Anyone with a family knows that life can suddenly become quite expensive. For students in particular, this increased financial burden can become a problem. But perhaps you are entitled to additional support? On the following pages, you can find out about state and private support options as a first step and decide whether these are suitable for you:
Social legislation, including the regulations on Arbeitslosengeld I (ALG I), is complex and changes frequently. Therefore a detailed description of eligibility requirements, application procedures and legislation is not possible on our website.
In the event of imminent unemployment, you should always inform yourself about the rights and obligations of jobseekers, as late personal registration of unemployment with the Employment Agency can lead to a one-week exclusion zone. You can contact the hotline (telephone number below) or research on the website of the Employment Agency. We particularly recommend leaflet 1: "Leaflet for the unemployed - your rights and obligations", which the agency provides for download on the Internet.
As a rule, students are not entitled to ALG I as they have not yet paid unemployment insurance contributions.
The best way to find out whether you are entitled to benefits is to personally contact the Employment Agency. You should therefore seek personal advice directly from your local employment agency.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Employment Agency telephone hotline
Tel.: 0800-45 55 500 (employees)*
Internet: www.arbeitsagentur.de
TRIER EMPLOYMENT AGENCY
Dasbachstraße 9
54292 Trier
Tel.: 01801/55 51 11 (employees)*
Fax: 0651/20 59 10 30 40
E-mail: trier(at)arbeitsagentur.de
AGENCY FOR EMPLOYMENT BIRKENFELD
Schneewiesenstraße 26
55765 Birkenfeld
Tel.: 01801/55 51 11 (employees)*
E-Mail: Birkenfeld(at)arbeitsagentur.de
AGENCY FOR EMPLOYMENT BAD KREUZNACH
Idar-Oberstein office
Mainzer Str. 210
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Tel.: 01801/55 51 11 (employees)*
Tel.: 01801/66 44 66 (employers)*
E-mail: idar-oberstein(at)arbeitsagentur.de
* This call is free of charge for you
Download information sheets: www.arbeitsagentur.de/
Please note that this is an extremely abbreviated and simplified presentation. For more information, please contact your local employment office! You can also find the full text in our family brochure "Ganz nah am Leben" - available online and from your family service.
Who is entitled to citizen's benefit (formerly unemployment benefit II)
All persons capable of work and in need of assistance who have reached the age of 15 and have not yet reached the age limit for the standard old-age pension, who usually reside in Germany, who are not employed or whose income is below the minimum subsistence level and who have no assets on which they can live. As a foreigner, you can receive benefits if you come from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, were previously employed in Germany and are involuntarily unemployed or if you have a residence permit for humanitarian reasons.
For the first three months of your stay, however, you will not receive any benefits under the German Social Security Code II (SGB II).
Persons who are not (yet) able to work and are not entitled to basic income support and who live in a benefit community with a person who is able to work receive social benefit to secure their livelihood.
Who is in need of help?
You are in need of assistance if you are unable to meet your own subsistence needs, your integration into employment and the needs of persons living with you in a joint household from your own resources and means.
What services are available?
and reasonable costs for accommodation and heating.
Regulations for students:
Students are generally not entitled to citizen's benefit and are therefore not entitled to health insurance cover. Additional needs and benefits for dependents are not affected by the exclusion of benefits. If necessary, a subsidy may be granted towards the uncovered costs of accommodation and heating.
With the exception of benefits for additional needs and benefits for relatives of the trainee, there is no entitlement to benefits to secure living expenses if the person in need of assistance is completing training that is eligible for support under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) or §§ 60-62 SGB III. It is irrelevant whether, for example, the parents' income situation actually results in a payable amount.
If a student interrupts training for up to three months due to illness or pregnancy, training assistance is provided in accordance with §15 Para. 2a BAföG; the exclusion of benefits in accordance with §7 Para. 5 SGB II therefore remains in place.
If training is interrupted for longer than three months, there is no entitlement to training assistance; benefits for living expenses can be claimed without this being contrary to §7 Para. 5 SGB II.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Employment Agency:
Tel: 0800 4 5555 00 (employees*
Tel: 0800 4 5555 20 (employers)*
Tel Family Fund: 0800 4 5555 30 *
* The call is free of charge for you.
