Students who are entitled to BAföG "on the merits" cannot receive a housing allowance. This also applies if your BAföG application was rejected, for example, because your parents earn too much.
However, students can be entitled to housing allowance if they receive
- receive BAföG as a full loan, or
- are not entitled to BAföG for the same reason, for example, because they have exceeded the maximum period of eligibility, have not provided the required certificates of achievement, have changed their field of study, are over the age limit, or are pursuing a second course of education, or
- live together with persons who are not entitled to BAföG (e.g. child, partner, spouse, parents).
If this applies to you, it is worth taking a look at the following flyer, which we have published together with the Wohngeldstelle der Landeshauptstadt Hannover.
Foreign students who are staying in Germany for the purpose of studying can also receive housing allowance under certain conditions. However, if you have a declaration of commitment , please get advice from our social counseling service!
Your parents will receive child benefit until you turn 25.
In the past, child benefit was paid beyond the age of 25 if your education was delayed due to basic military or civilian service (or correspondingly recognized service, for example in development aid). In this case, child benefit was extended by a maximum of the duration of the basic military or civilian service performed. Federal voluntary service does not result in child benefit being paid for longer because, as the name suggests, it is voluntary.
If you regularly work more than 20 hours a week, you will no longer be entitled to child benefit. This means that your parents will no longer receive child benefit for you.
If you work more than 20 hours a week temporarily - for a maximum of two months - it doesn't matter if your average weekly working time for the entire calendar year is no more than 20 hours.
The periods of study for which child benefit is granted also include interruptions due to illness and maternity (maternity leave).
A student can therefore continue to receive child benefit for this period. Even if she takes parental leave from a part-time job but continues her studies, she can still receive child benefit during this time, because the basis for her own child benefit entitlement is that she is still in education.
However, if she takes a semester off herself, she is only entitled to child benefit for herself during this time as long as she is on maternity leave. However, she can also receive child benefit for her child during the semester of leave.
Detailed information on child benefit, age limits and training periods can be found in the leaflet on child benefit from the Federal Central Tax Office (Bundeszentralamt für Steuern).
If you have further questions about child benefit, please contact our social counseling service!
Unemployment benefit is only available under certain conditions, which only apply to very few students. Therefore, here is only the most important information.
Unemployment benefit can only be received by those who
- are registered as unemployed,
- is available to the employment agency,
- meets the eligibility criteria.
The entitlement to unemployment benefit is based, among other things, on employment subject to contributions for at least 12 months within two years prior to registration as unemployed.
The following applies until December 31, 2022: For persons with predominantly short temporary employment, there is a shortened entitlement under certain conditions. For this to be the case, they must have worked predominantly on a temporary basis subject to social insurance contributions in the two years prior to becoming unemployed. The employment relationship must not have been limited to more than ten weeks. In addition, the salary in the last twelve months before unemployment must not exceed certain amounts. If this is the case and all other requirements for receiving unemployment benefits are met, the qualifying period is reduced to six months.
Regarding availability: The legislator assumes that unemployed persons who study at a university can only perform jobs that are exempt from social insurance in addition to their education and are thus not available to the employment agency. However, this presumption can be rebutted in individual cases. The standard for the extent of the claim due to the studies are the objective requirements of proper studies, as they result from the examination regulations.
Further information on unemployment benefit can be obtained from the Agentur für Arbeit Hannover.
If you have further questions, please contact the Social Counseling Service of the Studentenwerk Hannover.
Since unemployment benefit is an insurance benefit and not a social benefit, foreign students can also claim it if they have previously worked in a job that is fully subject to social insurance and have acquired entitlements in the process. However, this is usually not the case in the context of normal student employment. In cases of doubt, our social counseling service at the Studentenwerk will be happy to help.
As a general rule, students cannot receive standard benefits under basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld), as student financial support is covered by BAföG.
However, there is an exception: this applies to all students who are eligible for BAföG in principle and still live with their parents, and, under certain conditions, also to students living away from their parents’ home. Depending on financial need, standard benefits and housing costs may be covered as a top-up. This also includes health insurance cover through the Jobcenter.
All other students can only receive additional payments for specific needs from the Jobcenter or social welfare office if they are pregnant or single parents. However, their children or partners may be entitled to benefits in their own right if their income is low.
Important information for anyone receiving both basic income support and BAföG: when BAföG is assessed as income, study-related expenses (such as the semester contribution) may qualify as deductible expenses. This can increase the amount of basic income support paid.
As studies are suspended during a semester of leave, students may be entitled to full basic income support during this time.
International students generally cannot receive basic income support, as they are not permitted to claim social benefits. If you are unsure, our Social Counselling Service will be happy to advise you.
Eligibility for basic income support depends on your capacity to work in terms of your health. Anyone whose health allows them to work for at least three hours a day, as well as their family members, receives basic income support if they meet the eligibility requirements.
Entitlement to basic income support depends on individual circumstances.
For more information about basic income support, contact JobCenter Region Hannover.
If you have any further questions about basic income support, please feel free to contact our Social Counselling Service!