The semester ticket social fund is the response to the fact that there are people who cannot financially afford to study due to the high semester fee and is aimed at all current (or future) students of the University of Hannover who fall under the hardship regulation. Upon proof of a case of hardship (a list is provided below), a subsidy for the semester ticket fee can thus be provided by the student body.
If you have any questions or problems regarding the application, please feel free to contact our staff at semesterticketausfallfonds [at] asta-hannover.de.
Application for a subsidy from the semester ticket social fund
If you have particular financial difficulties paying for the semester ticket, then under certain circumstances you may be eligible for a subsidy towards the ticket price. The application for a subsidy is independent of the rest of the re-registration/enrollment process. You must first pay the regular semester fee and will receive a normal student ID that is valid as a semester ticket. If the application is approved, part of the ticket price (or maybe even all of it) will be refunded afterwards.
You can apply for a subsidy for the semester ticket fee if you can prove that a particular hardship makes it difficult for you to pay the semester ticket fee, your monthly income does not exceed your needs and you do not have any assets. All three criteria must be met.
Particular hardships may include:
- for international students, the absence or restriction of a work permit,
- the preparation of the final thesis (with at least 3 months of processing time in the approval period),
- an unpaid or low-paid professional internship (with at least 30 hours of work per week, as long as it is prescribed in the study regulations and lasts at least three months),
- the care of at least one minor child, (a)if one is solely responsible for its care and upbringing, or (b) if one is responsible for its care and upbringing with third parties, or the obligation to provide maintenance for at least one minor child),
- if one is solely responsible for the care of or provides maintenance to a sick, convalescent or disabled person,
- the need for costly nutrition for sick, convalescent and disabled persons or persons at risk of sickness/disability,
- pregnancy from the 12th week,
- financial reasons (if, after deduction of fixed costs, a maximum of 55% of basic needs remains,
- costs incurred during the calculation period for medical or psychological care that is not covered by health insurance
- or in individual cases other comparable hardships.
The amount of the grant depends not only on the information provided, but also on the total number of all approved applications and the funds available. The more students receive a grant, the lower the payment for each individual. The distribution of funds will take into account the ratio of income to need, the period of time for which the hardship exists, and the extent of any payment obligations.
Submit forms
- Submit application online: www.staff.asta-hannover.de
- Semester ticket social fund decree (as of 22.10.17) (German)
If you have problems filling out the application, please send us an email to semesterticketausfallfonds [at] asta-hannover.de.
In exceptional cases, you can still fill out the application at the AStA office, submit copies of your proof at the AStA office or send it by mail to the AStA (postal address: AStA Uni Hannover, Welfengarten 1, 30167 Hannover). You can also copy your proofs free of charge at our office.
🚨 Pay attention to the application deadlines!
The application for a subsidy for the semester ticket fee must be received in full no later than the end of the re-registration period for students who are re-registering or no later than six weeks after enrollment for students who are enrolling.
FAQ’s
Who can submit an application? What hardships can be claimed?
The semester ticket hardship fund is aimed at all enrolled and future enrollees of the University of Hannover. Support to students of other universities is not possible due to the earmarked nature of the funds.
In principle, every student of the university can apply. It should be noted that an allocation from the fund is only possible due to one or more of the following hardships:
- for international students, the absence or restriction of the work permit,
- the completion of the student’s thesis, with at least three months of work during the grant period,
- an unpaid or low-paid internship with at least 30 hours of work per week, as long as it is prescribed in the study regulations and lasts at least three months,
- the care of at least one minor child,
- a) if one is solely responsible for its care and upbringing,
- b) if one provides for its care and upbringing with third parties, or the obligation to provide maintenance for at least one minor child,
- if one provides alone for the care of a sick, convalescent or handicapped person, or provides maintenance for him/her,
- the need for costly nutrition for sick, convalescent and disabled persons or persons at risk of sickness/disability,
- pregnancy from the 12th week,
- financial reasons; if after deduction of fixed costs (regulated in par. 3, no. 4 and no. 5) there remains not more than 55% of basic needs (par. 3, no.1-3),
- costs incurred in the calculation period for medical or psychological care not covered by health insurance
- or in individual cases other comparable hardships.
What about new or prospective students?
Students who are new to the University may also apply. It is important to emphasize that no assurance of assistance can be made prior to evaluation by the Default Fund Committee.
Is it possible to receive immediate assistance?
If there is an acute need for support, reference can be made to the AStA loan (www.asta-hannover.de/darlehen). This enables the one-time taking out of an interest-free loan of 450€. However, it must also be noted here that the definitive promise of financial support from the default fund is only made by the appropriate commission.
What is needed for the application? What information and documents are required?
For the application, a (provisional) certificate of enrollment (or, in the case of female applicants, a declaration of intent to study and then the subsequent submission of the certificate of enrollment) is required.
In addition, all information provided in the application must be proven. This includes, in particular, the hardship(s) claimed. In addition, each applicant must declare assets, income and his/her monthly needs.
Where can I submit the application?
You can submit your application at www.staff.asta-hannover.de.
Is there a deadline?
The application for a subsidy for the semester ticket fee must be received in full no later than the end of the re-registration period for students who are re-registering, or no later than six weeks after enrollment for students who are enrolling.
How is the fund decided?
A commission consisting of representatives of the student body decides on the allocation from the semester ticket fund. They receive the applications anonymously and decide on the basis of the applications. Points are awarded for the hardships indicated, from which the amount of support is calculated in each individual case.
Which grant will the student receive in concrete terms?
The amount of the grant depends on various factors. A full refund is possible, but cannot be promised. The final sum depends on the personal case (hardship, income, assets) as well as on the number of accepted applications.
How long does the procedure take?
The processing of applications can take up to one semester. This means that if you apply for a grant for the winter semester with a deadline for re-registration for the summer semester (15.02.), we will try to process it by the re-registration deadline for the winter semester (15.07.) so that you can use the grant to pay for the new semester. Depending on the number of applications, it may take longer.