BAföG: Definition of training support

BAföG stands for Federal Training Assistance Act. being Objective is to every boy People to give the opportunity, regardless of his social and economic situation, a good one Vocational Training to be completed.

History of BAföG

This means that you have an education that corresponds to your own abilities and interests. Qualified training should not fail due to lack of financial resources of the trainee, his parents or his spouse. However, the BAföG constantly changes, as the overview of its history shows.

• The BAföG entered into force for 1971 for the first time, replacing the Honnefer model, which granted performance-related subsidies.
• 1974 introduced the basic loan
• 1982 was almost completely canceled, BAföG was only granted as a full loan 1990 was introduced, after recognizing that fewer and fewer children from low-income families were studying, introduced an 50% -model: one half became from now on as a grant, the other half as a tin-free loan.
• Since 1996, students who still need money beyond the maximum funding period receive this as a full-interest bank loan. There are now some special regulations, eg for students who go abroad.
• 2001, the child allowance has been raised significantly, the children's allowance is now no longer counted as income, while children are also being taken into account during the study period, the promotion of East has been adjusted to the West, there is a debt sum total and an Auslandsstudium is encouraged.

Latest developments

In 2004 and 2005, in the course of the discussion about tuition fees, new models also appeared in the discussion on study financing: One suggestion: parent-independent basic financing (instead of child benefit, for example) and an interest-bearing loan. And who after Study does not earn enough, does not have to pay anything back until he earns better. Instead, the state should bear the loan. These are still just suggestions for reforming study financing - it will be interesting to see what the Future brings.

The Bafög rates for students are to be increased by two percent in the winter semester. This emerges from a key point paper of the Ministry of Education, which is in the "Rheinische Post" and is published today.

More money for more students

The Bafög maximum rate will even rise from the current 648 to 670 euros per month due to an additional increase for health and nursing care insurance. "In order to enable pupils and students to have the best possible personal training conditions, the means of subsistence must be adapted," the paper says.

In addition, the group of students who receive student loans is to be expanded. The Income of parents until which a child receives the full BAföG subsidy increases by three percent from the current 1555 euros net monthly to 1565 euros for married people and 1070 euros for single people.

Is that safe?

Surely the planned change is not yet: the Cabinet wants to pass the law on the Bafög increase in April.

The way food is Financing probably not quite yet clear: The Bafög amendment is expected to cause annual additional costs of 373,4 million euros, it is said. No word on where that came from Money should come.

Nevertheless: Investment in Education: The right step in the right direction. Now more must steps consequences!