JOBCENTER TRIER
Gneisenaustr. 38
54294 Trier
Telephone: 0651 - 205-7000 (granting benefits)
Telephone: 0651 - 205-7100 (job placement)
JOBCENTER BIRKENFELD
Schneewiesenstraße 26
55765 Birkenfeld
Telephone: 06782 - 99 30 56 (Market and integration)
Telephone: 06782 - 99 30 57 (Granting benefits)
JOBCENTER IDAR-OBERSTEIN
Hauptstr. 86
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Telephone: 06781 - 56 85 316 (market and integration)
Telephone: 06781 - 5685-431, 432, 433, 434 (granting benefits)
For births from 01.01.2007, the parental allowance replaces the child-raising allowance. Parents are entitled to parental allowance if they
Parental allowance must be applied for in writing. The following can claim it: employees, civil servants, self-employed and unemployed parents, students and trainees. The applications are distributed directly to the parents by the hospital or clinic after the birth of the child and are also available from the parental allowance office. Everyone who has a child is entitled to parental allowance, regardless of social or professional circumstances.
Services:
Parental allowance plus
Parents whose children are born on or after 01.07.2015 and who wish to work part-time after the birth of their child will receive parental allowance for longer in future and can make better use of their parental allowance budget. Like the previous parental allowance, Parental Allowance Plus replaces 65% to 100% of the lost income. The amount of Parental Allowance Plus is a maximum of half of the monthly parental allowance amount that parents without part-time income would be entitled to. The amount of Parental Allowance Plus is a maximum of half the monthly parental allowance that parents without a part-time income would receive (i.e. between € 150 and € 900 per month) - but they can significantly extend their Parental Allowance Plus months. This gives mothers and fathers more leeway beyond the child's 14th month.
Parental Allowance Plus is primarily aimed at parents who want to return to work earlier. If mothers and fathers decide to work part-time as a couple at the same time - for four consecutive months in parallel and between 25 and 30 hours per week - they each receive four additional months of Parental Allowance Plus. Single parents can also take advantage of the partnership bonus and significantly extend the number of Parental Allowance Plus months.
Like Basic Parental Allowance, Parental Allowance Plus is applied for after the birth of the child, in writing and at your parental allowance office. You can choose between Basic Parental Allowance and Parental Allowance Plus or combine the two.
Applications must be filed
Partnership bonus
Parents can each receive up to four additional months of Parental Allowance Plus as a partnership bonus if they simultaneously work between 24 and 32 hours per week part-time during this period in order to have more time for their child (between 25 and 30 hours for children born before September 1, 2021). The partnership bonus can be applied for for a minimum of two and a maximum of four months (for children born before September 1, 2021, this is only possible for four consecutive months of life). The regulation also applies to separated parents who work part-time together as parents. Single parents are entitled to the entire partnership bonus.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Youth Welfare Office Trier
Town Hall
Parental Allowance Office
Am Augustinerhof
Administration Building II
54290 Trier
Tel: 0651-718-0
Fax:0651-718-1508
Birkenfeld District Administration
Parental Allowance Office
Schneewiesenstraße 25
55765 Birkenfeld
Tel: 06782-15210
Fax:
06782-1555210
Idar-Oberstein Youth Welfare Office
Auf der Idar 17
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Tel: 06781-6453-7
Fax:
06781-6444-5
FURTHER LINKS
The Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth provides a parental allowance calculator on its website.
Parents (including single parents) residing in Germany receive child benefit. Foreigners living in Germany with a valid settlement permit are also entitled to child benefit. The amount per child is €250 per month (from January 1, 2023).
This service is available:
In principle, child benefit is paid to the person who has custody of the child. If both parents live together, they can decide to whom the money should be paid.
If an adult child lives outside the parental household, the person who pays the higher cash maintenance will receive the child benefit. If you are still receiving child benefit yourself as a student parent, this will only continue to be paid after the birth if you do not take parental leave or parental benefit yourself.
