Erasmus+ social top-up subsidy criteria

This top-up is aimed at

• Students with a “degree of disability” of at least 20
• Students with a chronic illnessthat makes it more expensive to stay abroad.

Alternatively, instead of the flat-rate top-up (at the rate of € 250 per month of grant)actual expenses of up to 15,000 euros can be applied for by submitting a special application long-hand. Please note that only additional costs can be considered that

• are not covered by your home country’s funds (e.g. health insurance providers, social security departments),
• which arise due to spending time abroad. Such expenses might include e.g. flights and accommodation for assistants accompanying you, barrier-free accommodation, or for a preparatory visit.

As you must provide evidence of the difference between expenses in your home country and abroad, please allow enough time to complete the application and contact the International Office early on. Applications must be submitted at least two months before departure to the DAAD national agency. Unfortunately, you will not be eligible to apply after you have already commenced your stay abroad.

For students going abroad to study, accompanied by a child(ren).

The value of the top-up is not linked to the number of children. This subsidy can also be awarded to couples, but double payment for a child is excluded.

Alternatively, instead of the flat-rate social top-up (at the rate of € 250 per month of grant)actual expenses of up to 15,000 euros can be applied for by submitting a special application long-hand. As you must provide evidence of the difference between expenses in your home country and abroad, please allow enough time to complete the application and contact the International Office early on. Applications must be submitted at least two months before departure to the DAAD national agency. Unfortunately, you will not be eligible to apply after you have already commenced your stay abroad.

Studies have shown that students whose parents didn’t themselves study are less likely to consider spending time abroad. The Erasmus+ scheme seeks to encourage these students to venture abroad with the aid of a special subsidy.

This top-up is aimed at students from families where neither parent obtainedan academic degree recognised in Germany (university or higher technical college). In single-parent families, this applies only to the parent in the child’s home.

What counts as an “academic degree”?

• Graduation from a university of cooperative education (“Berufsakademie”) is considered comparable to having earned a degree from a university of applied sciences. In this case, a master craftsperson’s diploma is not considered the equivalent of an academic degree.
• With regard to the eligibility criteria for this subsidy, graduation from a foreign programme of study that isn’t recognised as a degree in Germany (e.g. physiotherapy) is considered an academic degree, thus disqualifying that person’s child from the social top-up.

Students who are predominantly dependent upon their own earnings for their subsistence might hesitate to go abroad, as this often prevents them from working and earning their way.

To mitigate this problem, a social top-up is also available for students who were employed prior to going abroad in a job that they cannot continue while they’re away.

The following criteria must be met:

• net monthly earnings of 451–849 euros
• Period of employment: Regular basis for at least 6 months prior to going abroad

Unfortunately, the top-up cannot be awarded on the basis of:

• Self-employment
• Cooperative / professional part-time studies