Glossary of funded continuing education
AZAV, education voucher, Qualifizierungsgeld, transitional allowance: we explain the terms you will come across at the employment agency, job centre, pension insurance and training providers. Every entry lists its sources.
Funding routes
AVGS
AVGS stands for Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, the activation and placement voucher. With it, the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) or the job centre (Jobcenter) confirms that a measure for activation and integration into work is funded, for example coaching (section 45 (4) SGB III).
Benefits for participation in working life
Benefits for participation in working life (Leistungen zur Teilhabe am Arbeitsleben), often called vocational rehabilitation, are intended to maintain or restore the ability to work of people with health restrictions. They also include vocational training (section 49 SGB IX).
Bundeswehr career promotion service (Berufsförderungsdienst)
The Bundeswehr career promotion service (Berufsförderungsdienst, BFD) advises and supports temporary-career soldiers (Soldatinnen und Soldaten auf Zeit) with school and vocational education to prepare the move into civilian working life.
Continuing education scholarship (Weiterbildungsstipendium)
The continuing education scholarship (Weiterbildungsstipendium) supports young skilled workers who have completed their vocational training with very good results, with up to 9,135 euros over a maximum of three years. It is coordinated by the Stiftung Begabtenförderung berufliche Bildung (SBB), a foundation for promoting talent in vocational education.
Education voucher (Bildungsgutschein)
The education voucher (Bildungsgutschein) is the employment agency's confirmation that the requirements for funding vocational training are met (section 81 (4) SGB III).
Funding for employees
Under section 82 SGB III, the employment agency can fund training for employees. This is also known as the Qualifizierungschancengesetz (Qualification Opportunities Act), after the law that expanded this funding in 2019.
Qualifizierungsgeld
Qualifizierungsgeld is a wage replacement benefit from the employment agency for employees who undergo training because of structural change in their business. The employer pays the course costs (section 82a SGB III).
State programmes (Landesförderung)
Several federal states (Bundesländer) fund vocational training with their own programmes, often called Bildungsscheck (education cheque) or Weiterbildungsbonus (training bonus). They supplement the funding from the employment agency.
Approval and AZAV
AZAV
AZAV stands for Akkreditierungs- und Zulassungsverordnung Arbeitsförderung, the Accreditation and Approval Ordinance for Employment Promotion. It governs how training providers and their courses are approved so that the employment agency or the job centre can fund them.
Certification body (fachkundige Stelle)
A certification body (fachkundige Stelle) is an accredited certification organisation that approves training providers and measures under AZAV (section 177 SGB III).
Course approval (Maßnahmezulassung)
Course approval (Maßnahmezulassung) confirms that a particular course may be funded through employment promotion. Together with provider approval, it is a requirement for the education voucher and the AVGS (section 176 (2) SGB III).
Provider approval (Trägerzulassung)
Provider approval (Trägerzulassung) confirms that a training provider may carry out employment promotion measures. It is granted by a certification body (section 178 SGB III).
Training provider (Bildungsträger)
A training provider (Bildungsträger) is an organisation that delivers training courses or coaching. For funded courses it needs approval under AZAV (section 176 SGB III).
Money during training
Training allowance (Weiterbildungsgeld)
The training allowance (Weiterbildungsgeld) is a monthly supplement of 150 euros for unemployed people in funded training that leads to a vocational qualification with a training period of at least two years (section 87a (2) SGB III).
Training bonus (Weiterbildungsprämie)
The training bonus (Weiterbildungsprämie) rewards passed examinations in funded training that leads to a qualification: 1,000 euros for the intermediate examination and 1,500 euros for the final examination (section 87a (1) SGB III).
Training costs (Weiterbildungskosten)
Training costs (Weiterbildungskosten) are the costs that can be covered for funded training: course costs, travel costs, accommodation and meals away from home, and childcare (section 83 SGB III).
Transitional allowance (Übergangsgeld)
Transitional allowance (Übergangsgeld) is a benefit from the German pension insurance that secures your living costs during rehabilitation, including during benefits for participation in working life (section 20 SGB VI).
Unemployment benefit during vocational training
Anyone taking part in training funded under section 81 SGB III can receive unemployment benefit during vocational training (Arbeitslosengeld bei beruflicher Weiterbildung), even if, because of the course, they are not unemployed in the legal sense (section 144 SGB III).
Types of training
Partial qualification (Teilqualifizierung)
A partial qualification (Teilqualifizierung, TQ) teaches a clearly defined part of a recognised occupation that requires vocational training. Together, several partial qualifications cover the whole occupation; after that, the external examination (Externenprüfung) for a full vocational qualification is possible.
Retraining (Umschulung)
Retraining (Umschulung) is training that leads to a recognised vocational qualification. Full-time, it is usually at least a third shorter than the regular vocational training (section 180 (4) SGB III).
Note: This information is for general guidance and is not legal advice. Whether you receive funding is decided in each individual case by the responsible office, for example the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit), the job centre or the pension insurance. As of 08.11.2026.
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