Apply for funding for youth hostels

If you want to modernize, renovate or create accommodation facilities for trainees in a youth residence, you can receive funding from the Federal Employment Agency.

You can receive funding from the Federal Employment Agency for the conversion, modernization, expansion, new construction and equipping of a youth residence. It can fund your project either as a pro-rata interest subsidy or as a pro-rata one-off grant.

You can receive funding for the following measures:

• Remodeling and modernization work such as:
  • Thermal insulation and other energy-saving measures
    • Note: Measures that can also generate income (for example, solar systems or combined heat and power plants that also feed electricity into the public grid) are excluded.
  • Elimination of structural defects
  • Improvement of the layout and functionality of the apartments
  • Sound insulation measures
  • Improvement of water supply and disposal,
  • Improvement of the power supply
  • Measures for accessibility
  • Internet access
  • Fire protection measures
  • Implementation of safety standards
• New building
• extension of a dormitory
• new equipment

Specifics for each type of grant:

Interest subsidy

You can receive an interest subsidy to reduce the cost of a loan. The responsible Operative Service at the Bochum Employment Agency will be happy to explain the concrete calculation of the grant amount to you.

One-time grant

The amount of the subsidy is 35 percent and in special cases a maximum of 40 percent. The subsidy is limited in time.

Team of the Youth Home Support in the Operative Service of the Employment Agency Bochum.

Team of the Youth Home Support in the Operative Service of the Employment Agency Bochum.

• Declaration to the application
• Proof of occupancy

Other necessary documents will be agreed upon individually.

Forms available: Yes
Written form required: Yes
Informal application possible: Yes
Personal appearance required: No
Online services available: No

You can receive funding for a youth hostel from the Federal Employment Agency if you want to build, convert or modernize a hostel for trainees undergoing in-company vocational training. The following requirements apply:

• You must operate the youth hostel yourself.
• You may only operate the facility on a cost-covering basis.
• Commercial operation aimed at making a profit is not permitted.
• They accept trainees of any branch and everyone on an equal basis.
• They give trainees a 10 percent discount in the dormitory if they receive vocational training subsidies.
• You are eligible for a subsidy if you, as the sponsor of the residence, are
  • a legal entity or
  • a voluntary welfare association or
  • a non-profit association.
• Your total costs comprise at least EUR 100,000.
• You must not have started the construction or conversion work yet, unless the employment agency has allowed an exception in your case.
• There is a long-term need for your youth hostel places for trainees.
• You contribute an appropriate share of your own funds.
• Your overall financing is secured.
• If you want to offer new equipment, this must be related to a construction measure in order to be eligible for funding.

• Objection
• Action before an administrative court

• The application for funding for your youth residence will be sent to you by the Bochum Employment Agency. Please contact (by telephone or electronically) the Operative Service of the Bochum Employment Agency for this purpose. The Agentur für Arbeit Bochum is your competent contact for all questions regarding subsidies.
• You can submit your application, even informally, to any other employment agency in Germany. They will then forward your application to your contact person.
• As soon as all documents have been submitted and a decision has been made on your application, you will receive notification by mail that the grant has been approved or rejected.

You must have applied for a one-time grant by June 30, 2023.

If you wish to apply for an interest subsidy, you do not need to meet any deadlines for this.

There are no costs involved.: Fee free of charge