School trip or kindergarten excursion denied by the Jobcenter — how to get the money

Q: Is the pocket money covered?

That depends on what the parents' letter says. Free pocket money for private use (sweets, souvenirs) is not reimbursable. Programme-related amounts are — that is entrance fees, materials, local bus rides, meals in restaurants. The wording matters: "entrance fees for museum visits: 25 euros" is reimbursable, "pocket money at your own discretion: 25 euros" is not.

The invitation to the school trip is sitting on the kitchen table — and you do not know how to come up with the 420 euros. You filed an application with the Jobcenter, but the rejection came promptly: "too expensive", "not reasonable" or "only once per school year". In many cases, this is wrong. The law says something different, and the case law has been clear for years.

The essentials in 30 seconds

One-day and multi-day class trips (Klassenfahrten) as well as kindergarten excursions (Kita-Ausflüge) are covered under § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II as benefits from education and participation (Bildung und Teilhabe, BuT).
The Jobcenter pays the actual costs — a cap ("no more than 250 euros", "no more than 400 euros") is not provided for by law and has been rejected by the Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht) several times.
All trips ordered by the school or kindergarten under school-law or pedagogical rules are covered — including the final trip of class 10 to Berlin or a three-day kindergarten excursion.
Typical rejections ("too expensive", "only one trip per year", "pocket money not included") can be challenged.
Objection period: one month from receipt of the decision. React immediately — even without a finished reasoning.

We review your decision within 5 minutes. Free and non-binding.

Why is the school trip denied so often?

Many Jobcenters still calculate with internal "reference values" or municipal caps — even though the law does not recognise such a ceiling at all. § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II refers to the actual expenses for one-day and multi-day school and kindergarten outings. The word "reasonable" (angemessen) is deliberately absent from this provision — unlike in the rules on housing costs (Kosten der Unterkunft, KdU).

Example: Frau K. is a single mother, her daughter Elif (15) is in class 10 of a Realschule. The final trip goes to Berlin, costs according to the parents' letter: 385 euros plus 40 euros recommended pocket money. Frau K. files the BuT application. The Jobcenter approves only 250 euros, arguing that higher amounts are "not reasonable". This decision stands on shaky ground. Frau K. is entitled to the full 385 euros.

Other frequent grounds for rejection:

"Only one class trip per school year" — the law knows no such ceiling. If the school orders two trips (for example a hiking-day trip in autumn and the final trip in spring), both must be paid.
"Pocket money is not reimbursable" — only partly true. Pure pocket-money lump sums for free use are indeed not covered by the BuT package. Costs that are listed in the parents' letter as a mandatory part of the trip (entrance fees, materials, catering contribution) belong to the trip and must be covered.
"One-day outings are not class trips" — wrong. § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II explicitly covers one-day and multi-day trips equally.
"Kindergarten excursions are not covered" — wrong. Since the 2011 reform, kindergarten and after-school-care excursions are part of the education package, provided they are conducted within the pedagogical concept.

Your rights in concrete terms

Claim under § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II. The statute requires two things: the trip must fall within the school-law rules (at schools) or the pedagogical concept (at kindergartens). And it must have actually incurred costs. Nothing more.
No statutory ceiling. Unlike rent (§ 22 SGB II), § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II contains no reference to "reasonableness". Blanket caps in municipal guidelines are inadmissible — the case law of the Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht) makes clear that the actually incurred costs must be covered. [URTEIL-REFERENZ]
Covered trips. This includes hiking days, class trips, excursions, country-school stays, ski trips, memorial-site trips, language trips within the curriculum, student exchanges — and at kindergartens all outings the team organises within its pedagogical work.
Final trip of class 10 explicitly included. The Jobcenter may not argue that coverage ends with compulsory schooling. As long as your child is regularly attending school (also Gymnasium, Realschule, vocational school, Berufskolleg without training pay), § 28 SGB II applies.
Form of payment: usually direct settlement. The municipality pays the school/kindergarten or issues a voucher (§ 29 SGB II). In many federal states the billing runs fully automatically if you file the application on time.
Right of objection (§ 84 SGG). Against a rejection or partial approval you file a written objection (Widerspruch) — within one month of notification. If the instructions on legal remedies are missing, the deadline extends to one year.

Current case law

The Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht) has stated in several rulings: Actual expenses for class trips must be covered without a general cap. Municipal guidelines may provide reference values, but not rigid ceilings that override the concrete parents' letter of a school. [URTEIL-REFERENZ]

Equally settled: the criterion of "reasonableness" from other SGB II provisions cannot be transferred to § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II. A Jobcenter that rejects must concretely show why the school has exceeded the pedagogical framework with its trip planning — and that practically never succeeds when the trip has been properly decided by the school conference or parents' evening. [URTEIL-REFERENZ]

For kindergarten excursions the same applies: multi-day overnight trips (farm, forest camp) are covered, provided the kindergarten offers them within its pedagogical concept.

