Career development funding provided by your Federal State!
Continuing education is a key driver of career advancement
Even if your employer does not support continuing education, you do not necessarily have to bear all the costs yourself. The government offers financial support to enable many people to access advanced training opportunities. Various support programs are also available for companies with increased training needs.
Overview of active funding
The funding programs run for a limited period and are then either renewed, revised, or discontinued. The requirements for educational funding vary by state. The only requirement is that you live or work in the state from which you wish to claim funding.
Our overview only lists the states with active funding programs. Please note that, despite our careful research, we cannot guarantee that the information is complete and up-to-date. You can obtain binding information on the regulations in your federal state from the relevant funding advisory center.
Who are the Federal State funding programs suitable for?
The subsidies offered by the federal states are of interest to:
Companies
Funding programs can provide financial support to companies to promote training measures.
Employees
Employees can benefit from support programmes that assist with continuing education training, qualification measures or retraining.
Start-ups and self-employed individuals
Funding may also be relevant for start-ups and self-employed individuals to improve quality through continuing education and thus support the company’s development.
It is worth checking the specific funding opportunities in your state to find out if there is a suitable program for you.
Filter the Funding Opportunities by Federal State
See which funding programs are available in your federal state.
Employees
career returnees
Self-employed
NRW education voucher
The NRW education voucher (Bildungsscheck NRW) supports participation in professional development and continuing education. This funding program is aimed especially at small and medium-sized businesses, employees, people returning to work, and the self-employed. The education voucher covers up to 50% of the training costs, funded by the European Social Fund (ESF).
Eligibility requirements
You are eligible for an education voucher (Bildungsscheck) if you can demonstrate a taxable annual income of more than €20,000 up to a maximum of €40,000 (more than €40,000 up to a maximum of €80,000 for joint filing) and your residence is in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
Individuals can claim one education voucher per year.
A free consultation at a certified education voucher counseling center is mandatory before an education voucher is issued. If you have an ID card with an activated online ID function, you can also receive the consultation directly online.
Funding amount
Costs for professional development training that is directly related to your job are covered up to 50%. The maximum funding amount is €500.
Contact details
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Further links
Employees of companies
Entrepreneurs
Freelancers & start-up founders
Career returnees
Funding program for specialized courses in Baden-Württemberg
The Specialist Courses funding program (Förderprogramm Fachkurse) was launched to create incentives for increased professional qualification. In light of rising qualification requirements in the world of work and the growing shortage of skilled workers, this is of major importance.
The program focuses in particular on employees from small and medium-sized companies, which typically do not offer in-house training opportunities. By subsidizing course participation fees, the program aims to make participation in these courses more attractive.
The subsidy is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Housing using resources from the European Social Fund (ESF).
Target group
Specialized courses with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 240 teaching units
A teaching unit must not be less than 45 minutes.
A modular course structure is permitted, whereby each module must be bookable individually.
A specialized course must be completed within 12 months.
Funding amount
Depending on the target group:
30% of the eligible participation fees or- 50% of the eligible participation fees for participants (with vocational qualifications) who are at least 50 years of age
- 70% of the eligible participation fees for participants without vocational qualifications (regardless of the age of the participants)
Course fees
The course fee per participant is less than €8,000 net.
Contact details
Further links
Employees
Career returnees
Self-employed
Hamburg continuing education bonus Plus
With the help of the Hamburg continuing education bonus Plus (Hamburger Weiterbildungsbonus Plus), more than 16,000 residents of Hamburg have gained additional qualifications, strengthened their individual employability, and expanded their ability to be deployed in line with company needs. This represents a proven and effective approach to both recruitment and employee retention.
The Hamburg continuing education bonus 2020 project is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the City of Hamburg. The project is administered by Zwei P PLAN:PERSONAL gGmbH.
Programs for employees
Employees subject to social security contributions (at least 15 hours per week) who work in small and medium-sized companies (SMEs with up to 249 employees) and who live and/or work in Hamburg.
Employees subject to social security contributions who work in the skilled trades sector in Hamburg.
Employees who receive supplementary income support from the Jobcenter.
Marginally employed workers (mini-job employees).
Scope of funding
Up to 50%, with a maximum of €500.
The following are eligible for funding:
- Professional training courses lasting at least 8 hours
- Training courses from qualified providers, such as XDi
Contact details
Further links
Program for solo self-employed professionals
Individuals who live or work in Hamburg
Individuals who pay income tax in Hamburg
Individuals who have completed the process of establishing their business
Individuals whose self-employed activity is also their primary occupation.