The claim for child benefit must be submitted in writing to the family benefits office responsible for you. Responsibility depends on the place of residence of the parents (or those entitled to child benefit) of the child for whom you are claiming child benefit. Your family benefits office can provide you with more information.
CHILDREN'S SUPPLEMENT
Child supplement is an amount paid in addition to child benefit to support low-income families. Single parents and couples are entitled to it if their children are unmarried and under 25 years of age and if
The child supplement of a maximum of €250/month per child (as of January 2023) is paid together with the child benefit. If there are several children, a total child supplement to be paid is formed from this. For certain groups of people, including students and trainees whose education is eligible for support under BAföG, the child supplement is only available under special conditions.
If you are already receiving unemployment benefit II/social benefit or social assistance benefits, payment of the child supplement is not possible.
Recipients of the child supplement can also receive additional benefits for education and participation. These can be granted to finance school trips, school supplies, learning support or meals at school. The education and participation benefits can be applied for at the responsible municipal offices. The necessary forms are also available there or can be downloaded at www.arbeitsagentur.de.
You can obtain further information on this from your local family benefits office.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Trier Family Benefits Office
Schönbornstr. 1
54295 Trier
Service telephone: 0800 - 45 55 530
E-mail: familienkasse-trier(at)arbeitsagentur.de
For Birkenfeld and Idar-Oberstein:
Family Benefits Office Bad Kreuznach
Bosenheimer Str. 26
55543 Bad Kreuznach
Tel: 01801 - 546 337
E-Mail: familienkasse-badkreuznach(at)arbeitsagentur.de
FURTHER LINKS
www.familienkasse.de
Maternity benefit is a compensation benefit paid to expectant mothers as financial support during the protection period (6 weeks before and 8 weeks [or 12 weeks in the case of premature or multiple births] after the birth) by the health insurance funds or the Federal Social Security Office (formerly the Federal Insurance Office). In principle, all women who are employed, have a loss of earnings and are covered by health insurance are entitled to this benefit.
In individual cases, a distinction must be made between
Maternity pay (except for the employer's contribution) is deducted from your parental allowance, but is exempt from tax and social security contributions.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
If you have any further questions about maternity benefit, please contact your health insurance fund or the Federal Social Security Office.
Federal Office of Social Security
Mutterschaftsgeldstelle
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 38
53113 Bonn
Internet:
www.bundesamtsozialesicherung.de
www.mutterschaftsgeld.de
Please note that this is an extremely abbreviated and simplified presentation. For more information, please contact your local employment office!
People who are not able to work and in need of assistance can receive social assistance. It is divided into 2 main components.
The amount of the benefits for both components corresponds to the benefits of the basic income support for jobseekers (ALG II, unemployment benefit II).
There are special regulations for special cases, such as: Pregnancy, disability or single parenthood.
Social assistance for students
Students themselves cannot receive social assistance. However, children of students may be entitled to social assistance if the parents' income (BAföG) and the children's income (child benefit) together are not sufficient to cover the family's needs.
Applications for social assistance must be submitted to your local social welfare office.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
At your local social welfare office or
Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
The alimony advance is a form of support for single mothers and fathers.
Prerequisite: the other parent does not pay alimony for the child or only pays it irregularly or not on time.
The alimony advance amounts
A court alimony judgment against the other parent is not required, but the parent's own unsuccessful efforts to obtain alimony must be proven.
The youth welfare office at the child's place of residence is responsible. The application must be submitted here in writing.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Youth Welfare Office City of Trier
Rathaus
Am Augustinerhof
Administration Building II
54290 Trier
Tel (head office): 0651/718-3508
Fax: 0651/718-1508
E-mail (head office): jugendamt(at)trier.de
Birkenfeld Youth Welfare Office
Schneewiesenstr. 25
55765 Birkenfeld
Tel. 06782/15200
Idar-Oberstein Youth Welfare Office
Postal address
Georg-Maus-Straße 1
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Phone: 06781/64-0
Fax 06781/64-445
E-mail: jugendamt(at)idar-oberstein.de
Housing benefit is intended to help low-income households meet their housing costs. You can receive housing benefit if you rent or own your own apartment/house. Whether and to what extent you can apply for housing benefit depends on
You should submit an application to your local housing benefit office, where you can also obtain the necessary forms. The approval period begins on the first of the month in which you submit the application. You should submit the repeat application 2 months before the end of the approval period. When submitting the application, you must bring proof of the amount of rent and all proof of income.
