Bafog independent of parents
Who wants to take up a master or a correspondence course as an academic further education, must deal willy-nilly with the topic of the financing of the study. Bafog is certainly a possibility that deserves a closer look. Under certain conditions, the master's degree or distance learning can even be financed by Bafog, which is independent of parents.
Before you even think about parent-independent Bafog you have to be aware that a further education study can only be supported by Bafog under certain conditions. Anyone who decides to study for a master's degree, whether as a distance learning or classroom-based option, can only be supported by Bafog if it is a consecutive master's degree. The distinction between consecutive and non-consecutive masters is explained in more detail here. Roughly speaking, the master's degree must be based on a first bachelor's degree that qualifies for a profession. The thematic relationship between Master's and Bachelor's degree does not play a decisive role here.
In which cases is Bafog available and in which is it not??
Roughly speaking, a distinction can be made between a master's degree that is taken after an already completed course of study with at least 9 semesters of standard study time and a master's degree that is studied after a bachelor's degree. A first degree of 9 semesters of standard study time can be supported by Bafog. So these 9 semesters are already "used up", so to speak, if you already have a diploma, master's degree or other master's degree in your pocket. In these cases, taking up another Master's degree would not be eligible for Bafog, as it is clearly a second degree program.
The situation is different if only a bachelor's degree has been obtained so far. Then there is still a theoretical right to the master's degree. This does not have to be studied in the same subject or in a related field as the Bachelor's degree. The only important thing is that so far only one degree with 6 semesters of standard study time has been achieved. If this is the case, then Bafog can be applied for. Whether and how much will really come out in the end is another matter altogether.
When is parental-independent Bafog paid?
If the above-mentioned prerequisites for support through Bafog are met, the special case of Bafog independent of parents can now be examined. Here again, there are a number of circumstances that must be considered. Basically, it is about the fact that the amount of the Bafog is not linked to the income of the parents. Who decides for a full-time study, which will have thus with parents-independent Bafog in all rule better chances on a high Bafogsatz, since it has in the time no or few income. The following points are used for the calculation of the parent-independent Bafog:
In the case of full-time studies, any income from side jobs will be taken into account. As a single person you have good chances to get a high Bafog rate.
What reserves has the student accumulated in the past years of employment? Here you should really check all accounts etc. otherwise there is the threat of hefty back payments. The limit here is assets of 5.200 Euro. As soon as this is exceeded, the money is credited against the Bafog.
If the spouse or partner is working? Then his income is counted towards the Bafog rate.
The assets of a partner or spouse can also be counted towards the Bafog. Basically, it is important that one is married or in a registered partnership. A loose relationship plays no role in the calculation of the parent-independent Bafogs.
Entitlement or not
However, before you even deal with the points that are included in the calculation of the Bafog, you must clarify whether you are entitled to Bafog independent of your parents. Here, too, there are some requirements that have to be fulfilled. The following points should be considered:
If you complete your bachelor's degree in your mid-20s and then work for a few years before deciding to pursue a master's degree in your 30s or older, you have a good chance of receiving non-parental Bafog. On the other hand, at this age, support through Bafog is generally not very common. However, if you are still entitled to financial support, you will most likely be able to apply for Bafog without having to consider your parents' income situation.
Here, the time between the age of 18 and the start of the employment relationship plays a role. The student must have been employed before the age of 18 and the start of the current master's degree program / distance learning program. If this (all together) was at least 5 years, then there is hope for a positive decision in the matter of parental-independent Bafog. This is based on the assumption of full-time employment (usually around 40 hours per week).
If you have not worked full time for five years in total, you can apply for Bafog independent of parents if you have completed your first vocational training and have worked accordingly. In our case of the Master's program, this would mean that a first Bachelor's degree (of 3 years) has been completed and then a full-time job has been pursued for at least another 3 years. In this case there would probably be a right to parent-independent Bafog.
This point is not interesting if you are aiming for a master's degree. Those who want to catch up on their high school diploma at an evening school and have spent the corresponding time in a full-time job beforehand can also hope to receive support independent of their parents.