Support for students: Government wants to push through Bafög reform
Expensive shared flats, shopping at the supermarket - the prices are a problem for students. Now the government is taking the first step towards higher BAföG payments.
The German government, after much indecision, plans to introduce a reform to the Bafög system in the coming week, according to a government spokesperson in Berlin. The cabinet will examine the plans on August 12, with a cabinet decision serving as the first step toward implementation. Following this, the draft legislation will proceed to the Bundestag for several rounds of debate.
The goal is to increase Bafög funding for the next academic year, starting in the upcoming semester. The delay in the increase, initially set for the winter semester, was due to the tight fiscal situation of the federal government. For the winter semester of 2027/28, the Bafög basic need should also rise. The aim is to gradually raise this support to the level of basic income.
Bafög is government assistance for students, some of whom are also pupils. Its purpose is to ensure that education is less dependent on the family's financial resources. In 2024, there were approximately 612,800 Bafög recipients, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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