Scope of funding
Up to 50%, with a maximum of €500.
The following are eligible for funding:
- Professional training courses lasting at least 8 hours
- Training courses from qualified providers, such as XDi
Contact details
Further links
Program for the creative industries:
Funding is available for 11 different sectors within the creative industries. In principle, this funding applies to offerings from the Coach and Expert Pool (CEP).
If your training is not provided through this pool, you can apply via the service portal and receive advice on whether another training bonus may be available for continuing education with a qualified provider such as XDi.
Förderumfang
Participation is financially supported up to 90%.
Contact details
Further links
Program for companies
Supporting employees’ professional development can also be beneficial for companies. The Hamburg continuing education bonus can be particularly valuable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially in areas such as digitalization and skills development. If required, in-house training programs may also be eligible for funding.
Not eligible for funding:
- Civil service
- Employees of the public sector
- Publicly owned companies
- Companies with more than 249 employees
Contact details
Further links
Employees
freelancers and sole proprietors
Companies
Legally recognized associations
Public universities
Brandenburg continuing education guideline
The Continuing education guideline (Weiterbildungsrichtlinie, formerly Bildungsscheck Brandenburg) focuses on achieving individual and company development goals. These include increasing participation in continuing education, maintaining and enhancing employability, and stabilizing jobs (Stabilisierung von Arbeitsplätzen).
Target group
Employees with their primary residence in the state of Brandenburg.
Companies, freelancers, and sole proprietors (with income tax liability or a permanent establishment in the state of Brandenburg).
Legally recognized associations (with their registered office or a branch in the state of Brandenburg).
Public universities under the Brandenburg Higher Education Act.
Scope of funding
Grant from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) covering up to 50% of the costs for course and examination fees. The minimum funding amount per application is €1,000.
Further links
Employees
Rhineland-Palatinate qualification voucher
The Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Transformation and Digitalization supports employees’ participation in professional development programs with funding from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
The following are eligible for funding:
The training must cost more than 100 Euros.
Registration for the training can only be completed after receiving the approval notice.
Informationsveranstaltungen, Fachtagungen, Messen und Kongresse sind ausgeschlossen.
Scope of funding
Sixty percent of the incurred training costs (registration, participation, and examination fees, as well as scripts and materials) are eligible for funding. The maximum funding amount is 1,500 Euros per person, per training program, and per calendar year.
Other costs, such as teaching and learning materials, travel expenses, accommodation, and meals, are not eligible for funding.
Contact Details
Further Links
Companies
Saarland: Continuing Education in Large Companies
Large companies in Saarland (Saarland: Weiterbildung in großen Unternehmen) have the opportunity to receive funding for in-house training and external qualification measures for their employees.
The following are eligible for funding:
Projects with a funding amount below €10,000 are excluded from funding.
Companies with a business location in Saarland that employ at least 250 people and either generate annual revenues of more than 50 million Euros or have a total annual balance sheet exceeding 43 million Euros.
Scope of funding
The grant for project funding is provided as a non‑repayable subsidy and amounts to 40% of the eligible project costs.
The funding is limited to a maximum of €2,000,000 per funded project.
Contact details
Further links
Small and micro enterprises
Employees
Individuals
Bremen continuing education voucher
The Bremen continuing education voucher (Bremer Weiterbildungsscheck) is a coupon for reducing course fees. It is awarded within the framework of the state program “Weiter mit Bildung und Beratung” and is funded by the Senator for Economics, Labour, and Europe with resources from the European Social Fund (ESF).
The following are eligible for funding:
Small and micro enterprises with up to 50 employees based in the state of Bremen
Employees without formal qualifications or with outdated professional qualifications that are no longer relevant in the labor market
Persons receiving SGB II benefits who cannot be supported with SGB II funds
Persons with professional qualifications obtained abroad
Persons without formal qualifications but with several years of professional experience who wish to obtain a professional qualification retroactively
Residence and/or place of work must be in Bremen
The training must comprise at least 50 learning units
Scope of funding
Funding of up to 50% of eligible costs, max. €500.
Contact details
Further links
Employees
Freelancers
Owners of small businesses
Trainees
Schleswig-Holstein continuing education bonus
The continuing education bonus (Schleswig-Holstein Weiterbildungsbonus) subsidizes the costs of continuing education seminars for employees, trainees, owners of small businesses, and freelancers in Schleswig-Holstein.
