Upgrading BAföG; applying for an upgrading grant

Purpose

The Upgrading Assistance Act (Aufstiegs-BAföG) under the Upgrading Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegsfortbildungsförderungsgesetz - AFBG for short) is a legally regulated cash benefit that provides financial support to help people gain qualifications. The aim of the AFBG is to expand and develop higher vocational qualifications. The financial support strengthens the motivation for further training and improves career advancement opportunities.

Object

Funding is available for full-time and part-time training courses offered by public and private providers that specifically prepare students for public examinations under the Vocational Training Act, the Crafts Code or equivalent qualifications under federal or state law. Participation in full-time measures is generally funded for up to 24 calendar months and part-time measures for up to 48 calendar months (maximum funding period).

Under the AFBG, funding is provided for participation in further training measures offered by public or private providers that are specifically geared towards a professional qualification under public law on the basis of §§ 53 to 53d and 54 of the Vocational Training Act or §§ 42 to 42d, 42f, 45, 51a of the Crafts Code, e.g. Certified Professional Specialist, Bachelor Professional, Master Professional. Bankfachwirt(in), Industrie- oder Handwerksmeister(in), Techniker(in), or prepare for an equivalent qualification in accordance with federal or state regulations, for further training in accordance with the further training guidelines of the German Hospital Association or for further training on the basis of state-approved examination regulations at recognized supplementary schools.

In addition, the funding is tied to certain time and quality requirements:

• The measure must comprise at least 400 teaching hours (minimum duration).
• In the case of full-time measures, there must generally be at least 25 teaching hours per week on 4 working days (full-time training density). Full-time training courses may not last longer than three years in total (maximum full-time time frame).
• In the case of part-time measures, the courses must comprise an average of at least 18 teaching hours per month (part-time training density). Part-time measures may not last longer than four years in total (maximum part-time time frame).
• By way of derogation, measures that prepare for further training qualifications for examinations regulated by public law on the basis of Section 53b of the Vocational Training Act or Section 42b of the Crafts Code and for equivalent further training qualifications are eligible for funding in part-time form if they comprise at least 200 hours of instruction and are completed within 36 calendar months.
• Distance learning courses can be funded as part-time measures if they fulfill the general funding requirements of the AFBG and also meet the requirements of the Distance Learning Protection Act.
• Under certain conditions, funding is also available for measures which are partly carried out using media-based communication and which are not subject to approval as distance learning in accordance with Section 12 of the Distance Learning Protection Act (Section 4a AFBG) if they are supplemented by face-to-face teaching and regular performance assessments are carried out.

Beneficiary

In principle, participants in full-time or part-time vocational training are eligible to apply.

Eligible costs, type and amount

A contribution is made towards the costs of the course (measure contribution) and a contribution to cover maintenance requirements (maintenance contribution). The measure contribution includes course and examination fees (excluding material costs) up to EUR 15,000. Funding of 50% of the contribution to the measure is provided as a grant. Funding for the maintenance contribution is provided at 100% as a grant.

Participants in full-time measures receive an income and asset-dependent maintenance contribution plus, for single parents, EUR 150 per child up to the age of 14 as a grant, plus a bank loan.

Eligible group of persons:

• The desired vocational qualification must be above the level of a skilled worker, journeyman or assistant examination or a vocational college qualification. Therefore, initial training is often a prerequisite for admission to the advanced training examination. Funding is not necessarily only available for the first advanced training course, but for all advanced training courses. Anyone who has already completed a self-financed advanced training course does not lose their entitlement to funding as a result.
• If a further training objective has already been funded under the AFBG, the preparation for a further further training objective within the meaning of the AFBG is funded if the intended further training objective builds on the further training objective already achieved. This is particularly the case if a further training objective at the next further training level within the meaning of Section 53a of the Vocational Training Act or Section 42a of the Crafts Code is being pursued. Funding can be granted once at all three levels in succession if the further training objective being pursued builds on the training objective already achieved. This is particularly the case if a further training objective is aimed for at the next further training level (i.e. sequence DQR 5 - DQR 6 - DQR 7, but not first DQR 7 and then DQR 6).

Only courses offered by certified providers with a corresponding quality assurance system are eligible for funding.

The contribution to the measure must be applied for by the end of the measure or section of the measure at the latest.

The maintenance contribution is paid from the beginning of the month in which the lessons actually start, but at the earliest from the beginning of the month of application.

For example, the following documents may be required:

• Information on income and assets
• Declaration by the spouse/registered partner
• Supplementary sheet for foreign nationals
• Certificate of attendance at a training center / participation in a distance learning course / media-supported course
• Proof of regular course attendance from a training provider
• Form for proof of actual material costs incurred for the master craftsman examination project / practical work
• Confirmation of the admission requirements

• Application forms for career advancement funding according to AFBG

• Art. 6 Jurisdiction Act (ZustG)

  GVBl. p. 246; BayRS 2015-1-V

• Federal law on individual support for training (Federal Training Assistance Act - BAföG)
• Act on the Promotion of Advanced Vocational Training (Advanced Vocational Training Promotion Act - AFBG)

• Advancement BAföG

  All information at a glance - information on funding, the path to funding, examples of funding, information materials, advancement blog, AFBG in social professions

The application must be submitted in writing or electronically (see "Online procedure") to the responsible Office for Educational Support.

If the applicant has not yet submitted all the necessary documents for the decision on the application, the Office for Educational Support will contact the applicant and ask for the missing documents to be submitted.

Other authorities are generally not involved.

"Meister-BAföG"

To apply, it is best to use the electronic application via the application assistant "AFBG Digital"(AFBG Digital). Electronic applications are submitted using the Bund-ID(Federal ID), which enables secure identification. The "AFBG Digital" application assistant then supports you in every single step of the online AFBG procedure. You can upload any necessary documents directly using the upload function. It is also possible to temporarily save the application in order to upload a truly complete application. You can then check the completeness of your details before submitting and sending the application. This allows you to personally ensure that all the necessary data and documents arrive securely and that your application can be processed as quickly as possible.

• BAföG; application for educational support for pupils