The consequences of the Corona pandemic are also clearly felt in everyday student life. Students who are dependent on income from part-time jobs are particularly affected. Due to the many closures, for example in the catering industry, many of them have lost an important opportunity to finance their studies. Federal Minister of Education Anja Karliczek and the German Student Union (DSW) have therefore agreed to continue offering the bridging grant for students in pandemic-related emergencies throughout the summer semester of 2021. Applications for a grant of up to 500 euros per month can be made online.

Background:

Students at state-recognised higher education institutions in Germany have been able to apply online for bridging assistance in the form of a grant from the regionally responsible Studierenden- or Studentenwerk to alleviate pandemic-related emergencies since June 2020. This aid will also be offered seamlessly for the entire summer semester of 2021. It thus remains part of a large package offered by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) to support students.

Eligible to apply for the grants are students who reside in Germany at the time of application, are enrolled at a state or state-recognised higher education institution in Germany and are not on leave of absence. This applies to students from Germany and abroad, without age limit. The grant is awarded monthly up to an amount of 500 euros.

The 57 regional student and student services organisations are responsible for processing the applications, which are submitted exclusively online via the established nationwide uniform IT platform: https://www.überbrückungshilfe-studierende.de/.

The regulations were adapted to the extended term in close cooperation with the Deutsches Studentenwerk e.V. (DSW) to adapt them to the extended term. The tried and tested cornerstones in the grant application process remain, in particular the simplifications that have been in force since the winter semester 2020/2021. These relate primarily to three areas:

  1. an abbreviated documentation of account movements,
  2. the adjustment of the current proof of a pandemic-related hardship opens up access to grants for students who are currently unable to find a part-time job, and
  3. expanded allowance for self-declarations when written documentation cannot be provided during Corona times.

For all March applications, the current guidelines continue to apply. Slightly adjusted guidelines, which are publicly available, apply to applications filed on or after April 1. These guidelines are based on the experience of more than eight months of cooperation with the regional student and student services offices. Information on the rules from April onwards will be included in the various other support materials in close cooperation with the DSW, i.e. in the explanations in the application form, the FAQs of the BMBF and the DSW on the Internet. For general questions, the BMBF telephone hotline will remain available during the summer semester.

Further information and FAQs from the BMBF on bridging grants:

https://www.bmbf.de/de/wissenswertes-zur-ueberbrueckungshilfe-fuer-studierende-11509.html

Source: Deutsches Studentenwerk