BAFög & Co.
Study start-up aid - 1,000 € grant to start your studies
Get off to a good start to your studies - with the study start-up grant, you receive a one-off subsidy of €1,000 to help you cover your initial expenses.
Whether it's a laptop, teaching materials or a rent deposit - a lot often comes together at the start of your studies. Study start-up assistance supports young people who receive social benefits when starting at a university or academy.
The grant is independent of BAföG and can be applied for in addition.




Who can receive the study start-up grant?
The funding is aimed at students who are enrolling at a university in Germany, an EU member state or Switzerland for the first time and are under 25 years of age at the start of their studies.
Another prerequisite is that you have received certain social benefits in the month before the start of your studies - for example:
- Citizen's income
- Housing benefit or
- Child supplement (not child benefit)
You can find out exactly which services are recognised here.
Please note: There is a statutory deadline for the application - so submit your application as early as possible!
How do you apply for the study start-up grant?
The application can only be submitted online via the BAföG Digital be submitted. The application is official, secure and uncomplicated.
Deadlines for the application
The study start-up grant must be applied for by the end of the second month after the start of the programme, e.g:
- 30.04. or 31.10. for students of katho PB and HSHL
- 31.05. or 30.11. for students of the University of Paderborn
Frequent Questions about study start-up support (FAQ)
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR STUDY START-UP GRANT?
If so, we are available to answer your questions under the following options:
On site in Paderborn:
- Wednesday: 10:00 - 12:00 a.m.
- Thursday: 13:30 - 15:30
By telephone:
- Tuesday: 10:00 - 12:00 & 13:30 - 15:00
- Wednesday: 13:30 - 15:00
- Thursday: 10:00 - 12:00 a.m.
You are also welcome to arrange individual telephone and personal appointments.
Your contact persons
The responsibilities are based on the First letters of your surname.
Tips for Contact us
- Always enter your first name, surname and date of birth.
- If you already have a grant number, it is best to add this as well.
- Send your documents only as saved PDF files.
- Other formats (e.g. ZIP files or links) are not permitted for security reasons. Do not open.
- The maximum file size is 10 MB.
If you exceed this limit, you will not receive a warning - and your e-mail does not arrive.
In this case, your application is valid not deemed to have been submitted on time, even if you receive a dispatch confirmation from your e-mail provider.
Contact persons for DIE surnames a-e
Letters: A-Bqu
Mrs B. Beckmann-Fiedler
Room: 1.03 (Mersinweg 2)

Letters: Bra - E
Mrs M. Amedick
Room: 1.13 (Mersinweg 2)

Contact persons for DIE surnames F-O
Letters: F-Hd
Mrs L. Henzel
Room: 2.08 (Mersinweg 2)

Letters: Hea - Kk
Mrs S. Kutowski
Room: 1.12 (Mersinweg 2)

Letters: Kl-Ld
Mrs K. Köpping
Room: 2.09 (Mersinweg 2)

Letters: Le - O
Mr M. Kowol
Room: 1.01 (Mersinweg 2)

Contact persons for DIE surnames P-Z
Letters: P-Rg
Mrs B. Dizdar
Room: 2.07 (Mersinweg 2)

Letters: Rh - Sth
Mr D. Lausen
Room: 2.12 (Mersinweg 2)

Letters: Sti - Z
Mrs A. Brakhahn
Room: 1.04 (Mersinweg 2)

Further contact persons
Student loans
Mrs B. Dizdar
Room: 2.09 (Mersinweg 2)

Reclaim
Mrs K. Köpping
Room: 2.09 (Mersinweg 2)

Group management
Mrs E. Gede
Room: 1.06 (Mersinweg 2)

Group management
Mrs K. Maciej
Room: 1.07 (Mersinweg 2)

Group management
Mrs R. Meyer
Room: 2.13 (Mersinweg 2)

Department management
Mrs N. Yilmaz-Fischer
Room: 2.10 (Mersinweg 2)

Department secretariat
Mrs B. Volkmer
Room: 2.11 (Mersinweg 2)

Hotline of the Federal Ministry
For general questions about BAföG, there is also a toll-free hotline provided by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. You can call the BAföG hotline under the number 0800-223 63 41 or 0800-BAFOEG1 from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
