"Auslands-BAföG" (BAföG is a national student grant) is an additional financial support for a semester, an internship or a whole course of study abroad in European and non-European countries. If you receive BAföG in Germany, you will certainly also receive BAföG abroad. If you do not receive BAföG in Germany, you can still receive BAföG abroad. Applying for it is not easy, but it is worth it! The extent to which the time away from home can be subsidised depends on the host country and the type of stay.
The following supplements are paid for the time abroad:
- for verifiably necessary tuition fees up to 4,600 Euro for a maximum of one year
- for travel expenses within Europe for one outward and one return journey 250 Euro each, outside Europe for one outward and one return journey 500 Euro each
- for possible additional health insurance costs
- for higher living costs outside the EU and Switzerland, foreign supplements depending on the respective country (60 - 255 Euro per month)
1. Study place within the EU
Within the EU and in Switzerland, the stay abroad can be supported from the beginning until the acquisition of the foreign qualification.
or
2. Creditability towards your degree at home
The study achievements abroad must be at least partially creditable towards your degree at home. The minimum period for a stay abroad is six months or one semester.
During your studies, it is possible to go abroad for one or two (Bachelor/Master) or up to four semesters (Diploma/First State Examination). Funding for a study visit with the help of BAföG abroad is guaranteed up to the duration of one year (§ 16 Para. 1 BAföG). An extension of the study stay is only possible under certain conditions.
An internship abroad is funded both within and outside the EU if:
- it has a minimum duration of twelve weeks
- it is required for your education (compulsory internship)
- your professor recognises that the intended internship meets the requirements of the examination regulations
Normally you will receive the benefits as a supplement; therefore, they do not have to be repaid. If you receive the general BAföG as a bank loan, you will also receive the international supplement as a bank loan.
Applications for Auslands-BAföG must be submitted to special offices for the promotion of education (so called "Auslandsämter"). You can find the address, telephone number and/or website of the foreign office responsible for your BAföG application by selecting the country on the world map in which you would like to carry out your stay abroad (Homepage in German only).
Important!
Submit the application at least six months before the start of your stay aborad! All application forms can be found here. There is also the link for a digital application (digital Auslands-BAföG-Assistent, in German only).
More information on BAföG in general and Auslands-BAföG can be found here. Please note that the homepage is in German only.