How To Get Student Loans In Germany

Are you searching for how to get students loans in Germany?
Student Loans opportunities are available for various phases of your studies for international students studying in Germany. Below is how to get student loans in Germany.

How to Apply for Student  Loan in Germany

Despite German universities having zero or very low tuition fees and the cost of living being reasonably low compared to other countries, two-thirds of international students still choose to work part-time to cover their living expenses. There are various governmental-funded and non-governmental funded student Grant resources, created to help students finance their studies in Germany by offering loans often with zero or very low rates of interest. Moreover, many German universities have established their own student loan schemes to support foreign students.

Public student loan schemes mostly charge no interest rate, while non-government resources may apply a low rate of interest. Apart from the interest, there may be other limitations, mostly having to do with the time limit within which you’re obligated to pay the money back and the amount of money you can borrow. Note that you can’t rely only on student loans since the amount you can get from a loan scheme is limited and not enough to cover all expenses. As such, a student loan can only come as a complementary fund to your financial resources for financing studies in Germany.

Who’s  Eligible for Student loans in Germany?

According to Germany’s Federal Education Ministry, all students between the ages of 18 and 44 who are enrolled at state-recognised institutions of higher education in Germany are eligible for the loan if:

They are German citizens and registered as living in Germany
Dependents of German citizens also living in Germany
EU citizens registered and residing in Germany for at least three years (or their dependents)
Non-nationals who are registered in Germany and obtained their university entrance qualifications here.
All foreign-nationals registered as living in Germany (an exception made during the corona pandemic)
The loans are for those currently studying for their bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral studies. The length of the grant also depends on the age of the student.
According to Education Ministry estimates, the loans are set to reach a total amount of up to €1 billion.

Below are some resources where you can go looking for a friendly student loan to finance your studies.

1.Federal Education and Training Assistance Act (BAFÖG)

Duration: 24 monthly.

Value: £300/month.

Repayment: Four years after the first payment of the loan.

BAFÖG established its foundation in 1971, over four million people have benefited from their services. Their mission is to give opportunities to talented students to get an education despite the lack of proper financial funds to achieve this. Their funds are rather grants or free-interest loans.

2.Deutschlandstipendium

Duration: monthly.

Value: 300€ / monthly

Repayment plan: Four years after the first payment of the loan.

This is available to all students without a residency requirement. This is a merit-based program, requiring academic excellence and in addition, evidence of social commitment and personal achievements, such as overcoming challenges in his or her life or obstacles caused by family or social background. There is a flat payment of 300 € a month, provided on a 50/50 basis by the state and private businesses.

3.Bildungskredit

Duration: 24 months.

Value:7200 €/month.

Repayment: Four years after the first payment of the loan.

This type of student loan carries a low-interest rate and is not a need-based platform, hence everyone has access to it. It is another fund that is granted by the German government in association with a private banking group. In contrast to BAFÖG, Bildungskredit is awarded to individuals who are at higher stages of their education and need a loan to carry on.

4.Bank Loan

With the large numbers of banks in Germany, which have gone ahead to not only own their own student loan scheme but one with great interest rate. An international student can smoothly finance their stay in Germany. Some of the banks that can provide these loans are; Deutfractionk, Raiffeisenresource Sparkasse, Hypovereinsbank.

Note that it is highly advisable to first of all check if your chosen university donates student loans to the international student before you go looking for an organization that can grant you a student loan. Also, the above-listed loan options are just a fraction of the loan resource center.

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