Advice on financing your studies (outside of BAföG) as well as other financing options for students is offered by the Social Counseling Service of the Studierendenwerk Bremen.
The Federal Office of Administration in Cologne provides information on the education loan program.
The Studierendenwerk Bremen offers temporary help to students in emergency situations through interest-free loans. There is no legal entitlement to the loans. The loans are granted according to available funds.
What information must the informal application contain?
The informal application must contain the following information about the applicant:
1. name
2. date of birth
3. address
4. educational institution (college, university)
5. signature! To ensure prompt processing, please send the application by post to
Studierendenwerk Bremen
- Office for Educational Support -
Bibliothekstraße 7
28359 Bremen
Who receives financial support from the Studierendenwerk Bremen loan fund?
Students at the following universities are eligible to apply:
- University of Bremen
- Bremen University of Applied Sciences
- Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences
- University of the Arts
- University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration
- Constructor University Bremen
- Apollon Hochschule der Gesundheitswirtschaft GmbH Bremen
What documents are required?
An informal application must be submitted and the documents provided here must be completed, signed and sent to us. Each application is also an application for BAföG if no BAföG application has yet been submitted. In addition, the following documents must be submitted if they have not yet been submitted for a current application for BAföG benefits. If an application for BAföG benefits has already been submitted, only the missing or outdated documents need to be submitted again. In principle, an informal application for funds from the loan fund is sufficient.
How much financial support is available and for how long is it paid?
In principle, the aim is to provide financial compensation for an emergency situation that has arisen through no fault of your own. The amount of the loan is determined by the extent of the financial emergency to be explained, but may not exceed € 550.00 per month. It is granted for a maximum period of 3 months and can be paid out as a one-off payment in exceptional situations that must be justified in writing.
For what purposes is the loan used?
The loan is only granted for your own living expenses and for expenses related to your studies (including learning materials, excursion and internship costs). The loans may not be used to repay existing debts, to support third parties or to pay other expenses.
When must the grant be repaid?
Repayment must begin no later than 24 months after the last loan installment has been paid out. The monthly repayment installments must be at least €50.00. Sometimes repayment is also made by offsetting against BAföG payments.
Can foreign students also take out the loan?
Yes, foreign students can also take out the loan if they meet the requirements.
Eligible persons can receive a scholarship if they are in the final phase of their first degree.
The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has published the so-called DAC (Development Assistance Committee) country list, which defines the developing countries.
In the award periods from March 1 to August 31 and September 1 to February 28/29 of a calendar year, funds are generally available for awarding scholarships to students in need from developing countries.
A scholarship can be granted under the following conditions: (Bullet points would be appropriate here, as above for the individual conditions)
A scholarship can be granted under the following conditions:
It must be a first degree course and the student must be expected to have completed the course by the end of the winter semester (award period 01.03. to 31.08.) or by the end of the summer semester (award period 01.09. to 28/29.02.) at the latest, which must be confirmed by the respective university in Section II of the application form. In the case of an application for an extension of the scholarship, proof must be provided that the degree will be completed by the end of the respective award period.
Proof of a legally valid residence permit for study purposes for the study locations Bremen and Bremerhaven.
Proof of main residence in the state of Bremen for at least one year, based on the date of the application deadline (not based on the award period).
Proof of previous self-financing of studies (own income, own assets, maintenance payments, grants from third parties) and declaration that and why self-financing or financing from other sources is no longer possible.
No funding for second (with the exception of a Master's degree), postgraduate, supplementary or doctoral studies; this also applies if a degree has already been completed in the home country or in another foreign country.
No funding for students who have already received funding under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), who receive benefits under the Twelfth Book of the Social Code - SGB XII - or who have already received funding for two semesters under the guidelines of the Senator for Education, Science and the Arts and the Senator for Health, Youth and Social Affairs on the awarding of scholarships under the guidelines of 09.11.1993 / 28.12.1994.
Applications must be submitted on 2 specific days in January (award period 01.03. to 31.08.) and on 2 specific days in July (award period 01.09. to 28/29.02.) . The exact days will be announced separately. Please refer to the relevant publications on our homepage.
In the following cases, funding is only possible as an interest-free loan:
Partially in the case of a different course of study in accordance with Section 7 (3) BAföG after a second change of subject / second discontinuation of the course of study for good cause: the semesters spent in the discontinued subject are deducted from the maximum funding period for the new subject. For funding beyond the remaining funding period, you are only entitled to the interest-free loan. Example: Change after two semesters of Law - State Examination (maximum funding period 9 semesters) to Computer Science - Bachelor (maximum funding period 6 semesters) for good cause. Maximum funding period for computer science minus two semesters of law = funding for the 1st to 4th semester of computer science with a grant / state loan (interest-free), 5th and 6th semester of computer science with a state loan (interest-free).
In the case of graduation assistance (for a maximum of 12 months).
A written application for funding must also be submitted to the BAföG office in the case of a non-interest-bearing loan. As before, the office will decide on the application and inform you of the amount of the loan.