Housing benefit for students:
Students who are eligible for BAföG can only receive housing benefit if they share a household with family members who are not entitled to BAföG, e.g. spouse or children. If you live alone and are entitled to BAföG (even if you do not receive BAföG because your parents' income is too high), you are not entitled to housing benefit.
However, if you are not entitled to BAföG (e.g. if you exceed the funding period), you can apply for housing benefit.
Pregnant students can also apply for housing benefit before the birth of the child, but it will only be paid from the birth of the child. Nevertheless, it is advisable to submit the application before the birth of the child in order to avoid delays caused by the new situation.
Benefits for education and participation
Since January 1, 2011, people have received benefits for education and participation in accordance with the Federal Child Benefit Act (Bundeskindergeldgesetz) for children who have been taken into account for the granting of housing benefit and for whom child benefit is received. The benefits are mainly granted as benefits in kind or services.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Office for Social Affairs and Housing Trier
Fachbereich Wohnungswesen
Rathaus
Am Augustinerhof, Administration Building IV
54290 Trier
Tel: (head office) 0651 - 718 1509
Birkenfeld District Administration
Housing Office
Schneewiesenstr. 25
55765 Birkenfeld
Tel: 06782 - 15405
Idar-Oberstein City Council
Housing Promotion
Georg-Maus-Str. 1
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Tel: 06781 - 6462-7, -8, -9
Fax: 06781 - 64448
FURTHER LINKS
Application forms can be downloaded from the homepage of the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of Finance (www.fm.rlp.de)
The Federal Foundation "Mother and Child" offers help to pregnant women in emergency situations to make it easier for them to decide in favor of the child's life and to continue the pregnancy.
The Foundation defines an emergency situation as a financial bottleneck in which the needs of the pregnant woman or child cannot be adequately covered by state benefits.
The support primarily includes money for:
The amount and duration of the grants is determined by the paying authorities and depends on the personal circumstances of the applicants.
The conditions that must be met in order to submit an application are
If you receive support from this foundation, it will not be offset against other social benefits. However, there is no legal entitlement to support.
Application
The Federal Centre for Health Education offers a zip code search function on the website www.familienplanung.de which allows people seeking advice to quickly find advice centers in their area. Click on the field "Allocation of funds from the Federal Foundation Mother and Child" below the search fields before entering the zip code. Only pregnancy advice centers that have applied for financial support from the Federal Foundation will then be displayed.
Please note that an application can only be submitted before the birth!
FURTHER INFORMATION
www.bundesstiftung-mutter-und-kind.de
www.familienplanung.de
The KHG Trier can provide limited financial assistance from its social fund for students who are in need. This is done regardless of their religious affiliation.
An application must be submitted to the KHG. This fund is generally available to all students at Trier universities.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Secretariat Catholic University Community Trier
Im Treff 27
54296 Trier
Tel: 0651 - 96796447
E-Mail: khg-trie(at)bistum-trier.de
The Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen (Catholic Women's Social Service) provides advice on all matters relating to pregnancy and birth up to the child's third year. It helps with financial issues, legal matters, finding accommodation and organizing future life with the child. You can also receive financial help from episcopal or diocesan funds. Counseling is free, anonymous and open to women and men, regardless of religion or nationality.
Further information
Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen
Geschäftsstelle
Krahnenstrasse 33-34
D-54290 Trier
Phone: 0651 - 94960
E-mail: sk(at)skf-trier.de
Homepage: www.skf-trier.de
The Equal Opportunities Office has a comprehensive list of scholarships available for download, including scholarships specifically for parents
Support from the Landesstipendienstiftung
The Scholarship Foundation of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate offers single parents and single pregnant students - independent of BAföG - support in financial emergencies. This help is intended to enable students to successfully complete their studies.
