ueber-uns

• Termination protection for tenants during Coronavirus pandemic:

• Please note, the termination protection for tenants during the Covid-19 pandemic as well as deferment of payment for e.g. phone, gas and electricity expired on July 1^st,2020. Which means, that you must pay your debt in rent for the months of April-June 2020 until June 30^th, 2022. For more information, please visit this webpage.

• The Housing Office of the City of Frankfurt informs tenants about protection against dismissal during the Coronavirus pandemic, here (in German language only).

• Advice via telephone concerning housing in Frankfurt:
• The Office for Housing of the City of Frankfurt offers free advice via telephone concerning housing in Frankfurt: +49 69 212 34711 / Tue + Fri: 8:30 - 12:00
• More information here (webpage in German language only). 

Psychosocial Care

• The Studentenwerk offers psychosocial counselling for free.

          Tel.: 069/798-34905 or 069/798-34922

• Goethe University's psychosocial advice center for refugees offers information and counselling in various languages, such as Farsi, Arabic, Pashto or Amharic.

         Tel.: 069/798-25366

Emergency Child Care

Single parent students are admitted to emergency care with current regulations. All information, including how to apply for an emergency care place, can be found here (in German).

For this purpose, the childcare provider usually requires proof from the employer / the university that you belong to one of these groups.

Applying for an emergency childcare place
The Goethe University acts as a confirming body for single parents.
Please download the application form from the website of the Hessian State Parliament of Social Affairs (link below) and send it completed to ssc@uni-frankfurt.de.
The student secretariat will then confirm by signature and stamp that you are registered with us and return the form to you. With the completed form you can apply for emergency care.
Important: This option is ONLY available to single-parent students.

Note: In the facilities of BVZ GmbH, the student card and the completed form is sufficient as proof for students.

The current application form (02.06.2020)

On the website of the Hessian State Parliament of Social Affairs and Integration (in German) you will always find the most current information on this topic.