Asylum seeker required to pay for tuition fee for university

Question

Before asking my question, I thought it'd be better if i give the brief summary of how I ended up in Germany.
*After the staged military coup in 2016 in Turkey, the government started an massive imprisonment of dissidents.Tens of thousands of people were arrested.My family luckily escaped the country before the coup and were granted refugee status in different countries .I stayed in Turkey in order to finish my uni. Then a year later , I came to Germany with a student visa in 2018. It was how I managed to leave the country.*

  2 months ago, I applied to BAMF to seek asylum.(which was inevitable for me) Since I had student residence permit and registered address, it was sufficient to apply by letter.
My university is in Baden Württemberg so normally they require international students to pay 1500 € per semester. Since I became an asylum seeker I needed to inform my uni .Last week i went to my University to inform the Student Service  that I am no longer international student and I've become an asylum seeker.  First they said that I will not have to pay for 1500€ anymore then later they said that I have to pay 1500€ even if I am an asylum seeker.Then I learnt that only student asylum seekers from Eritrea , Syria , Somalia , Iraq are eligible to be exempt from the tuition fees.

The reason for not extending the right to be exempt from tuition fees to  asylum seekers of all nationalities can make sense,I understand.They want to prevent any misuse  or abuse since there might be people out there waiting to find a loophole in the law to get rid of the tuition fee. Fair point and I understand .A month later , I've a interview with BAMF and with the evidences that I have ,it'll all be clear to BAMF that the reason I applied for an asylum is not "to get rid of tuition fee"-(idea of which sounds low level to me. )

Problem is my uni says i need to pay in two weeks.
However ,I do believe that there must be a way out. the only money I receive is from Sozialamt right now and I have no idea how to pay this amount .Surely I want to continue my studies and finish it on time.I don't think BAMF or any sane person would intentionally want to create barries for asylum seeker who will eventually be an highly qualified worker .

Any idea any recommendation any advice from you are highly appreciated and welcome .

Comments

hi cihancam,

my situation is similar like yours. can you pls tell me,

1. did you apply for the asylum the same place where your residence was or  to the city of your university ?

2. will they lock me up in the arrival center accommodation or i am allowed to get my Wohnung in the university showing my enrollment document ?

3. As you had german residence, did you get the ankuftnachweis ?? how many days does it takes to get the ankunftnachweis ?

kindly the questions. please please please

Answer 1

Dear @Cihancam,

Thank you for sharing your situation with the Wefugee Community!

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with (private) Universities' systems and their fees regulations.

That policy of exempting students from Syria, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea (maybe Iran also?!) from paying the fees probably derives from the outdated (since 1.8.2019) approach and assumption, that asylum seekers from those countries have a higher chance of getting a positive decision from the BAMF and international protection accordingly. Officially, their quota of receiving that status was more than 50%. A few weeks ago, that policy was revised and now only Syrian and Eritrean nationals are still privileged in that sense.

Maybe you can try to convince the admin staff or people in charge (in case also asking for their supervisors) with an argumentation referring to the current official protection data and statistics. As you can see i.e. in this analysis published by the BAMF (see page 3 esp.), the protection quota for Turkish nationals is nowadays even higher than the one for applicants from Somali, Iran or Iraq.

Maybe a lawyer could also support you in drafting a paper or letter to the University disagreeing with their decision and describing your situation and bringing forward your arguments.

I wish you all the best and please do not hesitate to get back to us, if you want to discuss topics further.

Meike

Comments

Hello @Meike please I need your help, I have left my house for over 7 months now for me not to be deported back to Italy, and I have not also taking any money since I left, my German fiancee just call me that our papers we summited for our marriage has be approved and them want me to bring my meldebescheinigung to them to come and pick a date for our marriage, but I have left there for over 7 months now and my  duldung Ausweise has expired over 6 months which I didn't go to renew, please what can I do to get my Meidebescheinigung and also get a new ausweise? Please help me with what I can do