Apply for professional advancement training funding

Service Description

With the Upgrading Training Assistance Act (Aufstiegs-BAföG), you can receive financial support to qualify for specialist and management positions or for self-employment. Around 700 advanced training qualifications for higher-qualified vocational training can be funded, for example

  • Master craftsperson
  • Business administrator
  • Technician
  • Educator

You can only choose between advanced vocational training courses for which you have the prior vocational qualification.

You can receive support for advanced vocational training in the form of

  • Contributions towards the costs of your course
  • Contributions towards your living expenses

You can complete the advanced vocational training course full-time or part-time. You can also apply for support for several stages. Your training must be offered by a suitable provider, for example a

  • a public provider,
  • a state-recognized provider or
  • certified provider.

You can receive funding of up to EUR 15,000 for the course and examination fees. Half of this is a grant, the other half is a loan that you have to pay back. If you successfully complete the course, part of the loan can be waived. If you set up your own business, the entire loan can be waived under certain circumstances.

Funding is also available for the practical work you do, for example as part of the master craftsman's examination. You can receive up to half of the necessary material costs incurred, up to a maximum of EUR 2,000, half as a grant and half as a loan.

With the approval of the upgrading training grant, you are entitled to conclude a loan agreement with the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW). Your loan is interest-free and repayment-free for the duration of the training and a subsequent waiting period of 2 years.

You can only apply for contributions towards living expenses if you complete your training full-time. If you are the parent of one or more children, you will receive a higher allowance. Single parents receive a monthly childcare allowance for each child under the age of 14.

If you have other income or assets, these will be taken into account. You must also declare other state benefits, such as unemployment benefit, when you apply. You do not have to pay back maintenance that is paid to you.

If you are a foreign national, you can also receive the upgrading training grant if, for example, you are a

  • are a national of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) or
  • have certain residence permits or a permanent residence permit or
  • have resided in Germany for a total of 3 years and have been gainfully employed.

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Thüringen (Linie6Plus)

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