Application

• When do I need to apply?

  To ensure that your funding is available when you start your course of study, you should apply as early as possible. For first-time applicants, this means submitting your application 2-3 months before your course is due to start, even if your application is not yet complete, e.g. you do not yet have your enrolment certificate or documentation from your parents. Subsequent applications for support should be submitted to the Department of Finance & BAföG completely with all of the necessary documentation at least 2 months before your approved period expires. If you submit them later than this, you may experience a gap in your funding payments.

  Funding is granted from the start of the month in which you begin your course of study, or from the month you submit your application if you submit late. So if you miss the deadline of the end of your approved period or the month your course begins, make sure you submit your application as soon as possible.
• What documentation do I need to submit?

  A complete application consists of:

  • Application (form 1), including any documentary evidence requested
  • Appendix 1, form 1: for all first-time applicants (educational and employment historiy)
  • Appendix 2, form 1: if you are applying for child support allowance to help look after your children in your own home
  • Proof of health insurance: if you are paying for your health/long-term care insurance yourself
  • University enrolment certificate
  • Declaration (form 3) from your spouse/partner and each of your biological parents regarding their income and dependents; they will need to provide proof of their gross income, all wage-replacement benefits and pensions, profits from self-employment, any other income and tax paid for the previous calendar year prior to the start of the approved period
  • At the start of your 5th semester, you will also need to provide: proof that you have passed an intermediate examination, which according to the documentation must have taken place during the 4th semester, or a performance record (form 5) issued during the 4th semester that confirms that you had achieved the expected level of attainment by the end of the previous semester. What is considered the “expected level” is not decided by the Department of Finance & BAföG, but by designated lecturers at your university. You can find a list of these lecturers here [Chemnitz, Zwickau]. In exceptional cases, the Department of Finance & BAföG may be able to accept your performance record later, but please contact the staff as soon as possible!

New application forms

Since autumn 2020 there are new and clearer forms for BAföG applications. You can easily see from the colored markings which lines have to be filled out by whom:

BLUE - must be filled out by the applicant

YELLOW - to be filled in by the university

RED - to be filled in by parents, spouses or life partners

In addition, there are explanations of the individual lines in the margin, which make it much easier for you to fill them in. Should you still have questions, please contact your personal advisor.