Germany
German students assemble their funding from several building blocks. The centerpiece is BAföG — half grant, half zero-interest loan with a hard repayment cap — flanked by merit scholarships like the Deutschlandstipendium and the thirteen Begabtenförderungswerke, state-backed loans from KfW and the Bundesverwaltungsamt, and family-side benefits such as Kindergeld and housing support. Most amounts re-index in steps: BAföG through its reform rounds, Kindergeld and the semester ticket each January. Every entry below carries its sources; amounts are winter semester 2025/26 rates, with 2026 figures where they apply.
Every amount carries a last-verified date and official sources.
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BAföG (federal student financial aid)· BAföG
up to €992 per month
Germany's central need-based student support: up to €992 per month, half a grant and half a zero-interest loan whose repayment is capped at €10,010.
Study start-up help (Studienstarthilfe)· Studienstarthilfe
€1,000 one-time
A one-time €1,000 grant for study starters under 25 whose household received means-tested benefits in the month before the start of study — no repayment, no offsetting.
Deutschlandstipendium
€300 per month
€300 per month for talented, committed students — half from private sponsors, half from the federal government, and fully compatible with BAföG.