Aufstiegs-BAföG: Up to €15,000 for Your Second Degree

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When I realized after my bachelor's degree in political science that I had hardly any chance on the job market without IT skills, I faced a problem: I was 26, regular BAföG (Germany's federal student aid) had long since run out, and I was supposed to pay for a second degree myself. Then I came across Aufstiegs-BAföG, formerly called Meister-BAföG, and suddenly had access to over €12,000 in funding for my chamber of commerce (IHK) training as a Certified Marketing Specialist. Many people think Aufstiegs-BAföG only exists for tradespeople or classic climbers in Germany's dual training system. That's not true.

In this article, I explain how you, as a college graduate in Germany, can benefit from Aufstiegs-BAföG after your first degree, which training programs are eligible, how much money you actually get and how to apply. The figures come straight from the German Upgrading Training Assistance Act (AFBG) in its current 2020 version, last amended in 2024.

What Is Aufstiegs-BAföG, Anyway?

Aufstiegs-BAföG is officially called upgrading training assistance under the AFBG. It was renamed in 2020 because it no longer funds only master craftsman courses, but all professional advancement training. You can get it for continuing education that prepares you for a higher professional qualification, for example Fachwirt (a certified business specialist), technician, business administrator, early childhood educator or Bachelor Professional.

The big difference from regular BAföG: Aufstiegs-BAföG is independent of your parents, independent of age and can also be applied for after completing a degree. It consists of a grant portion that you don't have to pay back and a low-interest loan from the KfW (Germany's state development bank). The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research states that in 2023, around 190,000 people received Aufstiegs-BAföG, about 42 percent of them women.

Who Can Apply for Aufstiegs-BAföG After College?

You can get Aufstiegs-BAföG if you complete an advancement training program that ranks above your previous qualification. Specifically, that means your first degree must not be at the same level as, or higher than, your planned training. You can't get funding for a Bachelor Professional (equivalent to level 6 of the German Qualifications Framework, i.e. a bachelor's) after a bachelor's degree. But a Fachwirt (level 6) or technician after a bachelor's in a different field works if the training takes you into a new career field.

There is also no age limit and no income limit for your parents. You only need a completed vocational training or an equivalent qualification. A college degree also counts as such a qualification. The training itself must include at least 400 hours of instruction and take place with an approved provider. You can find a current list of eligible training programs on the website of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) at www.aufstiegs-bafoeg.de.

Example: These Training Programs Are Eligible

After my degree, I did IHK training. But the following are eligible as well:

• Certified Business Administrator (IHK) – cost: €4,000 to €7,500
• State-certified technician (e.g. electrical engineering) – cost: €3,500 to €6,000
• Certified Fachwirt (marketing, HR, IT, etc.) – cost: €3,000 to €5,500
• Early childhood educator (retraining) – cost: €2,000 to €4,000
• Master craftsman courses in all trades (crafts, industry) – cost: €5,000 to €10,000

Important: The training must prepare you for a public-law qualification, such as an IHK or HWK (chamber of crafts) exam.

How Much Money Do You Get Exactly?

Funding under Aufstiegs-BAföG consists of two components: grant and loan. You get up to €15,000 for course and exam fees. Of that, 50 percent is a direct grant that you never have to pay back. You can take out the other 50 percent as a low-interest KfW loan, currently at an interest rate of 0.49 percent (as of January 2025, source: www.kfw.de). If you pass the exam, a further 50 percent of the loan portion is waived. Bottom line, you pay back at most 25 percent of the training costs.

Example calculation: Your IHK training costs €6,000. You get €3,000 as a grant and €3,000 as a loan. If you pass the exam, €1,500 of the loan is waived. So you only pay back €1,500 instead of €6,000.

Additional Living Allowance for Full-Time Training

If you complete your training full-time (at least 25 hours per week), you can additionally apply for a maintenance allowance. It depends on income and assets and is at most €1,018 per month for single people (as of 2025, source: BMBF). Here too, half of it is a grant and half is a loan. Single parents get a childcare supplement of €150 per child under 14, entirely as a grant.

Back then, I worked as a working student alongside my training and therefore didn't apply for the maintenance allowance. But I know several people who did their training full-time and got by financially thanks to the allowance. If you'd still be eligible for BAföG or are looking for a side job, take a look at my articles on minijob vs. working student and paying for a second degree without BAföG.

How Do You Apply?

