Thuringia students continue to endure prolonged waits for Bafög grant approvals
In Thuringia, a significant number of students are heavily reliant on the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) to fund their studies and living expenses. Introduced in 1971 to help those from low-income families access higher education, four out of five BAföG recipients in the region are students, with the remaining few still in school.
However, delays in BAföG application processing have become a cause for concern. The Student Services Thuringia has taken steps to address this issue, hiring more staff and transitioning to digital document processing as of the end of June. Yet, the exact average processing times for BAföG applications in Thuringia remain unspecified.
These delays can have a profound impact on students' financial stability and academic performance. With long processing times, students may experience financial stress, potentially leading to part-time jobs that reduce study time. The University of Applied Sciences in Nordhausen advises students to apply early and thoroughly to avoid delays, offering guidance and support to help them submit complete applications.
The issue of BAföG processing times has sparked criticism and student protests in Thuringia. The Conference of Thuringian Student Unions (KTS) reports that some students are waiting up to 8 or 9 months for approval. This prolonged wait has reached the university rectors and the Ministry of Science, with a call for a "shitstorm" in response to the unbearable situation of Thuringian students.
The German Student Union is advocating for BAföG reform due to the high number of students at risk of poverty. According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, a third of all students in Germany are at risk of poverty. The number of BAföG applications in Thuringia has doubled since 2019, mainly due to applications from IU students, putting a heavy workload on the Studierendenwerk TH, the organization responsible for processing BAföG applications in Thuringia.
It has been suggested that the federal states where students reside and study should also share the burden of processing BAföG applications. This would help alleviate the workload on Thuringia's offices and potentially reduce processing times for students.
As BAföG turns 50 in its anniversary year, the need for reform and improved processing times is more pressing than ever. Direct inquiry at BAföG offices or student service centers in Thuringia would be recommended for those seeking detailed current statistics on processing times.
- The delays in processing BAföG applications can significantly impact the financial stability and academic performance of students, potentially forcing them to take part-time jobs that impinge on their study time.
- The rising number of BAföG applications in education-and-self-development and the subsequent increased workload have spotlighted the need for finance reform in Thuringia, with some advocating for federal states to share the burden of application processing.
