Overview

• The public broadcasting fee is €18.36 per month per household, charged regardless of usage.
• Students receiving any form of BAföG who do not live with their parents can apply for exemption starting with the winter semester.
• In shared apartments where all residents receive BAföG, one registration can cover the whole flat, with applications possible retroactively for up to three years.
• Other groups eligible for full or partial relief include recipients of Bürgergeld or Sozialgeld, asylum seekers on benefits, people with certain disabilities, and retirees on basic security.
• About 635,600 people received BAföG in 2023 as the number of recipients declines year over year, while criticism of the fee continues and an individual case from Bavaria challenges payment in court.