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Applying for the Education Package: Education and Participation for Children

The Education Package (Bildungspaket) (officially "Education and Participation," or BuT for short) covers the costs of school supplies, lunch, tutoring, class trips, transport to school, and leisure activities for children from families with little money. Eligible are families receiving Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld), Social Assistance (Sozialhilfe), Supplementary Child Allowance (Kinderzuschlag), Housing Benefit (Wohngeld) or Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen). You apply at your city or district office – usually the Jobcenter or Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt). You must apply for most benefits yourself and provide supporting documents.

As of: 25.07.2026 · HalloAmt editorial team · General information, not legal advice (see note at the end).

Not sure which benefits your child is entitled to or where to apply? The HalloAmt assistant explains the Education Package (Bildungspaket) to you in your language – it understands over 50 languages – and helps you find the right office in your city. Start now →

What exactly is the Education Package?

The Education Package (Bildungspaket) is not a single cash payment but a bundle of six benefits related to school, daycare and leisure time. It aims to make sure that children from families with a low income can take part – in school outings, at lunch, in a sports club – even if money is tight at home.

Legally, this is set out in the Social Code (§ 28 SGB II for Citizen's Income/Bürgergeld families, § 6b Federal Child Benefit Act for families with Supplementary Child Allowance/Kinderzuschlag or Housing Benefit/Wohngeld). What matters most for you as a family is: If you receive one of the benefits listed below, your children are entitled to the Education Package.

Who is eligible for Education and Participation?

Children, teenagers and young adults are eligible if their family receives one of these benefits:

What matters is receiving one of these benefits – not your nationality. So a refugee family receiving Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen) or Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld) is just as entitled as a German family receiving Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld).

Most benefits apply to children attending school or daycare who don't yet receive training pay. The monthly participation amount (see below) is limited to children up to age 18.

What benefits are there – and how much money is it?

BenefitWhat is covered
Personal school supplies195 € per school year – 130 € for the 1st half of the school year (August), 65 € for the 2nd half (February). For pens, notebooks, school bags, etc.
Shared lunchFull cost of lunch at daycare, school or after-school care. No more personal contribution.
Outings & class tripsActual costs of single-day and multi-day school and daycare outings.
Transport to schoolActual costs for getting to school, if no other reasonable way is available.
Learning support (tutoring)Actual costs of suitable tutoring needed to reach the essential learning goals. Since 2019, this is no longer tied to a risk of not moving up a grade – it's enough that the support is necessary and suitable.
Participation (sports, music, leisure)15 € per month for children up to age 18 – e.g. club fees, music school, holiday camps.

School supplies are usually paid automatically with Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld) – you don't need to do anything extra for this. For the other benefits (lunch, outings, tutoring, participation) you generally need to apply yourself and provide supporting documents.

Where do I apply for the Education Package?

This is the most important difference from Child Benefit (Kindergeld): For Child Benefit there is one nationwide office (the Family Benefits Office/Familienkasse). The Education Package (Bildungspaket), however, is managed by each city and district itself. There is no single federal office and no standard form – forms look different in Hamburg than in Munich or in rural areas.

Here's how to find the right office:

  • Do you receive Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld)? Then your Jobcenter is usually responsible.
  • Do you receive Supplementary Child Allowance (Kinderzuschlag), Housing Benefit (Wohngeld), Social Assistance (Sozialhilfe) or Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen)? Then the Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt) or a dedicated "Education Package office" of your city/district is usually responsible.
  • Search online for "Bildung und Teilhabe" + the name of your city, or ask the office that pays your main benefit.

An example of what this looks like is the forms for the Education Package in Hamburg. Your own local authority has its own, similar forms.

Payment also varies from place to place: many cities don't pay cash but issue an education card (Bildungskarte) (a chip card) or vouchers, which are used to pay the school, club or provider directly. Whether your local authority transfers money or issues a card is stated on its Education Package page.

Application for Education and Participation Benefits: Where do I find the form?

There is no single nationwide form or PDF – because each city and district manages the Education Package (Bildungspaket) itself. You get the official "Application for Education and Participation Benefits" from wherever your basic benefit comes from:

  • For Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld): through your Jobcenter, often as a PDF on its website.
  • For Supplementary Child Allowance (Kinderzuschlag), Housing Benefit (Wohngeld), Social Assistance (Sozialhilfe) or Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen): at the Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt) or your local authority's Education Package office.
  • The fastest way to find the right form is to search for "Antrag Bildung und Teilhabe" plus the name of your city. Many local authorities now also offer the application online.

Be sure to ask about the combined application (Globalantrag) – it lets you cover several benefits with a single form (more on this below).

How do I apply, step by step?

