Funding & financing

In Germany, the state provides financial support for initial training at vocational schools, colleges, academies and universities if parents are unable to finance the training. Certain foreign groups of people are also entitled to the so-called BAföG (short for Federal Training Assistance Act ). Half of this is paid out as a grant, which does not have to be repaid, and the other half as an interest-free loan. Half of the loan must be repaid, up to a maximum of €10,000. The maximum BAföG rate per month is currently €992 (winter semester 2024/25). Foreigners must repay the loan even if they later return to their home country.

In principle, only foreign nationals who are allowed to stay in Germany on a long-term basis or who have a permanent prospect of remaining in Germany receive BAföG. A temporary residence permit is usually not sufficient.

BAföG is open to, among others:

• recognized persons entitled to asylum,

• recognized refugees under the Geneva Refugee Convention,

• persons entitled to subsidiary protection,

• holders of a residence permit in accordance with § 24 AufenthG and

• tolerated persons who have been in Germany legally, permitted or tolerated for 15 months without interruption since applying for asylum.

Asylum seekers whose asylum procedure has not yet been completed, however, cannot receive BAföG. It has not yet been sufficiently clarified whether they can remain in Germany.

ATTENTION: The receipt of BAföG affects the receipt of social benefits and must be reported accordingly.

You can find out more about BAföG here. Contact persons for BAföG in the district of Mittelsachsen can be found here.

Scholarships are another way to finance your studies. These are offered by political or church foundations, trade unions, companies, state institutions and private sponsors. Some of these are also open to refugees or are specifically intended for them.

The Free State of Saxony, for example, provides financial support for high-achieving foreign students at Saxon universities, particularly in the STEM fields, with the help of the Georgius Agricola Scholarships. There are 3 types of scholarships:

• The basic scholarship is aimed at first-year students from the so-called DAC countries (a list of DAC countries can be found here) to enable people from developing countries to study.

• The merit scholarship is for high-achieving students from the 3rd semester or in the Master's program.

• The business scholarship provides financial support for an internship at a company in Saxony.

Details on the Georgius Agricola Scholarship can be found here.

The Federal Government also supports talented and capable students regardless of their background with the so-called Deutschlandstipendium. In addition to academic performance, social commitment plays a role in the awarding of the scholarship. Half of the scholarship is funded by the federal government and half by private donors. The universities in Central Saxony, TU Freiberg and Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, also offer the Deutschlandstipendium. You can find out more about the Deutschlandstipendium here.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) also offers funding opportunities for foreigners who want to study, research, do an internship or learn German in Germany. DAAD scholarships are primarily aimed at students with a Bachelor's degree, doctoral students and postgraduates and are awarded for study and research stays at universities and non-university research institutions in Germany. Internships are also funded as part of some programs. More information can be found here.

As part of the STIBET scholarship and support program, the DAAD also provides funding for scholarships for more equal opportunities. These are awarded to international students who have to overcome special challenges and circumstances during their studies, e.g. due to a refugee background. TU Freiberg also awards these (more information here).

NOTE: It is advisable to contact the universities directly to find out what funding opportunities are available.

Recognized refugees are permitted to work. Asylum seekers and persons with tolerated status, on the other hand, always require the approval of the foreigners authority for employment. Under no circumstances may they be subject to an employment ban.

When studying, the same restrictions on working hours apply as for international students. You may work up to 140 full or 280 half days per year as an employee. More is only possible with the approval of the Federal Employment Agency and the Foreigners' Registration Office. A half day is defined as a maximum of 4 hours working time, more than 4 hours as a full day.

Alternatively, the working time can also be calculated per week: Students are allowed to work up to 20 hours per week during lecture periods. These are assessed as 2.5 days of working time. You can also work full-time during semester breaks. However, only 2.5 days of working time per week will be calculated.

Internship semesters are not counted towards the working time quota.

In addition, the following jobs are permitted: as a research or student assistant at the university, in the student union or in the student representation (AStA/STURA) or jobs that are very closely related to your studies, e.g. at an institute. As long as your studies are not at risk, you can work for an unlimited period of time.

The statutory minimum wage also applies to students. It does not apply to compulsory internships and internships that last up to three months.

ATTENTION: A voluntary internship is counted as work, even if it is unpaid. Full-time internships are counted as 2.5 days per week during the semester break.