The Federal Government's BAföG promises threaten to implode

According to media reports, the new draft budget of the Ministry of Finance for 2024 provides for 500 million euros less than previously planned. BAföG is particularly affected by the cuts. Even though there is no talk of cuts, increases will hardly be possible with this budget.

And this hits the target group of students particularly hard. Especially against the background of the 22nd social survey on the social and economic situation of students, according to which around one million of them live in precarious financial circumstances.

Commenting on the planned budget cuts to BAföG, Matthias Anbuhl, Chairman of the Board of the German Student Union, Deutsches Studierendenwerk, said:

"The BAföG promises of the Federal Government are in danger of imploding. The much-heralded structural reform and BAföG rates that are sufficient to live on - all of this may now be sacrificed to Lindner's red pencil. This is fatal, because more than a third of students live precariously. This group is financially up to its neck. Is the traffic light coalition leaving them in the lurch?

We need a minister who will fight for 'her' students even when facing of headwinds. And we need a parliament that uses its powers and courageously corrects the finance minister.

Our society cannot afford students dropping out for lack of money. These young people are the future teachers, doctors and engineers that we so desperately need.