Check whether you qualify
Aufstiegs-BAföG runs under its own statute, not the student BAföG. There is no age limit, and the law sets out exactly who qualifies — including foreign nationals holding certain residence permits.
✓ Verified: 11/08/2026
WHAT TO DO
› Details and tips
Check the examination the course leads to, not the course title. The law looks at the advancement objective, so similarly named offers from different schools can fall under it differently.
The competent office is a state authority, not a federal one, and the process differs between states. Starting with the question of where exactly to file saves weeks.
Useful Tools
- Weiterbildungssuche der Bundesagentur education
Official training search: shows courses that the employment agency funds through a voucher.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How does this differ from student BAföG? ▾
By statute and by purpose. Student BAföG supports study at a university or school; this law supports advanced training for people who already hold a trade: preparation for the Meister, Techniker, Fachwirt, Erzieher and comparable examinations.
Is there an age limit? ▾
The provision on personal requirements speaks of nationality and residence status, not age. That is a marked difference from student support, where age does matter.
Can foreign nationals receive it? ▾
Yes, the law lists the groups explicitly. Besides Germans and EU citizens with permanent residence rights, these are foreign nationals holding a settlement permit or EU long-term residence permit, family members of EU citizens, recognised refugees and stateless persons.
What if I hold an ordinary residence permit? ▾
Then the type matters. Some permits qualify immediately; with others you additionally need at least fifteen months of uninterrupted lawful, permitted or tolerated residence in Germany. The same fifteen-month period applies to people holding a Duldung.
What if my employer already pays part of the course? ▾
The law accounts for that: the contribution to course costs is calculated on the costs reduced by benefits received for the same purpose from public funds, from the employer or from funding bodies.