Apply for a loan or need grant for training

You must apply for a loan or grant. The application is possible informally. Alternatively, you can also submit an application with the online application for citizen's money.

• Ask the job centre responsible for your place of residence about the application procedure.
• Benefits for additional needs must be applied for. Application forms are available for this purpose, which you can pick up at the job centre or have sent to you. The forms can also be found on the Internet.
• To apply for a loan, a hardship allowance or initial equipment for pregnancy and childbirth, your local job centre may use a separate application form. Your job centre will tell you which documents you need to submit for your specific case.
• Fill out the application form.
• If you are under the age of majority, have a legal guardian sign the application.
• The job centre will review your application.
• The job centre will check your assets and income.
• The job centre makes a decision on a case-by-case basis.
  • Hardship subsidy: Whether the requirements for a subsidy are met is decided by the responsible placement specialist.
• You will receive a notification as to whether your application has been approved or rejected.
• If you are granted a loan, the job center will agree with you when and how you will repay the money.

You can find the job centre responsible for you via the office finder on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.

You can find the job centre responsible for you via the office finder on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.

If you find yourself in a financial emergency situation at the beginning or during your training, you can apply for benefits for trainees. Where:

General

• As a trainee or trainee, you are not entitled to social benefits such as citizen's allowance and
• You are in a financial emergency situation and
• You cannot pay for your own livelihood.

As a rule, the following can benefit from the services mentioned:

• • Students who do not live with their parents
  • Trainees who have reached the statutory BAföG age limit
  • Trainees in vocational training or a pre-vocational training measure who are accommodated with full board
    • in a boarding school or
    • in a dormitory.
• Trainees with disabilities who are entitled to training allowance, for example during vocational training, pre-vocational training or basic training, and who are accommodated
  • in a boarding school,
  • in a dormitory, or
  • in a special facility for people with disabilities,

if the costs for accommodation and meals are covered by the Employment Agency or another service provider.

Loans in general

• Without a loan, the start of your education or its successful completion would be jeopardized for financial reasons.

Hardship loan

• They are not able to earn extra money through a part-time job, for example because
  • you are a single parent or
  • you have a disability or
  • you are caring for a relative, or
  • your residence permit in Germany does not allow it.
• You can be classified as a hardship case if extraordinary, serious circumstances jeopardize your education and/or if you find yourself in an emergency situation that threatens your existence.

Hardship allowance

• You are at least 45 years old and can therefore no longer receive BAföG due to your age and
• You are in a school education, without the completion of which your professional integration is seriously endangered, but you are not studying.
• You can be classified as a hardship case if extraordinary, serious circumstances jeopardize your education and/or if you find yourself in an emergency situation that threatens your existence.

• Applications forms:
  • The application for benefits for trainees and students according to § 27 SGB II can be submitted informally. In principle, it is submitted with the main application ("Application for benefits to secure livelihood according to the Second Book of the Social Code (SGB II)"). However, in order for the job centre to be able to obtain the information from the applicants that it needs to check the entitlement to benefits and, if applicable, its amount, the job centre may provide its own forms.
• Valid identification document:
  • Identity card or
  • valid passport with current registration certificate
  • Residence permit
• Proof of income, e.g. a salary certificate or current bank statements (e.g. on pensions, sickness benefit, child benefit, alimony, maintenance advance, training allowance, BAföG)
• Proof of training or studies (e.g. training or matriculation certificate)
• Proof of existing assets (e.g. savings, shares, securities, building society contracts)
• Proof of expenses, for example by submitting bank statements (or, for example, rental agreement, rent receipts, heating costs, documents on insurance premiums)
• Proof of earlier receipt of benefits, also at another job center (notice of approval, proof of performance)

You don't have to bear any costs if you have an account. If you do not have an account, you will receive a payment order to offset a cash payment (ZzV-Bar). That's a check. However, this will incur costs that will be deducted directly from the service to which you are entitled. Since the amount of the cost of the payment order can vary, please contact your local job center for more information. You can have the cheque paid out in cash. Payment is made exclusively via the Postbank branches. The ZzV-Bar is a means of payment of Postbank AG, the use of which has been agreed separately between the Federal Employment Agency and Postbank.

There is no deadline. However, the benefits will only be granted from the first day of the month in which you submitted the application.

Therefore, make sure that you submit the application as soon as possible when you become aware of your financial need or announce itself and not only afterwards.

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: No
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: Yes

• Contradiction
• Summary proceedings before the Social Court
• Action before the Social Court

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)

08.03.2023

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.