How to proceed now

Note the deadline. Date on the rejection plus one month. That is the hard limit.
Secure the parents' letter and school confirmation. The parents' letter from the school/kindergarten is your most important piece of evidence. It proves: who goes, when, where, what it costs, is the trip mandatory or voluntary. If a reference to the school-law order is missing, have a short school confirmation issued ("The class trip is part of the school programme within the meaning of the school laws of NRW/Bavaria/... and is planned for the entire class").
Submit a complete cost breakdown. Travel costs, accommodation, meals, entrance fees, programme contributions — list every item from the parents' letter. If 40 euros pocket money is firmly earmarked as "programme money for museum, city tour, boat trip", it is part of the trip.
File objection — in writing. One sentence is enough at first to meet the deadline: "Gegen Ihren Bescheid vom [Datum], Aktenzeichen [AZ], lege ich hiermit Widerspruch ein. Die Begründung reiche ich nach." Send by fax, registered mail or hand in in person against a stamp.
Submit the reasoning later. Core point: § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II has no ceiling. Enclose the parents' letter, school confirmation, if available the resolution of the school conference. In case of a cap to a municipal flat rate: refer to BSG case law on the inadmissibility of blanket caps.
In urgent cases: file an emergency motion. If the trip starts in a few weeks, you can file, in parallel to the objection, an Eilantrag (application for interim legal protection, § 86b SGG) at the Social Court. This works without mandatory legal representation and is free of charge.
Keep payment proofs. If you (as an advance payment) have already paid yourself: keep the bank statement with the purpose "class trip Berlin [child's name]". Without proof no reimbursement.

Typical mistakes to avoid

Letting the deadline pass. The most common mistake. File objection immediately — even if you still lack arguments. You can submit the reasoning later.
Protesting only orally. A phone call with the caseworker does not replace an objection. Only written form with proof of receipt counts.
Paying privately without having filed the application. Benefits from the education package must be applied for before the trip. Anyone who pays privately in advance without a pending application often gets nothing back — the municipality normally settles directly with the school.
Losing the parents' letter. The parents' letter is your evidentiary basis. File all parents' letters concerning the trip (digitally: take a photo and save it).
Confusing with "school needs" (Schulbedarf). The school supplies (Schulbedarf) (195 euros per school year, split into 130 euros in August and 65 euros in February) is a different benefit under § 28 Abs. 3 SGB II for notebooks, school bags, calculators. Class trips run under § 28 Abs. 2 and come on top.

Frequently asked questions

The Jobcenter says 400 euros for the class trip is "too much" — is that correct?

No, usually not. § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II has no ceiling. As long as the trip is ordered by the school within its pedagogical planning (parents' letter, decision of the school conference), the actual costs must be covered — whether that is 180 euros or 620 euros. Municipal "reference values" are only guidance, not ceilings.

Are several trips per school year also paid?

Yes. If the school plans two or three trips (for example hiking day, class trip, final trip), all will be paid, provided each one is ordered under school law. The blanket rejection "only one trip per year" does not hold.

And kindergarten excursions with overnight stays — are those included too?

Yes. Multi-day kindergarten excursions (farm stay, forest days with overnight stay) are explicitly covered by § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II if the kindergarten conducts them within its pedagogical concept. A short confirmation from the kindergarten management helps if the Jobcenter has doubts.

Is the pocket money covered?

That depends on what the parents' letter says. Free pocket money for private use (sweets, souvenirs) is not reimbursable. Programme-related amounts are — that is entrance fees, materials, local bus rides, meals in restaurants. The wording matters: "entrance fees for museum visits: 25 euros" is reimbursable, "pocket money at your own discretion: 25 euros" is not.

What if the trip has already been paid for before the decision arrived?

Difficult, but not hopeless. Submit the payment proof together with the parents' letter and school confirmation and request reimbursement to you personally instead of direct settlement with the school. Precondition: you filed the application before the trip. A completely retrospective application is usually rejected — therefore: always apply before the trip starts.

Does the final trip at the end of class 10 still count?

Yes. As long as your child is regularly enrolled as a pupil and receives no training pay, class and final trips are reimbursable under § 28 Abs. 2 SGB II. This also applies to vocational schools, Berufskolleg and Gymnasium.

Have your decision reviewed now

The rejection of the class trip or kindergarten excursion is not the final word. Very many decisions rely on blanket caps or outdated legal interpretations that do not hold before the Social Court. We look at what is in your decision and what can be challenged.

We review your decision within 5 minutes. Free and non-binding.