Who finances what?
Students with disabilities and chronic illnesses very often have to deal with additional financing issues besides the usual questions about financing their studies. This is especially the case when additional costs are regularly incurred due to health impairments, studies have to be interrupted for a longer period of time, studies are greatly prolonged or studies begin late. Financial insecurities can be exacerbated by the fact that students with health impairments are often unable to work and therefore cannot build up financial reserves.
There is no single source of student financing. A number of different cost units provide funding for normal living expenses and disability-related support needs. The clarification of responsibility with regard to the cost units is sometimes difficult. It happens that requested benefits are not provided or do not cover needs and approval deadlines are not met. In addition, most benefits for disability-related additional needs are only granted on the basis of income and assets. The handbook "Study and Disability" of the Studentenwerk Deutschland is helpful.
IMPORTANT: Prospective students should inform themselves at an early stage about which cost bearer can cover which costs under which conditions. The social counseling and student finance counseling centers of the student unions can help with questions.
Different cost units
The responsibility of the payers depends on the type of need. A distinction is made between the financing of:
Education-related subsistence (meaning general subsistence and the usual education costs according to § 11 BAföG) Chap. VII Handbook "Studies and Disability" "Financing of Subsistence".
Impairment-related additional costs of living (e.g. for costly food or therapy costs) Chap. VIII "Financing of disability-related additional needs", keyword: "Supplementary benefits for living costs according to SGB II and SGB XII".
Impairment-related additional costs for studies (e.g. technical aids and study assistance) Chap. VIII "Financing of disability-related additional needs", keyword: "Integration assistance" and Chap. VIII "Financing of disability-related additional needs", keyword: "Financing of medical aids by the health insurance fund".
Care and assistance Chap. IX "Care and assistance".
Weitere Möglichkeiten
Unter Umständen sind auch folgende Finanzierungsmöglichkeiten interessant, wobei Sie sich hier einzeln beraten und informieren lassen müssen:
Grundsicherung:
- https://studienwahl.de/finanzielles/finanzierungsmoeglichkeiten/grundsicherung
- https://www.caritas.de/beitraege/wasverstehtmanuntergrundsicherung/61927/
Wohngeld:
- https://www.wohngeld.org/studenten/
- https://www.studierendenwerke.de/themen/studieren-mit-behinderung/finanzierung/sozialleistungen#:~:text=Wohngeld%3A%20Studierende%20haben%20nur%20selten,gibt%20es%20nur%20wenige%20Ausnahmen.
Bürgergeld:
