BAföG is state education funding under the Federal Training Assistance Act. It is available for school-based vocational training only for certain types of school and when personal and financial requirements are met. Funding for qualifying school-based programs is generally provided as a grant and therefore does not have to be repaid like a loan. Rules for students cannot be applied across the board to vocational schools. Dual company-based training is usually not funded through BAföG; vocational training assistance may be available under certain conditions instead. The relevant factors are the specific type of school, your training route and the funding decision. The decision states whether any portion must be repaid. School-based training alone does not establish eligibility for support.
Repayment portion before vocational training in Germany
School-based vocational training may qualify for BAföG under certain conditions. Whether a loan portion must be repaid depends on the type of training funded; for many school-based programs, funding is provided as a grant.
Tip
Plan your budget only once you know whether your specific school-based program qualifies for support and whether the decision requires repayment. Do not rely on rules for students or assume every school-based training program qualifies for BAföG.