News

Forum University and Church criticises interest rate increase for KfW student loan

(Bonn, 23 May 2023) The Board of the Forum Hochschule und Kirche (FHoK) sharply criticises the historic high of interest rates for student loans and thus joins the criticism of the Deutsches Studierendenwerk. The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) had increased the effective interest rate of its student loan from 6.06% to 7.82% as of 1 April 2023.

As part of the Federal Government's Education Loan Programme, the KfW Education Loan disburses loans for students regardless of income. To qualify for the loan, students must be studying at a state or state-recognised higher education institution located in Germany.

"In our university community, students are also affected by the massive increase in interest rates," says Jonas Wihl, a member of the new main committee of the Forum University and Church. Those affected from his university community in Munich report that BAföG is difficult to access for many students. It is not always possible to securely finance their studies. The KfW loan is therefore often an emergency solution, especially when the financing of studies has to be secured at short notice. "If the interest rates for repayment are now raised so sharply, this will deter many from taking out a loan, and the hardship of financing studies will worsen drastically," adds Luise Gruender, university chaplain in the diocese of Speyer and FHoK board member. 

"The real problem is that BAföG is accessible to an ever smaller proportion of students," Jonas Wihl states. This assessment is also shared by Matthias Anbuhl, Chairman of the Board of the German Student Union, in a press release dated 10 May. The Federal Government must make BAföG "accessible to more students as a central state instrument for financing studies" so that "finally more than the current eleven per cent of students benefit from Bafög again".

The Catholic dioceses with their university parishes and study support organisations are committed to ensuring broad access to higher education in our country with free counselling services, places in halls of residence and emergency support for international students.

The International Office of the University of Cologne offers free German courses for people with a refugee background. There is the possibility to participate online and in presence.

The application deadline for submitting documents via the application portal is 15th February 2023. The courses start in April 2023. The application has to be submitted digitally to the University of Cologne under the following link.

A digital information event must still be attended before participation. The next event will take place on 27th January 2023 at 2 pm. More information and further dates can be found

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Academic Refugee Support team at the following address.

Contact: RefugeeAcademicSupport@verw.uni-koeln.de   

Dieter Schleyer, a guest student at Cologne University, has been researching his grandfather and painter Adolf Doerner . His past during the National Socialist era was hardly addressed in his family, as in so many other families.

Mr Schleyer examined documents that were still available. He studied sources and literature. He interviewed people from his grandfather's circle. Above all, however, he studied the paintings of his grandfather, who had worked as an artist under National Socialism and whose paintings have survived to this day.

The traces left behind by this person are made visible, his entanglements are shown and the effects on the family are addressed.

An important contribution for anyone who wants to remember National Socialism as something that also took place in their own family.

2MM is a lecture series of the fgs. It takes place on every second Wednesday of the month during the semester. Here, guest lecturers talk about their work at the university and about experiences and projects from their private or professional lives.

Where? Säulensaal at the KHG

When? 4pm - 6pm on Wednesday, 11th January 2023

We would like to thank all the helpers, dancers and salsa enthusiasts for a great evening full of positive energy and passion.

Also a big thank you to the lighting technology for a KHG church that shines in bright colours for the first time.

We are pleased to have received a total of 2,290 euros in donations, which we were able to transfer to the Children's Cancer Aid at Cologne University Hospital.