The "Niedersachsen-Studienbeitrags-Darlehen" (Lower Saxony Study Contribution Loan) is designed to finance the study contribution fees (tuition fees) at Lower Saxony’s universities of governmental liability according to § 11a of the Lower Saxony University Statute (= Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz, NHG). Entitled to this loan are German students, students from the European Union, students from the European Economic Area, their family members, homeless foreigners as well as foreigners and stateless who have acquired their university admission entitlement in Germany (Bildungsinländer), who are not older than 34 years when taking up their first course of studies.

The NBank (Investitions- und Förderbank Niedersachsen) reviews the requirements and approves the loans; the KfW is the creditor. The loan is approved without regard to income and property, it is not necessary to provide securities.

The Lower Saxony Study Contribution Loan is granted amounting to 500 € per semester for the course of study, the maximum period is the standard period of study plus 4 semesters. The amount of the loan is interest-bearing from the beginning of the payments on and postponed until the phase of redemption.

The loan is interest-bearing on a variable basis, i.e. the rate of interest is biannually adapted to the actual capital market interest, having an upper limit. The rate of interest is geared to the KfW-Study Loan and amounts to 3.06 % at the time being. The payback starts two years after the end of studies if the earnings exceed an income limit, as defined by BAföG, plus 100 €. The monthly payback rate is 20 € at least; the complete loan must be paid back after 20 years the latest.

The application takes place exclusively at the Online Credit Portal of the KfW, you will get further information (in German language) at the NBank and at the KfW.

Before you raise such a loan we highly recommend you to seek individual counselling at the Abteilung Ausbildungsförderung (Loan Department) or the Social Advice Centre of the Student Administration Hanover!