One-off Payment for Students

What is the one-off payment?
The one-off payment amounting to 200 euros is a financial relief payment for students. It supports young people struggling with the rising costs of heating, electricity and food.

 

How much is the one-off payment?
The one-off payment for students is 200 euros.

 

Who is eligible for the one-off payment?
All students

  • Who were enrolled at a university in Germany on 1 December 2022 and
  • Resided or habitually resided in Germany at that time.

If you are not eligible, the information about the one-off payment will not appear on your personal dashboard in the university’s CAT portal.

 

Do part-time students, students on leave or students in dual studies also receive the one-off payment?
Yes. They are subject to the same conditions as other students.

 

Are international students eligible for the one-off payment?
Yes, international students

  • Who were enrolled at a university in Germany on 1 December 2022 and
  • Resided or habitually resided in Germany at that time

are eligible for the one-off payment. Exchange students, language course students and other non-degree-seeking students, however, are NOT eligible for the one-off payment.

 

How do I get the one-off payment?
You need to follow these three steps:

  1. First, retrieve your access code (and, if necessary, PIN). Students who are currently enrolled will receive this information via the university’s CAT portal (https://cat.fh-bielefeld.de/). Deregistered students will receive it to their private e-mail address that they have provided during their studies. As an alternative, deregistered students can request the access code and PIN by sending an e-mail at energiepauschale@hsbi.de. We will not answer any questions about the application process via this e-mail address. If you need assistance, please contact the hotline at 0800 2623 003 (see below).
  2. In order to prevent misuse of access codes, the so-called BundID is required as a digital proof of identity. If you do not have one already, you can set it up at https://id.bund.de. There are three ways of setting up your BundID:

a. Using the online identification function of your ID card or electronic residence permit
b. Using the eID card for EU citizens
c. Using the ELSTER certificate

Find out how to set up the BundID at https://www.einmalzahlung200.de/bundid [German]

3. Once you have your access code, a fully set-up BundID or, if necessary, a PIN, you can apply for the one-off payment at www.einmalzahlung200.de starting on 15 March 2023.

→     Start the application process

Enter the access code and, if necessary, the PIN.

→     Verify your identity

Verify your identity with the BundID account.

→     Complete the form

Some data will already be filled in. Often, the contact details will be missing. You will have to enter your bank details in any case. Make sure to enter all the required information and submit your application.

→     Receive your money

The system will automatically check your data and forward everything for review.

Soon after, you should receive a notification of successful application to your e-mail inbox. In a short while, the 200 euros will be transferred to your bank account.

 

Who do I turn to if I have problems with the application?
If you have any specific questions regarding the application process, please contact the info hotline at 0800 2623 003.
You can reach the hotline Tue–Thu between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Fri between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. (noon).
Please do not contact your university for this, as its employees will not be able to answer your questions.

 

Do I have an NFC-enabled smartphone? How do I get the one-off payment if I don’t have an NFC-enabled smartphone?
Most modern smartphones are NFC-enabled. At the following link, you can check whether your phone is so, too: https://www.ausweisapp.bund.de/mobile-geraete. As an alternative, you can use an ELSTER certificate or apply for it using your personal tax ID if necessary.

More questions and answers

Is the one-off payment deducted from other benefits or taxed?
No, the one-off payment is not subject to income tax.

 

Is the one-off payment considered for income-related benefits?
The one-off payment is not deducted from income-related benefits, social benefits, social security contributions or cost-sharing in the context of child and youth services, neither is it attachable.

 

Can I get the one-off payment in addition to other relief?
Yes, you can apply for the one-off payment independently of other relief payments.

 

Will working students who have already received the 300-euro energy relief payment for employees (Energiepauschale) also receive the one-off payment?
Students who work and have received the 300-euro energy relief payment can also apply for the one-off payment. To do this, you must have been enrolled at a university in Germany on 1 December 2022.

 

Do BAföG recipients also have to apply for the one-off payment or will they receive the 200 euros automatically?
BAföG recipients must also apply for the one-off payment. It will not be paid out automatically.

 

How do I know whether my ID card has an online ID function?
In Germany, identity cards with online ID function have been issued since July 2017. You can check whether you have one with the “AusweisApp2,” which you can download for free in all app stores.

 

I do not want to set up the BundID. What alternatives do I have for submitting the application?
A BundID account is required for the application in any case. As an alternative method of identification, a personal PIN is provided, which the applicants can obtain from their university in addition to the separate access code. When using the PIN, it is sufficient to simply register the BundID account with a user name and password.

 

Why can’t the payment be offset against the semester contribution?
In Germany, there are more than 400 universities with a wide variety of requirements. Not all of them have a semester contribution and not all of the bank details stored necessarily belong to those who are eligible for the payment. In addition, the Länder wanted to use a joint application platform.

 

Why doesn’t the federal government transfer the money to the universities and they pass it on to the students?
In Germany, there are more than 400 universities with a wide variety of requirements. Not all universities have stored their students’ bank details, as semester contributions can also be paid by other persons, e.g. students’ parents.

 

Why is the one-off payment not paid out through BAföG?
The recipient groups of BAföG and the one-off payment are not identical, as all students are entitled to the one-off payment. Many more students are eligible for the one-off payment than there are BAföG recipients. Therefore, a separate payment method is needed for the one-off payment.

 

Why can’t the universities simply send a list of the students enrolled with them to the federal government and the federal government then transfers the money?
This is almost how the application platform works. The universities report all eligible applicants. However, since there is no central collection of bank details in Germany, students still have to add this information to their data.