Working Life > Further Education > Educational Bonus Benefit

Educational Bonus Benefit

Definition, Explanation

Since December 2008, the German Federal government supports further education measures for private persons by an educational bonus benefit (Bildungsprämie) which is supposed to motivate individuals themselves to finance their further education. It is an attempt to raise German people’s readiness to do further education which is fairly low compared internationally. Also, workers with low qualification and with low incomes are enabled to do further education.

Since Jan 1 2010, this educational bonus benefit amounts to maximum 500 Euros.

Persons entitled:

• Employees
• Liberal professionals
• Self-employed

Not entitled:

• Unemployed, who can use the education coupon, instead
• Working people, and unemployed having finished a first apprenticeship, are entitled to receive the Meister-BAföG
• Federal government employees and employees of subsidiary authorities are not entitled to educational bonus benefit

Prerequisites:

• The educational bonus benefit is handed out in the form of a coupon
• An unmarried person must have an annual taxable income below 25,600 Euros
• Married couples must have an annual taxable income below 51,200 Euros
• The further education measure is self-financed at least to the amount of the the bonus benefit, i.e. with at least 50 per cent

Procedure:

• The responsible persons for the educational bonus benefit are the advice centers
• Application for educational bonus benefit contains a valid photo passport copy, and a copy of the current tax note or similar certification of income
• Advice talk in advice centers, after which the educational bonus benefit coupon is made
• With the coupon, register for the respective further education at the respective educational institution, e.g. in the Volkshochschule (VHS) where adult education classes are offered
• Foreigners, for the advice talk, require a certification of their status of residence, in addition

Educational bonus benefit and alternative support types:

• Educational bonus benefit coupon amounting to up to 500 Euros
• Further-education-savings (Weiterbildungssparen)
  Money saved through capital-forming assets can be used for further education programs without the usual retention period
• Further-education-credit (Weiterbildungsdarlehen)
  If your needs are not covered by educational bonus benefit and further-education-savings, then it is possible to apply for low-interest further-education-credits with any state- or community-owned bank. The amount of your income is no criterion

The above alternative support types can be used single or in combinations for participation in further education. Applies as well to soft skills programs like intercultural competence, language courses or IT courses.

Tips, Checklist

• Use the opportunities you get with the educational bonus benefit. If you have a higher income than is provided for, then apply for a further-education-credit, instead
• For further education you are going to attend, apply for educational leave with your employer
• You must attend an advice talk, in advance, in which it is decided what type of support is going to be applied in your case
• Before the advice talk, think for yourself what kind of further education you are heading for, and what host institution you like

Last update: 03/29/2010