You submit your Aufstiegs-BAföG application to the responsible authority in your German federal state, usually the office for educational funding or a state agency. For Hamburg, for example, that's the Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung, Hamburger Straße 31, 22083 Hamburg. In Bavaria, the Landesamt für Schule in Gunzenhausen is responsible. You can find a complete list of offices with addresses at www.aufstiegs-bafoeg.de under "Antragsberatung" (application advice).

You'll need the following documents: application form (available online or from the authority), proof of your previous qualification (e.g. bachelor's degree certificate), enrollment confirmation from the training provider stating the costs and hours of instruction, and, for full-time training, proof of income and assets as well. I submitted my application online through my state agency's portal, which was faster than the paper route.

How Long Does Processing Take?

In my case, processing took about six weeks. The decision came by mail, and the KfW loan commitment arrived separately another two weeks later. So allow plenty of lead time before your training starts. Funding runs for the entire duration of the program, usually between one and three years.

Repayment and Waiver: How It Works

Repayment of the loan portion begins two years after the end of the training. You then pay back €128 per month, for a maximum term of ten years. If you pass the final exam, 50 percent of the loan portion is waived automatically. You don't have to do anything else except submit your exam certificate to the KfW.

You can also apply for a start-up waiver if you found a company or become self-employed full-time within three years of the exam. Then a further 100 percent of the remaining loan is waived. That means that if you pass the exam and then start a business, you pay back nothing at all. I know a friend who founded a social media agency after becoming a certified marketing specialist and had her entire loan waived as a result.

Combining Aufstiegs-BAföG with Other Funding?

You can't receive Aufstiegs-BAföG at the same time as regular student BAföG, since the two benefits run under different laws. But you can combine Aufstiegs-BAföG with other funding programs, such as the Bildungsprämie (education premium) or the Weiterbildungsstipendium (continuing education scholarship, up to age 25). The Meisterbonus in Bavaria, which pays out €2,000 after you pass the master craftsman exam, is also possible on top.

If you receive an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) from the employment agency or the Jobcenter, it often covers the full course costs, and then you don't need Aufstiegs-BAföG. But for everyone else, applying is almost always worthwhile, because even in the worst case you only bear a quarter of the costs yourself.

Is Aufstiegs-BAföG After College Really Worth It?

In my view: yes, absolutely. My IHK training not only taught me new skills, it also let me raise my salary by about 18 percent. The investment of effectively €1,200 (on a total cost of €6,000 after the waiver) paid for itself after a year. In addition, level-6 qualifications are often just as recognized on the job market as a second bachelor's, but cost less time and money.

Keep in mind, though: Aufstiegs-BAföG only works if you do a recognized advancement training program, not for just any course or certificate. An online course on Udemy or Coursera is not eligible, but an IHK certificate course is. Check beforehand on the BMBF site whether your desired training is included.

FAQ: The Most Important Questions About Aufstiegs-BAföG

Can I Also Get Aufstiegs-BAföG If I Already Have a Master's Degree?

No, usually not. A master's degree is at level 7 of the German Qualifications Framework, and most advancement training programs are at level 6 or 7. But you can check whether a specific training program (e.g. Certified Business Administrator IHK, level 7) is still eligible after your master's if it's oriented in a completely different direction. It's best to ask the responsible authority directly.

How High Is the Monthly Repayment?

From 2025, KfW repayment is €128 per month, with a maximum term of ten years. You can pay off the loan early at any time, without a prepayment penalty.

Do I Have to Work in Germany After the Training?

No, there is no obligation to stay or work in Germany after the training. Repayment also runs independently of whether you live in Germany or abroad.

What Happens If I Don't Pass the Exam?

Then the 50 percent waiver on the loan portion doesn't apply, and you have to pay back the full loan amount. You never have to pay back the grant portion (50 percent of the course costs), though, even if you fail.

Is There Aufstiegs-BAföG for Part-Time Training Too?

Yes, part-time programs (at least 150 hours per year) are also eligible. However, you then don't get a maintenance allowance, only reimbursement of course and exam fees.

Conclusion: Get the €15,000, It's Worth It

Aufstiegs-BAföG is one of the most underrated funding options for college graduates after their first degree. I've seen firsthand how much financial room there is when you know where to start. If you're planning a career change after college or want to upskill, Aufstiegs-BAföG is often cheaper and faster than a second degree. Check the list of eligible training programs, get advice from your responsible authority and apply early. The combination of grant, low-interest loan and waiver almost always makes it a win-win. And if you want to look at other funding options in parallel, also check out my overview of continuing education funding.