Foreign BaföG

• Tuition fees at the foreign university (up to € 4,600 per academic year)
• Travel expenses
• Additional allowance for health insurance coverage (if applicable)
• Foreign study/training allowance for study visits outside the EU (between € 60 and € 450 per month depending on the country)

BAföG foreign allowance supplements are paid out in full to recipients as grants, and therefore, need not be paid back. Because the basis for calculating financial need is higher for foreign study visits, it's possible that students, who do not qualify for BAföG support in Germany (on account of their parents' income, for example), could qualify for the foreign allowance supplement. To find out whether you might also qualify, check out the BAföG calculator.

To be eligible for foreign BAföG, the following requirements must be fulfilled: 

• Students must have completed at least the first two semesters at a German university
• The foreign university must be recognised as equivalent to a German university
• Students must prove they have adequate knowledge of the foreign language and the language of instruction
• Foreign study should count toward the degree programme in Germany, i.e. students should be able to receive some credit for their academic work completed abroad
• Study visits abroad must last for at least six months

These requirements do not apply to participants of the SOCRATES/ERASMUS programme!

Students may also be eligible for foreign BAföG to support a mandatory internship as prescribed by the study and examination regulations. However, such grants are generally awarded to candidates who take internships in Europe lasting longer than three months.

Under certain conditions, funding is also available to students who take non-European internships. Contact the Studentenwerk Thüringen for more information and assistance.

Other federal subsidies are available for foreign study/professional training. To apply, you may have to submit Form 6 to these educational funding agencies, which can also provide you more information about financial aid for foreign study visits. Visit the website of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to find out which agency is specifically responsible for funding those in your situation. 

Applications must be submitted at six months prior to the commencement of your foreign study/professional training phase.