Bildung und Teilhabe

The Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (education and participation package, often called Bildungspaket) covers specific school and leisure costs for children in households already receiving certain other benefits.

Quick Summary

If your household receives Wohngeld, Kinderzuschlag, Bürgergeld, or asylum-seeker benefits, your children can also claim coverage for school trips, supplies, lunch, tutoring, and sports/culture activities through this package — but you must apply for each item, it isn’t automatic.

Who Needs This

• Your household already receives Wohngeld, Kinderzuschlag, Bürgergeld/SGB II, basic security (SGB XII), or asylum-seeker benefits (AsylbLG)
• You have school-age or younger children and want help with trip costs, supplies, or activity fees
• You’re under 25 and receive one of the above benefits yourself

What’s Covered

• School trips: day trips and multi-day class trips, covered in full.
• School supplies: a flat amount (around €195 per school year, split across two payments) for items like a school bag, stationery, and other basic supplies.
• Lunch and after-school care: subsidized or free meals at school or daycare, and support toward after-school care fees.
• Tutoring: extra learning support if a teacher confirms it’s needed to reach expected school standards.
• Sports, music, and culture: a flat rate of around €15/month toward club memberships, music lessons, or similar activities, until the child’s 18th birthday.
• School transport: costs of getting to school, where not already covered by other means.

Step-By-Step: Applying

1. Confirm your household already receives one of the qualifying benefits (Wohngeld, Kinderzuschlag, Bürgergeld, basic security, or asylum-seeker benefits) — Bildung und Teilhabe cannot be claimed on its own.
2. Contact the same office that pays your qualifying benefit (Jobcenter for Bürgergeld, Wohngeldbehörde for Wohngeld, Familienkasse for Kinderzuschlag) — that’s who administers this package too.
3. Apply separately for each type of cost as it comes up (e.g. apply for a school trip when the trip is announced, rather than once for the whole school year).
4. For school supplies and the sports/culture flat rate, ask whether your city processes these automatically alongside your main benefit or requires a separate short application.
5. Keep receipts and school/club confirmations, since some items are reimbursed rather than paid upfront.

Ask your child's school too

Many schools are familiar with Bildungspaket paperwork and can tell you directly what’s needed for a specific trip or fee — this is often faster than starting from the benefits office.

Common Documents

• Proof of your qualifying benefit (Wohngeld/Kinderzuschlag/Bürgergeld/basic security/asylum-seeker benefit notice)
• School or club confirmation of the specific cost (trip announcement, membership invoice, tutoring confirmation)
• Your child’s Anmeldung and school enrollment proof

Common Mistakes

• Not realizing this exists at all, since it isn’t advertised alongside the main benefit
• Applying once and assuming it covers the whole year automatically, rather than per-item
• Missing deadlines for specific school trips by not applying as soon as the trip is announced
• Not asking the school directly, which often speeds up the process

Important Note

Exact covered amounts (like the school supplies flat rate) are updated periodically. Confirm current figures and required paperwork with the office that pays your qualifying benefit.