Can I get BAföG on a family reunion visa?

If the person you joined is German or holds a settlement permit, your status qualifies. If they hold a residence permit (for example a Blue Card), it qualifies after at least 15 months of uninterrupted lawful stay in Germany (BAföG §8(2)).

Can international students get BAföG?

Not on a student permit: it is not among the residence titles BAföG §8 lists.

Does qualifying mean I get money?

No: the status condition is only the first one. The BAföG office or the employment agency then assesses your income and the other conditions.

Already in Germany · funding

BAföG and BAB for Indians living in Germany

BAföG supports a degree, the vocational training allowance (BAB) an Ausbildung. Whether your residence status can qualify is written in the law.

Figures last confirmed 9 October 2026 against the official sources linked below.

BAföG (degree) by status

Settlement permit or EU long-term residence: can qualify.
Family of a German or of someone settled: can qualify.
Family of someone on a residence permit (for example a Blue Card holder): can qualify after at least 15 months of uninterrupted lawful stay in Germany.
Student permit, Opportunity Card or job-search permit: not among the listed permits.

BAföG §8 · bafög.de

BAB (Ausbildung)

The vocational training allowance supports trainees whose training pay is not enough to live on. By status, the law excludes only asylum seekers. You must live away from your parents’ home; the distance rule does not apply if you are 18 or older, married, or living with a child. Apply at the employment agency, which assesses your income.

SGB III §60 · Federal Employment Agency: BAB

Questions people ask

Can I get BAföG on a family reunion visa?: If the person you joined is German or holds a settlement permit, your status qualifies. If they hold a residence permit (for example a Blue Card), it qualifies after at least 15 months of uninterrupted lawful stay in Germany (BAföG §8(2)).
Can international students get BAföG?: Not on a student permit: it is not among the residence titles BAföG §8 lists.
Who can get BAB?: The law excludes only asylum seekers by status. You must live away from your parents’ home; the distance rule does not apply if you are 18 or older, married or living with a child (SGB III §60). The employment agency then assesses your income.
Does qualifying mean I get money?: No: the status condition is only the first one. The BAföG office or the employment agency then assesses your income and the other conditions.

Your own numbers and dates

Ambiful Abroad works this out for your degree, city and intake, then dates every step back from your deadline. Free on iPhone and Android.

General information, not legal or visa advice. The German mission and the authorities decide.