Financing the apprenticeship

School education usually costs money. In addition, living expenses must also be paid. Rent, food and clothing don't come free, after all. In this article, we explain how you can pursue a school-based education despite school fees.

School education usually costs money. But many don't even know that you don't necessarily have to pay this money out of your own pocket. We reveal all the ways to finance a private education.

It's all a rip-off? Why does school education cost money in the first place?

In the common dual training, apprentices receive a corresponding training allowance from their training company. Why graduates of a school-based training program usually even have to dig into their own pockets instead? Is this just pure rip-off?

Schools do not generate revenue in the free enterprise system

In fact, schools have no choice but to charge school fees. Because, of course, they have costs that need to be covered: Staff, maintenance, excursions and the like want to be paid for. However, unlike a teaching company, schools do not generate income from products or services to cover these costs. The state subsidizes private schools, but that is enough on average only for about a third of the expenses.

The rest is covered by the schools through monthly fees. These remain on you as an apprentice, respectively. depend on your family.

The following options will help you make school-based training affordable:

Housing allowance

Housing allowance is available to every trainee who is of age, lives in his or her own apartment and can present a notice of refusal for vocational training allowance (since vocational training allowance is not granted for school-based training, this will be the case).

Housing allowance is decided on a case-by-case basis, but usually covers most of your current rent and living expenses. Find out on the Internet who is responsible for deciding a housing allowance application in your city.

Alternative: Student BAfoG

Who is not yet in the 30. If a student is at least two years old, has completed an apprenticeship of at least two years and has not previously pursued an apprenticeship, is entitled to student BAfoG. The amount of the subsidy depends on the income of the parents. In addition, BAfoG must be paid in agreed installments up to a total amount of 10.000 € can be repaid.

Responsibility depends on where your parents live. If the parents have different places of residence, the place of residence of the trainee is decisive.

Retraining

Re-education usually comes into play when a graduate of an education has to take up a new education for necessary reasons. An accident, migration, no chance of finding a job or illness can be such reasons. How much funding is available for retraining and whether it is approved is always a case-by-case decision. The employment agency in your town will certainly be able to tell you more about it.

You can find more information here: What is retraining? Link to Arbeits-ABC

Support for gifted students

With appropriate grades or other outstanding achievements, you have the option of considering a scholarship. The amount of a grant, as well as the requirements for approval, vary by grant. Get answers to your questions directly from the training provider of your choice.

Child benefit

Those who have not yet reached the age of 25. If the child has reached the age of 18, he/she is entitled to child benefit during school education. Parents or legal guardians can submit the corresponding application to the Family Fund of the Federal Employment Agency.

More information can be found here: Child Benefit Guide Link to Child Benefit.org

Education loans

Contrary to popular belief, educational loans are not only available to students. Graduates of a school education can also take advantage of corresponding loans independent of BAfoG or parents.

Tax savings

A not insignificant part of the school fees and costs for teaching materials can be claimed against taxes. Parents receive tax savings here if they receive child benefit.

The trainee himself can also deduct school costs from tax, which he can prove that he has paid himself.

Reimbursement of travel expenses

The regulations for a travel allowance are not uniform in every federal state.

In most cases, however, the costs for the direct way to school and back home can be at least partially reimbursed. However, reimbursement is not always provided for every mode of transportation.

Conclusion

You can see for yourself: The possibilities to get financial support during a school education are more extensive than most people assume.

Don't be put off by the effort it can take to get a grant – after all, it's about your dream job.

And unfortunately nothing is free in this world. Not even donated money!