Student Loan in Germany

German universities are usually free for students (although many Federal States of Germany have introduced a student fee of €1000 per year since 2006^[1]). Giving out student loans and grants is seen as a means to pave the way to higher education for children whose parents can't afford to fund their children's education otherwise. The federal law that regulates these student loans and grants is called "Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz" (Federal Training Assistance Act) or "BAföG" [ˈbaːfœk] for short, and the loans, grants, and combinations thereof are usually referred to simply as "BAföG" by students (as in "I'm getting BAföG"). Eligible groups include high school students, part-time and full-time university students, second path education students (i.e., those starting to study after having been in the workforce), and students of schools for professional training