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BAföG Form 3: Income declaration of parents, spouses or registered partners
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BAföG Form 3 (Parents' Income) in short
BAföG Form 3 (Formblatt 03) is the income declaration that parents and the student's spouse or registered partner complete for a German student finance (BAföG) application. Each person fills in their own form. The income that counts is from the calendar year before last before the funding period starts.
| Issued by | Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR), bafög.de; Bearbeitung durch die Ämter für Ausbildungsförderung |
|---|---|
| Current version | Stand 2025 (checked 2026-10-25) |
| Who fills it in | The student's father, mother and, if relevant, spouse or registered partner. Each person makes their own declaration. The form says a joint declaration by both parents is not possible. |
| Who receives it | The student's responsible BAföG office (Amt für Ausbildungsförderung), for university students usually at the Studierendenwerk. |
| Where to send it | Directly to the responsible BAföG office. The form says it can be sent separately from the student's application. Parents can also enter their details online in BAföG Digital with their own user account. |
| Deadline | The form has no deadline of its own. It is needed for the student's BAföG application. A request to use current income (Form 07) must be made by the end of the funding period at the latest. |
| Fee | No fee. |
| Official links | Official page · Official PDF |
What changed
The current version is marked Stand 2025 and gives the example funding periods 08/2025 to 07/2026 and 10/2025 to 09/2026. bafög.de says the signature or name field can now be filled in on a computer.
How to fill out BAföG Form 3 (Parents' Income), line by line
| Lines 1 to 15 | Details of the student and of yourself The student's name and date of birth, then your own name, date of birth, address, marital status as a number 1 to 5, employment and any training of your own during the funding period. Phone and email are optional. |
| Allowances | Disability and carer allowance Tick if you claim an allowance for a recognised disability or the carer lump sum under section 33b(6) EStG. Enclose copies of proof. |
| Lines 16 to 33 | Other children and other dependants Your own children and step, foster or grandchildren living with you, with their training and income. Do not list the student here. Kindergeld does not count as income. |
| Lines 34 to 42 | General income details The calendar year before last before the funding period counts. State whether you have a tax assessment, which tax office handles it and whether an appeal is open. |
| Lines 43 to 55 | Income Income if there is no tax assessment yet, capital income, minijob, foreign income, pensions, maintenance received and income under the BAföG income regulation, such as unemployment benefit, sick pay or parental allowance. Do not list Bürgergeld. |
| Lines 56 to 63 | Deductions Riester pension contributions, childcare costs, taxes paid, and church, capital gains and trade tax not shown in the tax assessment. Enclose copies. |
| Final declaration | Date and signature or name You confirm the details are correct and complete and that the official form has not been changed. |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Making one declaration for both parents. Each person needs their own Form 3.
- Using the wrong year. It is the calendar year before last, so 2024 for a funding period starting in 2026.
- Sending originals. The form asks for copies of proof.
- Enclosing only the first page of the tax assessment. All pages are required as copies.
- Treating the employer's payroll tax certificate as a tax assessment. The form says it is not one.
- Listing the student under other children.
- Listing Bürgergeld as income under the BAföG income regulation.
- Altering the official form. The declaration confirms no changes were made.
Questions about BAföG Form 3 (Parents' Income)
Is there an English version of BAföG Form 3?
bafög.de offers Form 3 in German only. This page explains each part of the form in English.
Do both parents have to fill in Form 3?
Yes. Each person makes their own declaration, including the student's spouse or registered partner. A joint declaration is not possible.
Which year's income counts?
The calendar year before last before the funding period starts. For a funding period starting in 2026, the form says 2024 applies.
What if our income is much lower now?
The student can ask for current income to be used with Form 07 (Antrag auf Aktualisierung) by the end of the funding period.
Can parents submit Form 3 online?
Yes, through BAföG Digital. Parents and spouses use their own separate user account.
Can I send it separately from my child's application?
Yes. The form says it can be sent to the BAföG office separately from the student's application.
Tools for this form
Sources
Checked against the official sources on 2026-10-25. PDF Editor Hub is not affiliated with the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt or any government agency. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.
- https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/shareddocs/downloads/formblaetter/v2025/formblatt_3.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=13
- https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/shareddocs/downloads/formblaetter/v2025/formblatt_3.html
- https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/de/antrag-stellen/alle-antragsformulare/alle-antragsformulare_node.html
- https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/de/antrag-stellen/elektronische-antragstellung/elektronische-antragstellung.html
- https://www.xn--bafg-7qa.de/bafoeg/de/services/impressum/impressum_node.html