The following are eligible for funding:
Residence and/or place of work must be in Schleswig-Holstein
The continuing education program must comprise at least 160 teaching units
Participants must be employed for at least 15 hours per week
Scope of funding
The continuing education bonus covers up to 50% of seminar costs, up to a maximum of €1,500, provided that an application has been submitted to and approved in advance by Investitionsbank Schleswig-Holstein.
The limit on the costs of continuing education measures, which previously amounted to €3,000, will be abolished as of July 1, 2020.
Any expenses exceeding the subsidy of 50% of the costs are paid by the employer.
In addition, since July 1, 2020, it has been possible to claim the continuing education bonus more than once during the current funding period.
Further links
Contact details
Employees
Bavarian education voucher
The Bavarian education voucher (Bildungsscheck Bayern) is an offer from the Free State of Bavaria. It is a flat rate subsidy for individual professional development in the field of digitalization. The program is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Bavarian State Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Affairs. Education vouchers are only issued to employees, not to companies.
The following are eligible for funding:
Your gross annual income is over €20,000.
You consult a digital education advisor. These continuing education initiators suggest suitable courses and issue you with an education voucher.
The desired continuing education course deals with topics related to digitalization.
The continuing education course costs more than €500 and lasts at least eight hours.
Scope of funding
The Bavarian Education Voucher is a flat-rate subsidy of €500.
Contact details
Employee
Companies
Individual and company-based job-related continuing education
The aim of individually tailored continuing professional development funded by the Individual and Company-Based Job-Related Continuing Education in Saxony (Individuell und betrieblich berufsbezogene Weiterbildung Sachsen) is to build and strengthen professional qualifications and skills and to improve employment opportunities.
The following are eligible for funding
Residence in the Free State of Saxony
Total expenditure on continuing education amounts to at least €700
Individual program:
Employment with an average gross income of no more than €3,700 per month
Scope of funding
50% funding rate in the form of a grant as fixed-amount financing.
For low-income earners, generally up to 80%. The maximum grant is €4,500.
Travel and accommodation costs are excluded.
Contact details
Further links
Individuals
Saxony-Anhalt Continuing education
Saxony-Anhalt continuing education (Sachsen-Anhalt Weiterbildung) is a program in Saxony-Anhalt that offers customized opportunities for continuing education. It is aimed at individuals who want to improve their professional qualifications or develop personally. The program offers various continuing education measures tailored to the individual needs and goals of the participants.
The following are eligible for funding
Income must not exceed the compulsory health insurance income threshold of €69,300 (as of 2024). Applications must be submitted via the IB customer portal.
Scope of funding
Participation and examination fees, travel and accommodation costs, and additional childcare costs are covered by a grant of up to 90% of the recognized expenses, up to a maximum of €25,000.
Contact details
Further links
Employees
Thuringia continuing education voucher
Funding is available for continuing education (participation and exam fees) through the Thuringia Continuing Education Voucher (Weiterbildungsscheck Thüringen). This continuing education must be related to your current professional activity and must be carried out alongside your work.
The following are eligible for funding
Your taxable annual income must be less than €55,000 for single taxpayers and less than €110,000 for joint taxpayers, according to your latest income tax assessment.
Your planned training must be provided by a suitable training provider.
The suitability of the continuing education provider can be demonstrated through existing state recognition or certifications. Exclusively distance learning/e-learning programs must be certified in accordance with the Distance Learning Protection Act (Fernunterrichtsschutzgesetz, FernUSG) by the Central Office for Distance Learning (staatliche Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht, ZfU).
- One training voucher per calendar year may be applied for per continuing education course.
- Your application must be received by the Thüringer Landesverwaltungsamt (TLVwA) by post before you register definitively for the training program or begin the course.
Scope of funding
For your individual continuing education, participation and examination fees can be subsidized by the GFAW up to a maximum amount of €1,000.
Costs for accommodation and meals, travel expenses, and additional teaching and learning materials are not eligible for funding.
Contact details
Further links
Certified and accredited
Government-approved and 100% eligible for funding. We are AZAV and ZFU certified. Our e-learning courses can be 100% financed with a Bildungsgutschein from the Arbeitsagentur.
Certified and accredited
Government-approved and 100% eligible for funding. We are AZAV and ZFU certified. Our e-learning courses can be 100% financed with a Bildungsgutschein from the Arbeitsagentur.
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