Kindergeld payments do not automatically stop on your child’s 18th birthday. If your child continues their education or meets specific legal requirements, the right to benefits can be extended until they reach age 25 (or age 21 in cases of unemployment).
However, this extension is not automatic. You must provide the Familienkasse with proof of your child’s status. For international families working in Germany, this is one of the most important yet misunderstood procedures.
The “First Education” Rule: Full-time Work and Kindergeld
This is the most critical point for parents of children who work and study simultaneously. According to German law, the First Stage of Education (Erstausbildung) lasts until the child obtains their first professional qualification.
- General High School Diploma (e.g., A-Levels, Baccalaureate, Maturita): Obtaining a general diploma does not count as a professional qualification. Therefore, the first university degree (Bachelor’s, long-cycle Master’s) or a post-secondary vocational school is considered part of the “First Education.”
- No Working Hour or Income Limits: In this scenario, your child can work more than 20 hours per week (even full-time) and earn any amount of money. As long as it is still their first professional training, you are entitled to full Kindergeld. The “20-hour limit” only applies during “Secondary Education” (e.g., a Master’s degree following a Bachelor’s degree that already qualified them for a profession).
Kindergeld for Job Seekers (Up to Age 21)
If your child has turned 18, is not currently in education, and cannot find a job, you may still receive Kindergeld until they reach age 21.
The mandatory requirement is that the child must be officially registered as a job seeker with the relevant authority (e.g., the Agentur für Arbeit in Germany or the equivalent Labour Office in their home country). This status must be documented for the Familienkasse.
Part-time and Weekend Studies
Part-time or weekend studies (e.g., in Poland, Romania, or Italy) also qualify for Kindergeld. The German authorities focus on whether the education is the primary goal and leads to a professional qualification. Combining weekend studies with a full-time job is perfectly acceptable under the “First Education” rule mentioned above.
Paperwork & Formalities – What You Need to Know
- University Certificates: While the Familienkasse prefers their own forms, in practice, standard enrollment certificates issued by the university (with an official stamp and signature) are accepted. They should state the student status and the expected graduation date.
- Frequency of Proof: You do not need to send certificates every semester proactively. Generally, you only need to provide proof when the Familienkasse sends a formal request for an update (usually once a year).
- Transition Periods (Übergangszeit): A gap between two stages of education (e.g., between High School and University) is covered, provided it does not exceed four full calendar months.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Does the amount of my child’s income matter? No. Currently, there is no income limit for Kindergeld. Even if your child earns a significant salary during their first degree, the parent retains the right to the benefit.
My child turned 18 and is not studying. What should I do? Register them immediately as a job seeker at the local Labour Office. This allows you to claim Kindergeld until they turn 21.
Do I need to report a change in the field of study? Yes. Any interruption, dropout, or change in status must be reported to the Familienkasse. Failure to do so can lead to a demand for repayment of the funds received.
Is a Master’s degree always “Secondary Education”? If the Bachelor’s degree already provided a full professional qualification, the Master’s is seen as the second stage. In this case, a 20-hour weekly work limit applies. However, if the program is a single long-cycle Master’s (e.g., Medicine or Law), the limit does not apply until the very end.
What about children living abroad? As long as the parent is working in Germany and is subject to German social security or tax, the child’s residence in another EU/EEA country (or countries with bilateral agreements) does not cancel the right to Kindergeld.