The most important facts about bridging assistance

• Grant bridging assistance for students in pandemic-related emergency situations from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

• Deutsches Studentenwerk summarizes the most important facts once again

• Online application possible as of today for April 2021

Berlin, 1 April 2021. With another overview of the most important facts, Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW), the association of Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke, wants to support students once again before and during the application for bridging assistance. Applications for the bridging assistance from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) for students in pandemic-related emergency are possible from today, 1 April 2021, for the month of April 2021. This assistance will continue to be offered until the end of September 2021, the end of the summer semester 2021. Online applications must be submitted for one month at a time.

Checklist for bridging assistance: The most important information

• Enrollment at a state or state-recognized higher education institution in Germany - not eligible to apply are students at universities of administration and the German Armed Forces, in part-time or dual study programs, and guest students
• valid identification documents
• domicile and permanent residence in Germany
• significant financial need - family support, jobs - must be caused by the pandemic.
• If this need did not begin in the current month of application nor in the two previous months: Documentation of current efforts to change hardship, for example, two rejected applications for a part-time job
• authorization of a domestic bank account
• Total account balance of less than 500 euros at the time of application; submission of complete bank statements for all accounts from the month of application and the previous month.
• Only the Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke responsible for the application will decide on the application

"This fact in particular is important," explains DSW Secretary General Achim Meyer auf der Heyde: "If the beginning of the pandemic-related hardship occurred more than two months before the month of application, it must be documented that I have made efforts since then to improve my financial situation, for example by applying for part-time jobs. For example, someone who lost a part-time job in January 2021 due to the pandemic will need to prove such efforts when applying in April 2021."

Online application for BMBF bridging assistance:
www.ueberbrueckungshilfe-studierende.de

Checklist and FAQs for students:
www.studentenwerke.de/de/content/faqs-zur-überbrückungshilfe-für

BMBF telephone hotline: 0800 26 23 003
Service hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Friday from 8:00 a.m. to noon.

Press release online:
www.studentenwerke.de/de/content/das-wichtigste-zur-überbrückungshilfe