Apply for hardship waiver of BAföG repayment debt after rejection of a cooperation waiver

Your decision for or against a BAföG education loan should not lead you to fears of debt. Thus, you can apply for a hardship waiver if the cooperation waiver was rejected.

Hardship means only a minor violation of your obligations to pay and cooperate throughout the repayment period.

Your request may

• lead to a hardship waiver:
  
  • You will have the (remaining) debt of your BAföG loan forgiven.
• lead to a rejection:
  
  • You must repay the remaining debt in the amount of your BAföG loan, including outstanding costs and interest.

You can submit your application informally

• by telephone,
• in writing and
• online

at the Federal Office of Administration (BVA).

Requirements

You can submit an application if

• you have been refused a cooperation waiver by the Federal Office of Administration (BVA).

Requirements for the hardship waiver:

• within the repayment period
  
  • address tracing costs have been levied against you no more than once
  • • This happens if you have not notified the Federal Office of Administration (BVA) of a change of name or address and the BVA has had to investigate this.
  • you have never been definitively fined
  • • fines are levied if you have not reported changes to the relevant family and income circumstances during an exemption or deferral
  • you have settled all payment obligations, including claims for costs and interest
  • • interest on arrears has accrued for a maximum period of 150 days.

Note
Interest is always charged if you are more than 45 days in arrears with a payment.