The decisive factor here is not excellent grades, but financial need. However, this should not be permanent. The scholarship will be paid out once per semester. To apply, you should submit a completed application form with all the necessary documents to the Equal Opportunities Officer in your department. After reviewing all the documents, the Equal Opportunities Officer will write a statement on your emergency situation, which will be submitted to the Equal Opportunities Committee. The committee will then decide on the award and the amount of the payments on the basis of the statements.
The alimony advance is a form of support for single mothers and fathers.
Prerequisite: the other parent does not pay alimony for the child or only pays it irregularly or not on time.
The alimony advance amounts to
Alimony advance of 72 months, but no longer than until the child reaches the age of 12. A court alimony judgment against the other parent is not required, but you must provide evidence of your own unsuccessful efforts to obtain alimony.
The youth welfare office at the child's place of residence is responsible. The application must be submitted here in writing.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Youth Welfare Office City of Trier
Rathaus
Am Augustinerhof
Administration Building II
54290 Trier
Tel (head office): 0651/718-3508
Fax: 0651/718-1508
E-mail (head office): jugendamt(at)trier.de
Birkenfeld Youth Welfare Office
Schneewiesenstr. 25
55765 Birkenfeld
Tel. 06782/15200
Idar-Oberstein Youth Welfare Office
Postal address
Georg-Maus-Straße 1
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Phone: 06781/64-0
Fax 06781/64-445
E-mail: jugendamt(at)idar-oberstein.de
BAföG applications are always decided on an individual basis. So always talk to your contact person at your BAföG office!
If you fall ill during your pregnancy, please inform your BAföG office immediately. You will continue to receive funding, but not beyond the third month. You are obliged to cooperate.
As a student with a child, you will only receive further support under BAföG if you continue your studies!
An overview of the most important BAföG rules for you:
You receive money from the month in which you submit your application; there is no BAföG for the months before that, even if you have already started your training. It is therefore worth submitting your BAföG application immediately in the month you start your training!
For application information and repayment regulations for parents, please contact your local BAföG office.
CONTACT PERSONS BAFÖG UNIVERSITY OF TRIER
Current CONTACT PERSONS, OPENING & SPEAKING HOURS
BAföG Environmental Campus Birkenfeld
Current CONTACT PERSONS, OPENING & SPEAKING HOURS
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT OF BAFÖG
Further useful information can be found here.
BAföG Contact
www.bafoeg.de
BAföG Hotline: 0800 223 6341
Students who receive BAföG and no longer live with their parents can apply for an exemption from the GEZ-fees.
The application for exemption can be found on the website
www.rundfunkbeitrag.de or obtained from your municipality or city administration.
The completed application form must be sent to the ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio contribution service in Cologne with your signature and your current BAföG notification.
If you send in a copy of your BAföG notification, please make sure that it is certified by your local authority or municipal administration beforehand. Send the original with the note "Please return", otherwise it could be archived with your application after processing.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
ARD ZDF Deutschlandradio
Beitragsservice
50656 Cologne
Stadtverwaltung Trier (Trier City Council)
Bürgeramt
Am Augustinerhof 1
54290 Trier
Telephone (head office): 0651 - 718-0
E-mail (head office): buergeramt(at)trier.de
Verbandsgemeindeverwaltung Birkenfeld (Municipal Administration)
Schneewiesenstr. 21
55765 Birkenfeld
Telephone (head office): 06782 - 9900
Fax (head office): 06782 - 990127
E-mail: info(at)vgv-birkenfeld.de
Stadtverwaltung Idar-Oberstein (Town Council)
Georg-Maus-Str. 1
55743 Idar-Oberstein
Telephone: 06781 - 64-0
Fax: 06781 - 6433-9
E-Mail: stadtverwaltung(at)idar-oberstein.de
The Studierendenwerk Trier offers various support services for students at Trier's universities. Students at the Birkenfeld and Idar-Oberstein campuses can also take advantage of these services. The only exception is the Kids-for-free card. Unfortunately, this can only be offered where the Studierendenwerk runs the canteen, i.e. only at the Trier campus. At the Birkenfeld site, children up to the age of 6 eat for free when accompanied.
You can find more information on the individual support options under the following links:
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