Student Discounts

As a student you may be on a tight budget, but that does not mean that you have to miss out on everything! Therefore, we have compiled a list of ways to save money as a student. 

Do you have any further questions? Our social counselling service is there to help you.

You are studying at Potsdam University or Fachhochschule Potsdam? Then you can get advice from the Verbraucherzentrale for free – thanks to a cooperation between your student union and the VZB!
You received a mysterious bill? You are wondering which insurance policies are really necessary? You are thinking of taking up a loan to finance your studies? Then the consumer advice center Verbraucherzentrale Brandenburg is your go-to address! These are their areas of expertise:

  • Contracts and complaints
  • Travel & Mobility
  • Internet & Phone Plans
  • Broadcast License Fee
  • Copyright
  • Financing (Loans, Bank Accounts)
  • Insurance Matters

Find out more about the Verbraucherzentrale Brandenburg
and their offers for students!

Since 01.08.2021 the broadcast license fee is charged per residence. A lump sum fee of 18,36 Euros per month (respectively reduced 6,21 Euros for people with disabilities) and per residence has to be paid. The number of persons living in the apartment does not matter. Also the number of receivers does not make a difference for the amount of the broadcast license fees.

Living with your partner
From 2013 only one license fee has to be paid for the apartment. In case one of the partners receives BAföG funding and is therefore exempted from the license fee (submit an application!), this exemption applies to both partners if they are married or live in a registered civil partnership.

Living in a shared accommodation
The new
broadcast license fee is actually an advantage for flatmates, as the fee only has to be paid once. But students who do not own a television, radio or who do not use the internet have to pay nevertheless. If more than one flatmates paid the fees before moving into the shared accommodation, all but one can sign off. The name of the flatmate that pays the license fee in the future needs to be given when signing off.
BUT: If one of the flatmates of a shared accommodation is exempted from the license fee due to a BAföG decision, this only applies to the single flatmate, not to all the flatmates of the shared accommodation. The remaining flatmates have to split up the license fee.

Residential hall
Here, the structural factors have to be considered. As far as the students live in a 1 bedroom apartment, this is counted as a whole apartment and the monthly contribution of 17,98 Euros has to be paid. In shared apartments usually only one fee is due, please see “Living in a shared accommodation”.

Living with the parents
If students live with their parents, only one fee has to be paid.

Exemption from the payment of Broadcast license fees
From 01.01.2017 the following applies: Reductions and exemptions from the payment of Broadcast license fees is also retroactively possible for students for a period of up to three years. Provided you can prove that the conditions for the reduction or exemption were met before the application was submitted, e.g. due to the payment of BAföG, the reduction or exemption can be granted retroactively for up to three years from the date the application (for the exemption) was submitted. Up to now an exemption was possible from the beginning, if the application was filed within two months after the notification was received.

The following students have the option to be exempted from the Broadcast license fee:

  • Student who receive BAföG and do not live with their parents. A certified copy of the BAföG notification has to be enclosed. The secretariat of the BAföG-office provides these copies for a fee of 2 Euros.
  • Recipients of social benefits or Bürgergeld (formerly ALG II) including benefits in accordance with the provisions of Section 22 of the Second Book of the Code of Social Law - SGB II
  • You do not have to pay broadcast license fees for your second home. For the exemption from contributions, the respective residences must be proven by means of registration certificates.
  • If you do not receive BAföG, you can apply here for an exemption or reduction in case you are disabled to a greater extent.

Downloads & further information

Telephone, mobile phone, internet: Almost no one can keep track of all the providers on the market nowadays. But it’s worthwhile to compare conditions and look for a possible discount for students in order to save money. But before you do, take a look at your telephone and internet habits first. Only then can you find a suitable rate and search for an appropriate provider.

Telekom social rate
The provider Telekom is currently the only telecommunication provider that offers a social rate. Students with a landline provided by this company can apply for it. Although they have to pay the full basic fee of their rate, they receive a discount on the telephone calls that are made.

Prerequisites:

  • Exemption from the broadcasting licence fee
  • Receipt of benefits under the German Federal Education and Training Assistance Act (BAföG)
  • Students that are blind, deaf or speech disabled with a degree of disability of at least 90 percent

Discounts
Students of the two groups of people named first receive a credit of 6,94 Euros per month, students of the last group receive a monthly credit of 8,72 Euros. Please enclose
the application for the social rate the corresponding documents, e.g. a copy of the BAföG notification.

Most bank accounts for students are free of charge. Moreover, a free debit card is offered by many bank institutes. It is usually sufficient to submit a valid certificate of enrolment each semester as supporting document. Please note that this reductions ends at the age of 27 or

when reaching the age of 30 at the latest. We recommend to compare the offers of the individual bank institutes. This way you can save a lot of money every year.

You can save money just by having the status of a student. For example, the subscription of a newspaper or magazine is cheaper for you: www.studentenpresse.com.

And you should always ask for a student rate at cultural institutions such as theatres, cinemas or exhibitions. Many institutions offer such a

student rate. In this case you should always be able to show your student ID.

Another way to save money, especially abroad, is the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This can easily be applied for online.

BahnCard 25 or 50
Student in Brandenburg usually have a semester ticket that allows them to use public transport in Berlin and Brandenburg. But if you also want to use the train, you can save here too: When purchasing a BahnCard 25 or 50 the Deutsche Bahn offers a substantial discount. And for everyone under 27, you will receive another discount with My Bahn Card 25.

Coach transport
Coaches have been enjoying an increasing popularity in the past years. Even if they already offer a cheap alternative, some providers attract with even more discounts for students. As most university locations are on the coach network, this way of travelling is even more attractive for students.

Carpooling
Many students like to travel cheaply and make use of the possibility of carpooling.

Flying with STA Travel

This company has attracted more and more attention when it comes to cheap flights for students. With the blue ticket especially students and young adults up to 30 years benefit from numerous advantages.

Carsharing
This option grows in popularity. This Website shows you all you have to think of and how to get a car.

Contact

Karolin Behrens-Kozur
Social counsellor
room: 4.19
+49 331 3706-254
Babelsberger Straße 2
14473
Potsdam