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Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein (AVGS)

Agentur für Arbeit · coaching, training, job-application support

After adviceDiscretionary benefit

The Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein – AVGS for short – funds measures to activate and integrate you into employment under § 45 SGB III. It is therefore something different from the Bildungsgutschein (education voucher): that funds a qualification, while the AVGS funds support on the way into employment.

Typical content includes job-application coaching, skills assessment, interview training, support with job placement, start-up coaching, help stabilising a new job, and workplace-based measures – for example a multi-week trial period at a company, which often leads directly to a hire.

The same order of events applies here as elsewhere at this authority: under § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III the voucher must be in place before the measure begins. Anyone who books coaching and only then goes to the agency pays for it themselves – even if it was exactly the measure the agency would have approved.

Last updated27 August 2026
Legal basis§ 45 SGB III · § 324 Abs. 1
VerificationChecked against gesetze-im-internet.de
Written and reviewed byAndrés Sánchez Botta
Independent information site: we are not the Agentur für Arbeit, not an authority and not a paid advice service — we do not submit applications on your behalf. All information comes from official sources and is explained here in simple terms; the competent authority always has the final say. The AVGS is a discretionary benefit; there is no legal entitlement to it. All information is provided without guarantee. We are neither lawyers nor tax consultants: we document administrative procedures and check the information against the official source — this is information, not legal or tax advice.
CostsFree of chargeWith an approved measure
SequenceVoucher before the startOtherwise no funding
Legal natureDiscretionary benefitNo legal entitlement
ValidityTime-limitedThe deadline is stated on the voucher
Required documents

What you need

A specific concern

The AVGS is not issued as a blanket measure, but for a named goal: revising application documents, practising interviews, vocational reorientation, preparing to start a business. The more specifically you describe the obstacle preventing a hire, the more likely it is to be approved.

Proof that the provider is approved

The provider must be approved under the AZAV, and the measure must match the voucher. Coaches without approval cannot bill the AVGS – check this before arranging appointments.

Application documents and rejection letters

These provide evidence of your specific need. Anyone who can show that applications are piling up without results, or that interviews regularly do not go well, substantiates the need for an activation measure far better than with a general wish.

Benefit notice (Bescheid) for unemployment benefit

Or proof that you are registered as a jobseeker. The AVGS generally requires that you are receiving benefits or are at risk of unemployment.

Draft business plan for start-up coaching

If you want to use the AVGS for start-up coaching, a first draft helps. The coaching can then support you through to the viability certificate needed for the start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss) – the two instruments work together.

Step by step

How to proceed

  1. 1

    Formulate your concern specifically

    Before the appointment, think about what specific obstacle is preventing you from being hired – weak application documents, uncertainty in interviews, lack of direction after a long period with the same employer, or preparation for starting a business. A named obstacle can be funded, a vague wish cannot.

  2. 2

    Attend the advice appointment

    The AVGS is granted during the discussion with your placement officer. Bring your application documents and, if you have them, rejection letters to prove your need. Because it is a discretionary benefit, how convincing the discussion is matters.

  3. 3

    Choose an approved provider

    The voucher states the goal, duration and area covered, not the provider. You choose an AZAV-approved provider yourself – compare their concept, scope and references. An initial consultation is free with most providers.

  4. 4

    Redeem the voucher before starting

    Present the AVGS to the provider before the measure starts; the provider then bills the agency directly. Under § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III, a measure that has already begun is no longer eligible for funding – not retroactively, and not even partially.

  5. 5

    Note the validity period

    The voucher is time-limited; the deadline is stated on it. The measure must start within this time. If it expires, the voucher lapses and you must apply again – with a fresh discretionary decision.

  6. 6

    Use a workplace-based measure as a door-opener

    A measure with an employer – a multi-week trial placement – is often the most effective route: you show what you can do on site, and many trials lead directly to a hire. Ask explicitly about this option; it is rarely offered on its own.

Fee information

Costs and payment

Free of charge for youThe provider bills the agency directly
Measure costsFully covered
AdviceFree of charge
Travel costsPartially possible
Legal natureDiscretionary benefit
Measure started before the voucherNo funding
Workplace-based trialUp to six weeks

With an approved provider and a matching measure, you incur no costs; the provider bills the agency directly. The AVGS covers a wide range: job-application coaching, skills assessment, interview training, support with job placement, start-up coaching, stabilisation after starting a job, and workplace-based measures with an employer. There are two things you should factor in. There is no legal entitlement – the agency decides at its discretion, and a specifically named obstacle to placement is far more convincing than a general wish for support. And § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III applies: the voucher must be in place before the measure begins. Anyone who starts coaching at their own expense and then applies for reimbursement does not get it – even if that very measure would have been eligible for approval.

Good to know

Important notes

First the voucher, then the measure. § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III applies here too. Coaching started at your own initiative is not reimbursed afterwards, not even partially – always ask the agency first.

