How often can you get an education voucher? Eligibility and rules

You have had an education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) before and wonder whether a second one is possible? Or you are asking yourself whether everyone can get one at all? Both depend on your situation: unemployed, at risk of unemployment or in a permanent job. In this article we show what the law says and what matters for another voucher.

First: this article is not legal advice. Whether you receive an education voucher is decided solely by the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit). According to the Federal Employment Agency, since 01.01.2025 this also applies to clients of the job centre (Jobcenter).

The short answer

There are three cases, and each has its own rule:

• Unemployed or at risk of unemployment (§ 81 SGB III): the law sets no maximum number and no waiting period. Every application is assessed anew.
• Employed (§ 82 SGB III): funding is only possible if you have not attended training funded under § 82 in the two years before your application.
• Catching up on a vocational or school qualification (§ 81 (2) and (3) SGB III): here there is a legal entitlement under certain conditions.

Is everyone entitled to an education voucher?

No. § 81 (1) SGB III says that workers can be funded if three conditions are met:

1. The training is necessary to bring you back into work after unemployment or to prevent impending unemployment.
2. The employment agency advised you before the start.
3. The course and the training provider are approved for funding.

"Can" means the agency decides at its discretion. Even if you meet all three conditions, you have no fixed right to a particular course. For jobseekers, § 81 (1a) also recognises the need for training if broader professional skills improve your employability and this makes sense given the labour market.

It is different for catching up on a vocational qualification. Here § 81 (2) states that funding is granted if you

• have no vocational qualification with a training period of at least two years, or have worked in semi-skilled or unskilled jobs for more than four years and are unlikely to work in your trained profession again,
• are suitable for the target profession,
• are likely to complete the course successfully and
• improve your job prospects with that profession.

The same applies to catching up on a lower secondary school certificate (§ 81 (3)). The Federal Employment Agency speaks of a legal entitlement under certain conditions in both cases. You can read more about gaining a qualification through retraining in our article Retraining with an education voucher.

Is there a limit for jobseekers?

The law does not name a number, neither per year nor in total. § 81 also has no blocking period after funded training. A second or third voucher is therefore legally possible.

In practice, however, your history matters. With every application the agency checks whether this particular training is necessary. If your last funded course ended only recently, the obvious question is why it did not lead to a job. You should have a clear answer to that.

A second education voucher: what matters

Whether another voucher is approved almost always depends on your reasoning. These points help:

• A common thread. If the new course builds on the first, such as an advanced module after a basic course, it is easier to justify than a switch to a completely different field.
• Evidence from the job market. Job ads that ask for exactly the new skills, or rejections that mention a missing qualification, show why the first course alone was not enough.
• A concrete goal. Say which job you are aiming for after the course, not just which topic interests you.
• Openness about dropping out. If you broke off earlier training, the agency will ask whether you will finish the new one. Explain the reason and what has changed since.

How to prepare the meeting step by step is explained in our article How to apply for an education voucher. If an application was rejected before, see Education voucher rejected.

The two-year rule for employees

If you are in employment, funding follows § 82 SGB III. It contains a clear time limit: you must not have taken part in training funded under § 82 in the two years before your application (§ 82 (1) no. 3).

The same provision adds further conditions:

• The training goes beyond a short adaptation to your own workplace.
• Your vocational qualification was usually obtained at least two years ago.
• The course lasts more than 120 hours.
• The course and the provider are approved.

In addition, the employer should contribute to the course fees depending on company size (§ 82 (2)). For companies with fewer than 50 employees this contribution should not be required. Everything else is covered in our article Training for employees.

Do I need unemployment benefit for an education voucher?

No. § 81 SGB III does not make unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld) a requirement. What matters is whether the training is needed to end unemployment or prevent impending unemployment.

If you receive basic income support (Grundsicherungsgeld) and are looked after by the job centre, you also turn to the employment agency for training funding since 01.01.2025. If you receive unemployment benefit and start funded training, according to the Federal Employment Agency it usually continues to be paid. What you are entitled to financially during the course is explained in Money during training.

How long is an education voucher valid?

Not indefinitely. Under § 81 (4) SGB III the voucher can be limited in time, to a region and to a specific training goal. According to the Federal Employment Agency, it usually is. If the deadline passes before you start a suitable course, you have to ask the agency again. So look for an approved course early. Our course finder only shows courses with AZAV approval.

What you can do now

First clarify which of the three cases applies to you. If you are employed, check when your last training funded under § 82 ended. If you are unemployed, prepare above all your reasoning for another voucher: goal, evidence, common thread.

We help you find a suitable, approved course and prepare well for your meeting at the agency. You can find out more about the process on our education voucher page, and you can request an appointment here.