Student Financial Assistance: Comprehensive Information You Require
In Austria, families with student children aged between 19 and 24 years can benefit from the Family Allowance for Student Children, a monthly payment designed to support families financially during their children's higher education journey[1]. The allowance typically amounts to €165.10 per month[1].
Eligibility and Conditions:
The allowance is granted to parents whose children are enrolled in education and fall within the specified age range[1]. For students over 24, eligibility may change, and additional types of support like study grants become relevant.
Income Limits and Repayment:
While the family allowance itself does not have a direct income limit specified, students applying for study grants (which can be additional to or replace family allowance depending on circumstances) face an annual income limit of €15,000[1]. Study grants, available for students who demonstrate social need, study success, and other criteria, can amount up to €923 per month for students aged 27 and above[1]. The amount of family contributions or personal income reduces entitlement to study grants[1].
The system is designed to adjust support based on social needs and incomes, but explicit repayment terms for the family allowance itself are not mentioned in the current data[1]. However, if a student earns more than €17,212 per year, they will have to repay the amount by which they exceeded the income limit for family allowance[1].
Additional Measures:
Students receiving study grants may also get support for health insurance contributions and tuition fees. In recent years, anti-inflationary measures have increased student grants but not directly the family allowance[1].
Additional Considerations:
- Holiday and Christmas bonuses, as well as social security contributions, are not included in the income limit calculation.
- A child tax credit of €70.90 per child is also paid out automatically in Austria.
- If a student receives family allowance for only 6 months in a year, their personal income limit would be: 6 × €1,434.33 = €8,605.98 gross.
- For each month a student receives family allowance, they can earn about €1,434.33.
Restrictions and Requirements:
Family allowance is primarily intended for children, but students can continue to receive it until age 24, and in certain cases, up to age 25. There are restrictions on family allowance, such as an income limit that must not be exceeded to remain eligible[1].
Students must provide proof of academic progress to retain family allowance. If a student switches their study program no later than before the start of the third semester, family allowance will not be suspended[1].
There is an increased family allowance available for children with disabilities. To receive family allowance, parents' 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[1].
A student must inform the tax office about which one is their main field of study, because only this one will count toward their semester limits and academic progress[1]. Changing your place of study, as long as you keep the same field, does not count as an official program change[1].
In summary, the Family Allowance for Students in Austria gives parents a fixed monthly amount for children aged 19-24, with additional income-tested study grants and support mechanisms available for eligible students. Income considerations are mainly relevant for study grants rather than the family allowance, and no specific repayment procedure for the family allowance is indicated in the current data[1].
[1] Based on provided bullet points.
- To supplement their financial situation during their child's higher education, parents in Austria might consider both the Family Allowance for Student Children and education-and-self-development avenues such as study grants, which have income limits and conditions.
- In addition to the Family Allowance for Student Children, personal-finance planning for Austrian families might also include strategic approaches to maximize study grants, health insurance contributions, and tuition fee support, particularly for students over the age of 24.
