Student Financial Assistance: Comprehensive Guide to Family Benefits
Family Allowance for Students in Austria: A Comprehensive Guide
The family allowance for students in Austria is a government cash benefit designed to help students complete their studies, regardless of their financial situation. This allowance, typically paid up to the age of 24, offers a monthly allowance of approximately €165.10 for student children aged 19 to 24, with increased amounts for multiple children due to sibling supplements[1][5].
Eligibility
The allowance is generally granted for children until they reach full legal age (usually 18) and extends up to age 24 if the child is still attending school or university. The child must be enrolled in a recognized educational institution (school or university). If students no longer live with their parents or are full orphans, they can apply for family allowance themselves under certain conditions[2].
Income Limits
While the family allowance itself is not explicitly capped by income limits, the eligibility for additional benefits like study grants takes income into account[5]. The study grant eligibility depends on a social eligibility criterion, including an annual income limit for students of €15,000. Student grants consider parental maintenance payments and the student's own income in their calculation[5].
Repayment Conditions
There is no indication that the family allowance itself requires repayment once paid. Repayment or reductions primarily apply to study grants if the student earns above the income limits or fails other eligibility criteria[5].
Additional Relevant Details
For families with multiple children, the allowance is higher per child. The supplement ranges from about €7.10 for the second child up to €52 for seven or more children[1]. Special one-time increases in family allowance have been made recently (€360 per child from COVID-19 crisis funds and €180 per child from August 2022)[1].
Other related benefits include childcare allowances and accommodation/travel allowances in the education context, but these are separate from the family allowance for students[1].
Special Conditions for Students
- A student can only switch their field of study twice, after which they will lose their entitlement to family allowance[6].
- Students must provide proof of earning at least 16 ECTS credits or 14 ECTS within the STEOP in the first year of study to retain family allowance after the first year[7].
- The income limit for family allowance is €17,212 per year[8].
- If a student switches their study program later than that, family allowance will be suspended for as many semesters as the student was enrolled in the previous program[9].
- Family allowance is granted for the standard period of study plus the extra tolerance semesters[10].
- Changing the place of study, as long as the student keeps the same field, does not count as an official program change[11].
- The timing of the switch is important: a student should change their study program no later than before the start of the third semester[12].
Application and Residence Requirements
To receive family allowance, the primary residence must be in Austria, and the child must live in the same household or the parents must be legally obligated to provide financial support[13]. If a student doesn't receive family allowance for the full year, the income limit is calculated on a monthly basis[14].
The Arbeiterkammer offers a family allowance calculator to determine the exact amount of family allowance and child tax credit[3]. Holiday and Christmas bonuses, as well as social security contributions, are not included in the income limit calculation[15].
In summary, the Austrian family allowance provides monthly financial support to parents with children in education up to age 24, without explicit income caps for the allowance itself but with income considerations for related study grants. There are no stated repayment conditions for this allowance. Eligibility is tied to continuous schooling or university attendance. The allowance amount rises with more children in the family.
1. For individuals seeking to enhance their personal-finance management, learning about the education-and-self-development aspect of the family allowance for students in Austria can be valuable information, as this allowance offers crucial financial support for students up to age 24 while they pursue their studies.
2. To fully understand the potential financial aid available for their studies in Austria, students interested in finance should be aware of the family allowance system, which includes the primary family allowance, sibling supplements, study grants, and additional relevant details such as holiday and Christmas bonuses, that can collectively provide substantial support for personal financial planning during their educational journey.
