Financial matters

Residents of Germany are entitled to public subsidies in the form of a parental or child benefit, provided that certain conditions are met.

Parental benefit

Parental benefit – intended as compensation for loss of income – is a benefit paid to mothers and fathers for a maximum of 14 months after the birth of a child. Both parents can split the time up between them. The benefit is 67 percent of the net income lost, up to a maximum of 1,800 euros a month.

Conditions of entitlement

Mothers and fathers are entitled to claim parental benefit if they

look after and bring up their children themselves after the birth
are not gainfully employed for more than 30 hours per week
live with their children in one household
permanently or regularly reside in Germany

Under EU law, nationals from member states of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland are, as a rule, just as entitled to claim parental benefit as Germans as long as they are employed or live in Germany.
Other foreign nationals have a basic entitlement if their stay in Germany – depending on the type of residence permit and their access to the labour market – is likely to be long-lasting.

Anyone who has a settlement permit fulfils these conditions automatically.
Anyone who has a residence permit fulfils the conditions for entitlement only if they are entitled to take up gainful employment in Germany or has already worked here with a permit.
Only after a stay of three years, and if the person concerned has a contract of employment or is receiving unemployment benefit I, can he or she receive parental benefit – if they have a residence permit for cases of hardship, for their temporary protection, in the case of a suspended deportation or if there are any obstacles to departure.

Foreign parents who have a residence permit for educational purposes (students or PhD students) or in connection with a work permit only for a maximum period of time have no entitlement to parental benefit.

Application procedure
Parental benefit must be applied for in writing to the Parental Benefit Office (Elterngeldstelle). For the City of Münster, the Department for Children, Youth and Families [de] is responsible.

Further information
Parental benefit and parental leave [de]
(Department for Children, Youth and Families of the City of Münster)

Parental benefit and parental leave [de]
(Ministry for the Family, Children, Youth, Culture and Sport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia)

Parental benefit [de]
(German Ministry for the Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth)

Child benefit

In paying child benefit, the German government supports families with children and, so doing, contributes to easing their financial burden. Child benefit is paid without regard to the level of income of the parent(s). The amount increases incrementally from the third child onwards as follows:

184 euros per month for the first and the second child each
190 euros per month for the third child
215 euros per month for the fourth and each further child

Child benefit is paid

for all children until the end of their 18th year
for children in further education or in training until the end of their 25th year
for unemployed children until the end of their 21st year

Application procedure

The State Office of Salaries, Benefits and Pensions [de] is responsible for employees of the University of Münster.
Scholarship holders without any employment contract must submit their application for child benefit in writing to the Family Benefits Office. The Family Benefits Office at the Rheine Employment Agency [de] is responsible for the City of Münster.

Further information

Child benefit (German Ministry for the Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth) [de]