The Education Voucher: Get Funding for Continuing Education or Retraining

An education voucher can be used to cover the costs of continuing vocational education or retraining. To qualify, the funding must have been approved before the program begins, and both the educational institution and the selected training program must be accredited.

The education voucher is particularly well-suited for people who want to improve their career prospects, end their unemployment, or avoid impending unemployment.

What is an education voucher?

The education voucher is a written commitment to funding from the Employment Agency. It specifies which educational goal will be funded and what conditions must be met when selecting a continuing education program.

The voucher may be valid for a limited time, restricted to a specific region, and tied to a specific educational goal.

What costs are covered?

Depending on the specific approval, the following continuing education costs, among others, may be covered:

• Program and Course Fees
• Exam Fees
• Required learning materials and work clothes
• Travel expenses
• Childcare Costs
• Costs for lodging and meals away from home when daily commuting is not reasonable

The specific costs that will be covered will be determined during a personal consultation.

Will unemployment benefits continue to be paid during the continuing education program?

If you begin a subsidized continuing education program while receiving unemployment benefits, your unemployment benefits will generally continue to be paid.

For degree-oriented continuing education programs, a monthly continuing education stipend and, under certain conditions, continuing education bonuses may also be available.

Who is eligible to receive an education voucher?

Funding may be available in particular for:

• unemployed persons and job seekers
• Employees at risk of unemployment
• People without a recognized vocational degree
• People Returning to Work After an Extended Period of Family or Caregiving Leave
• Employees who need new professional skills
• People who can no longer work in their previous profession
• People who want to earn a vocational degree

Employees may also be eligible for financial support under certain conditions. In such cases, the costs of continuing education may be covered in full or in part.

Am I eligible for an education voucher?

In many cases, this is a discretionary decision. Your career counselor will assess whether the continuing education is necessary and appropriate for improving your employment prospects.

Under certain conditions, however, there is a legal right to financial support for obtaining a vocational qualification after the fact, a secondary school diploma, or a comparable school-leaving certificate.

Applying for an Education Voucher: Here's How to Do It

1. Schedule a consultation: Contact your Employment Agency or Job Center and schedule a consultation on continuing vocational education and training. As of January 1, 2025, the Employment Agency is responsible for making decisions regarding and providing funding for continuing vocational education and training, including for Job Center clients.

2. Justify your need for continuing education: Prepare for the counseling session. Explain as specifically as possible what your career goal is, what knowledge you lack to achieve it, which job openings require the desired qualifications, and how continuing education will improve your employment prospects.

3. Choose the Right Continuing Education Program: Look for a continuing education program that aligns with the educational goal specified on the education voucher. You can find current offerings through the continuing education search tool on the official mein NOW portal, among other places. Both the educational provider and the continuing education program must be approved for funding.

4. Redeem your education voucher: Before you begin, verify that the continuing education program you’ve selected meets all the voucher’s requirements. Submit the required documents to the educational institution or the appropriate agency in a timely manner.

How long is an education voucher valid?

The education voucher is generally valid for a maximum of three months. The exact expiration date is printed directly on the voucher. The continuing education program must begin within this period.

Advice on the Education Voucher

Do you already have a training voucher, or would you like to prepare for your counseling session? We’ll provide you with non-binding information about suitable continuing education programs and give you the course information you need for the Employment Agency.