On average, Bafög recipients received 640 euros last year. How many schoolchildren and students received the financial aid? And what proportion was it women?
Students and schoolchildren received a higher amount of Bafög on average last year. The support under the Federal Training Assistance Act – Bafög for short – rose on average to 640 euros per month per recipient, which was 47 euros or 8 percent more than in the previous year. As the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden also announced, total Bafög expenditure grew by 14 percent to 3.4 billion euros.
Total funding increases to 3.4 billion euros
According to the information, a total of 635,600 people received financial aid, an increase of 0.9 percent compared to 2022. “This means that the number of those receiving funding rose slightly for the second year in a row, after falling annually from 2012 to 2021,” the statisticians explained. According to this, 501,400 students and 134,200 schoolchildren received Bafög.
As in previous years, more women received financial assistance. Their share was 58 percent, compared to 42 percent for men. Just over half of all recipients (55 percent) received full funding.
According to the data, 2.9 billion euros (plus 17 percent) was spent on student support. Pupils received 526 million euros (plus 0.9 percent). Students received an average of 663 euros (plus 52 euros) per month, and pupils 537 euros (plus 20 euros).
28 percent of all those receiving funding still lived with their parents
In some cases, the funding was not spread over the entire year, it was said. And: The amount of the individual funding depends, among other things, on the training institution – i.e. whether a vocational school or university is attended, and on the living situation of the recipient. 28 percent of all those receiving funding lived with their parents, although this proportion was significantly higher among schoolchildren (45 percent) than among university students (24 percent).
In future, needy pupils and students will receive more student loans. The so-called basic needs for students will rise from 452 to 475 euros in the coming winter semester, and the housing allowance for those who no longer live with their parents will rise from 360 to 380 euros. In total, this means an increase from 812 to 855 euros. The reform will also increase the student loans rates for pupils. For them, the increase will take effect at the start of the new school year.
The Federal Training Assistance Act (Bafög) was introduced in 1971. In everyday language, the name of the law now stands for the actual cash benefit. What was initially a grant without repayment later became a full loan. Since 1990, the rule has been that one half is given as a gift, the other half must be repaid.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
