Zuletzt bearbeitet am 4. August 2026
Up to 2,500 euros for people retraining. Tax-free and unrestricted.
The government provides up to 2,500 euros for people undergoing retraining. Since the continuing education bonus serves as an additional incentive, you are free to use the money as you see fit. It is not earmarked for any specific purpose, nor is it offset against social benefits such as the ALG2 standard rate. The continuing education bonus is yours alone!
The continuing education bonus is a government benefit designed to promote continuing education. It is paid out as an incentive bonus for retraining in a recognized skilled trade. If you successfully pass Part 1 of the final exam (which is the first part of the extended final exam), you’ll receive a bonus of 1,000 euros. After passing the final exam, you’ll receive an additional 1,500 euros. As you can see, it pays to stick with it.
Contents:
Participants in a subsidized vocational continuing education program leading to a recognized vocational certification are eligible to receive the continuing education bonus. All retraining programs listed in the GFN catalog that lead to an IHK certification are eligible for the continuing education bonus, such as the retraining programs for IT Specialist in System Integration and IT Specialist in Application Development.
However, the continuing education bonus is generally also available to people undergoing retraining—for example, those training for careers in nursing, retail, or the restaurant industry. Furthermore, the bonus is not tied to a specific age, so older adults who decide to retrain can also benefit from the continuing education bonus.
To be eligible for the bonus, you must meet the following requirements :
Here you will find all retraining, further education, training courses, qualifications and courses.
The continuing education grant is not automatically paid to you; you must apply for it. You can apply for your grant at the employment agency or job center responsible for you. Approval of the grant is generally contingent on approval of the continuing education program itself. The funds are paid out after you submit proof of passing the interim exam and your final certificate.
Retraining programs that began before August 1, 2016, are not eligible for the continuing education bonus.
In addition to the continuing education bonus, there are many other funding sources and government grants that you can take advantage of as part of your continuing education. Learn more on our Funding Opportunities page.
In the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, we’ve clearly compiled the most important questions and answers about the continuing education bonus for you. Simply click on one of the questions below to expand the corresponding answer. If you have any further questions that may be specific to your situation, please feel free to contact us. Our advisors will be happy to assist you.
Habe ich Anspruch auf die Weiterbildungsprämie?
Participants in a subsidized vocational training program that leads to a vocational certification may be eligible for the continuing education bonus. This applies to recognized apprenticeship programs such as roofer, hairstylist, or IT specialist. If you are currently undergoing or will soon be undergoing retraining and successfully pass exams administered by an official chamber (such as the IHK), you have a good chance of receiving the bonus.
Wie hoch ist die Weiterbildungsprämie?
The continuing education bonus amounts to a maximum of 2,500 euros. Of this amount, 1,000 euros are paid out after passing the interim exam, and an additional 1,500 euros are paid to retrainees after they successfully pass the final exam. These must be standard exams—such as the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) exams.
Bis wann gibt es die Weiterbildungsprämie?
The continuing education bonus was introduced in August 2016—all retraining programs that began on or after that date are potentially eligible for it. The continuing education bonus is part of a federal government skills development initiative and was introduced as a time-limited incentive valid through December 31, 2023. However, with the introduction of the new citizen’s income in January 2023, the time limit on the cash bonus was removed, meaning that obtaining a vocational qualification will continue to be rewarded even beyond December 31, 2023.
Wie erhalte ich die Weiterbildungsprämie?
The bonuses for passing interim and final exams are paid out by the relevant Employment Agency or Job Center. This is contingent upon the submission of the corresponding certificates.
Warum gibt es die Weiterbildungsprämie?
The continuing education grant serves as an incentive to begin, persevere in, and successfully complete a retraining program. The grant is part of a package of measures designed to provide job seekers and low-wage workers with new career opportunities and to alleviate the growing shortage of skilled workers.
Kann ich bei GFN eine IHK-Umschulung machen und die Weiterbildungsprämie erhalten?
Yes. At GFN, for example, you can complete retraining to become an IT Specialist in System Integration or an IT Specialist in Application Development, and in both cases, you can benefit from the continuing education bonus. You can also receive the bonus by completing retraining to become an IT Systems Management Specialist or an Office Management Specialist.
For professions with a two-part final exam, the first part of the final exam is treated as an interim exam. This is also the case for our retraining programs. Upon successful completion, this first part of the final exam is eligible for the continuing education bonus, just as a successfully passed interim exam would be. This means that by enrolling in a retraining program at GFN, you have the opportunity to receive the full bonus of 2,500 euros.
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