AVGS is not the Bildungsgutschein. The Bildungsgutschein funds a qualification leading to a certificate or formal qualification, while the AVGS funds support on the way into employment. Applying for the wrong one leads to a rejection that would have been avoidable with the right instrument.

The workplace-based measure is the door-opener. A multi-week trial directly with an employer most often leads to a hire, according to experience. This option is rarely offered on its own – ask for it.

The voucher names no company. It states the goal, duration and area covered; you choose the approved provider yourself. Compare several providers – an initial consultation is usually free.

No legal entitlement. The AVGS is a discretionary benefit. Your chances improve if you name a specific obstacle to placement and can back it up with rejection letters or unsuccessful applications.

Can also be used for starting a business. Start-up coaching via the AVGS can support you through to the viability certificate you need for the start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss). The two instruments work together – plan them together.

Also available after starting a job. § 45 SGB III explicitly provides for stabilising a new job. If the start in a new job is shaky, funding is still possible.

The validity period keeps running. The voucher is time-limited. Anyone who lets it lapse must apply again – and the agency decides afresh at its discretion, with no obligation to repeat the earlier decision.

Avoid these mistakes

Common mistakes

Booking the coaching yourself and then wanting reimbursement. Excluded under § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III. Anyone who pays first and asks afterwards is left with the costs – the most common mistake with the AVGS.

Confusing the AVGS with the Bildungsgutschein. A course with a certificate runs via the Bildungsgutschein, coaching via the AVGS. The wrong instrument leads to rejection even though the request would have been fundable.

Going into the appointment without a specific concern. "I'd like some coaching" is not enough for a discretionary decision. Name the obstacle and back it up with applications and rejection letters.

Choosing a provider without approval. Without AZAV approval, the provider cannot bill the agency – the measure then has to be paid privately, even with a voucher in hand.

Not asking about the workplace-based measure. It is often the most effective option but is rarely suggested on its own. Anyone who doesn't ask gets standard coaching instead of contact with an employer.

Letting the validity period expire. After that, the voucher is worthless and approval must be won afresh – with no entitlement to the same outcome.

Frequently asked questions

Questions and answers

What is an AVGS and what does it cover?

The Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein funds measures to activate and integrate you into employment under § 45 SGB III – job-application coaching, skills assessment, interview training, support with job placement, start-up coaching, stabilisation after starting a job, and workplace-based measures with an employer. With an approved provider, the costs are fully covered for you.

What is the difference from the Bildungsgutschein?

The Bildungsgutschein under § 81 SGB III funds a qualification – a course leading to a certificate or vocational qualification. The AVGS under § 45 SGB III funds support on the way into employment: coaching, training, work trials. Anyone who applies for the wrong instrument gets a rejection even though the request would have been fundable with the right one.

Can I find coaching myself and bill for it later?

No. § 324 Abs. 1 SGB III provides that employment promotion benefits are only granted if they were applied for before the benefit-triggering event occurred. Anyone who starts a measure at their own expense and then applies for reimbursement does not get it – even if that very measure would have been eligible for approval. Always go to the agency first. § 324 Abs. 1 Satz 2 does allow the agency, to avoid undue hardship, to permit a late application – but this is a narrowly applied discretionary decision for genuine exceptional cases, not something you can plan around.

Am I entitled to an AVGS?

No, it is a discretionary benefit. The placement officer decides on a case-by-case basis. A specifically named obstacle to placement is convincing – for example that applications regularly go unanswered or that interviews do not go well – backed up by documents and rejection letters. A general wish for support rarely carries weight.

Who chooses the provider?

You do. The voucher states the goal, duration and regional area covered, not the provider. The only requirement is that the provider is approved under the AZAV and that the measure matches the voucher. Compare several providers – concept, scope and support vary considerably, and an initial consultation is usually free.

What is a workplace-based measure?

A multi-week trial placement directly with an employer, funded via the AVGS. You work alongside the team and show what you can do. Experience shows this is the option most likely to lead directly to a hire – especially after a longer period of unemployment or a change of sector. Ask explicitly about it, as it is rarely offered on its own.

Can I use the AVGS to start a business?

Yes. Start-up coaching is fundable via the AVGS and can support you with your business model, costings and business plan – through to preparing the viability certificate you need for the start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss). The two instruments can be sensibly combined; discuss the order in your advice appointment.

How long is the voucher valid?

It is time-limited, and the deadline is stated on the voucher. The measure must start – not end – within this time. If the deadline passes, the voucher lapses and you must apply again. The agency then decides afresh at its discretion, without being bound by its earlier approval.

Related official procedures

Placement voucher
Private placement
€2,500 to the placement provider
Education voucher (Bildungsgutschein)
For qualifications
Free of charge
Start-up grant (Gründungszuschuss)
After start-up coaching
ALG I + €300

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