10-year anniversary of the KfW Student Loan

• Funding provided for 250,000 students to date
• Investments in education good for the German economy
• KfW Student Loan plays a key role in equal opportunity in higher education
• 100,000 students currently receive EUR 500 per month on average

The KfW Group's Student Loan programme has been successfully supporting students at German institutes of higher education for ten years now. The KfW Student Loan helps students cover their expenses and is an important financing component along with parental financial support, a part-time job and Federal Education and Training Assistance (BAföG). Since it was launched in 2006, the KfW Student Loan programme has granted student loans to roughly 250,000 students.

"Education plays a vital role in long-term economic growth, equal opportunity and social prosperity. This is why it is important that academic training and education is accessible to as many people as possible and that financing is not a prohibitive factor," said Dr. Ingrid Hengster, Member of the Executive Board of KfW. "The KfW Student Loan makes it possible for students, regardless of their financial situation or the assets and income of their parents, to meet their financial needs and pursue their studies."

Educational opportunities are strongly influenced by social background in Germany. The child of an academic is three times more likely to study at university level than a child from a non-academic household. Whether or not financing is available also plays a role in an individual's decision to study or not. A recent study conducted by KfW Research shows that students with a low to medium educational background are strongly represented among borrowers. Many say that a loan made the investment in their higher education possible in the first place. As a result, student loans are a driving force behind equal opportunity in higher education.

Approx. 100,000 students currently receive monthly instalments averaging around EUR 500 for a period of four to five semesters. Under the KfW Student Loan programme, students can apply for monthly disbursements of up to EUR 650 regardless of any financial guarantees. The amount can be flexibly adjusted every six months depending on the student's current study and living situation.

Further information can be found at www.kfw.de/studienkredit and Themen kompakt: KfW-Studienkredit. The current study "Bildungshürden und Studienfinanzierung in Deutschland" [Educational Obstacles and Student Financing] can be accessed at www.kfw.de/fokus.