  1. Clarify your basic benefit. Check which of the five benefits (Citizen's Income/Bürgergeld, Social Assistance/Sozialhilfe, Supplementary Child Allowance/Kinderzuschlag, Housing Benefit/Wohngeld, AsylbLG) you receive – this is your "key" to the Education Package.
  2. Find the responsible office (see above) and get their application forms – online, at the office, or from the school/daycare.
  3. Fill out the application – depending on the local authority, this may be a combined application or a separate form for each benefit.
  4. Attach supporting documents:
    • decision notice (Bescheid) for your basic benefit
    • school or daycare certificate
    • for clubs: the membership fee
    • for tutoring: a confirmation from the school
    • for outings: the information letter from the school
  5. Submit it and wait for the decision notice (Bescheid). Some benefits are paid directly to the school, club or provider, not to you.

HalloAmt can help with this: the assistant explains, in your language, which benefits your child may be eligible for and where to apply for them in your city. You get the actual application form from your local authority – there is no nationwide standard form for this. Start now →

Apply for everything at once with a combined application

In many local authorities you do not need to apply for each benefit separately. With a combined application (Globalantrag) you apply for all Education Package benefits for the entire approval period at once – one form instead of five. This saves work and ensures you don't miss out on any benefit. Be sure to ask your responsible office about this.

Can I apply for the Education Package retroactively?

For ongoing costs such as lunch or club fees, approval is usually only granted from the date you apply – so don't wait until the end of the school year. Within the current approval period, however, more is often possible than many people think: a combined application (Globalantrag) can cover the period already underway, and school supplies are tied to the relevant half of the school year anyway. So submit your application as early as possible, and be sure to ask from which date the approval applies.

What supporting documents do I need?

You always need two documents:

  • Decision notice (Bescheid) for your ongoing benefit – Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld), Supplementary Child Allowance (Kinderzuschlag), Housing Benefit (Wohngeld), Social Assistance (Sozialhilfe) or Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen)
  • School or daycare certificate for each child

Everything else depends on what you are applying for:

  • Shared lunch – confirmation from the school, after-school care or daycare of participation
  • Outing or class trip – information letter from the school with costs and date
  • Learning support – confirmation from the school of the need for support
  • Participation in club activities – membership certificate or proof of fees
  • Transport to school – proof of the route to school and ticket costs
  • Personal school supplies – usually no separate supporting document needed

Don't wait until you have everything together. Submit the application first – this secures your date – and provide the supporting documents afterwards. Ask for a confirmation of receipt and for the office to tell you which documents are still missing. Those who first gather everything and then apply often lose weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible for the Education Package (Bildungspaket)?

Families receiving Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld), Social Assistance (Sozialhilfe), Supplementary Child Allowance (Kinderzuschlag), Housing Benefit (Wohngeld) or Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen). What matters is receiving one of these benefits, not your nationality.

Which benefits does the Education Package (Bildungspaket) pay for?

School outings and class trips, personal school supplies (195 € per school year), transport to school, learning support/tutoring, shared lunch at daycare and school, as well as 15 € per month for sports, music or leisure activities.

Where do I apply for the Education Package (Bildungspaket)?

At your city or district office – depending on the benefit, this is the Jobcenter (for Citizen's Income/Bürgergeld) or the Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt) or your local authority's Education Package office. There is no single nationwide office.

How much money is there for school supplies?

195 € per school year: 130 € for the first half of the school year (August) and 65 € for the second half (February). With Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld), the amount is usually paid automatically.

Do refugees get the Education Package (Bildungspaket)?

Yes. Anyone receiving Asylum Seekers' Benefits (Asylbewerberleistungen), Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld) or one of the other benefits mentioned is eligible – regardless of nationality.

Do I have to apply for each benefit separately?

Not necessarily. Many local authorities offer a combined application (Globalantrag) that lets you apply for all benefits for the entire approval period at once. School supplies are often paid automatically with Citizen's Income (Bürgergeld); for other benefits (lunch, outings, tutoring, participation) you need to provide supporting documents.

Can I apply for the Education Package (Bildungspaket) retroactively?

Ongoing costs such as lunch or club fees are usually only approved from the date you apply, not for the past. Within the current approval period, more is often possible – a combined application (Globalantrag) can cover it. So apply as early as possible.

Next steps

The Education Package (Bildungspaket) always depends on a basic benefit. If your family doesn't yet receive one, first check what you're entitled to:

The HalloAmt assistant explains in over 50 languages which of these benefits may apply to your family and where to apply for them. Start now →

This guide is general, carefully researched information (as of 25.07.2026) and does not replace legal or official advice. The Education Package (Bildungspaket) is implemented differently by cities and districts; amounts, responsible offices and forms may vary locally and may change. Your local authority decides in individual cases. For binding information, contact your Jobcenter, your Social Welfare Office (Sozialamt), your city's Education Package office, or a migration counseling service. We cannot guarantee completeness or accuracy.

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