Those who study often have to make do with little money. This group is particularly affected by the increased costs for heating and electricity. As early as last September, the federal government therefore announced a one-time payment of 200 euros as part of the third relief package agreed by the traffic lights to cushion the rise in energy prices, which was intended to specifically support students and technical students.
The plan was to pay out the energy flat rate centrally in a very uncomplicated manner and without federal confusion, and the corresponding law passed the Federal Council in December. In addition, it should be quick: Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) announced at the end of the year that the payments “can start right at the beginning of next year, i.e. this winter”.
The last hurdles will be taken “promptly”, they say
Nevertheless, it was initially silent about the subsidy. Around 3.5 million students and technical students are still waiting for their promised one-time payment. The main reason for the delays was apparently the federal system, which made agreements between the federal, state and educational institutions necessary. The main complication was that there is no central application platform that has access to all student data. Specifically, this means that the federal government – unlike the pensioners – does not know the bank details of the students.
But now there are new details as to when and how the money should be paid out. For example, students and technical students will probably be able to see the flat-rate energy price on the website one-time payment200.de apply for. However, the website is not yet activated. At the end of last year, the federal government commissioned the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Digitization with the development, and the state already had the portal in 2020 Bafög-Digital developed. The federal government paid for the costs.
Minister of Education Stark-Watzinger announced a few days ago that the one-time payment was “on the home straight”. However, she did not give a specific date. Instead, the Ministry of Education says that the platform is technically ready as far as possible. On Twitter, the BMBF announced quite vaguely about the schedule that Saxony-Anhalt “take the last legal hurdles promptly” will, the covenant stand ready. The one-off payments should then be decided in the respective state cabinets and organized with the educational institutions.
Well meant, but not well done, is the criticism
So some federal states could start before others. In a letter to Stark-Watzinger, the state ministers of culture criticized a “well-intentioned but not adequately prepared” draft law, the implementation of which they are now faced with, the German Press Agency reported.
The energy flat rate must also be requested by the students themselves. In addition to an access code, which the students should receive from the university and which confirms their entitlement to support, they also need a so-called federal ID, which most students still have to apply for.
The Bund ID is that Federal user accountwith which citizens can obtain administrative services online, students can already register for it – either with the electronic ID card, an Elster certificate or, in the case of international students, with an electronic residence permit or, in the case of EU citizens, with an E -ID.
All persons who were registered in Germany on December 1, 2022 should be entitled to make the payment. That’s around three million people at the universities and around 450,000 technical students. It remains to be seen when they will actually have the money in their account.