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Studying with a family
Students who juggle their studies with caregiving responsibilities often face complex challenges: they have to find a way to fit lectures, seminars and exams around childcare or looking after a family member. This makes it especially important to be well informed. How can I organize my studies as flexibly as possible? What are my legal rights and what benefits am I entitled to? What support is available at my university?
In this section, we have put together some useful information to help you strike a balance between your studies and family commitments. You will also find a summary of the services offered by the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt and Thuringian Student Services. The Gender and Diversity service is happy to help if you have any questions or need advice on planning your studies around caring for children or other relatives.
Organizing your studies alongside family commitments
Below you will find an overview of the most important issues related to organizing your studies during pregnancy, parental leave or while caring for family members.
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The Maternity Protection Act also applies to students. During your pregnancy, you are entitled to continue your studies as usual without being exposed to any unreasonable health risks.
This requires the university to be informed as early as possible about your pregnancy and expected delivery date. The Gender and Diversity Service is a reliable and confidential source of information and advice on all matters related to maternity protection and studying with children.
It's worth knowing that you benefit from special protection during your maternity leave. From six weeks before the expected delivery date until eight weeks after your child is born, you are not required to take any exams or complete any assignments for your degree course. However, you are free to take exams and/or attend classes during maternity leave if you wish to do so. Deadlines (e.g. for handing in your thesis) are automatically extended by the duration of the legal protection period.
It is also possible to take a semester of leave while pregnant and continue your studies at a later date. In such cases, you are allowed to apply for leave of absence even after the re-enrolment deadline has expired and before the exam period begins.
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Students are entitled to additional semesters of leave, up to a total of six semesters, in order to benefit from the legally regulated maternity protection period and parental leave. Likewise, students are also entitled to take leave of absence to care for other family members.
Semesters on leave of absence have to be applied for one at a time. During this time, you will retain your student status and can continue your studies at a later date.
Attention: During a leave of absence, you are not allowed to take exams or complete assignments for your degree program, and your BaföG funding will be interrupted. Other benefits can be claimed under the German Social Security Code (SGB II).
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In Germany, every child has a legal right to a place at a daycare facility or with a childminder from the age of one.
Here you can find more information on childcare in Germany (available in English and other languages).
You can apply for a place in childcare before you even arrive in Germany. To do so, contact the advisory service for families with children at the Erfurt Jugendamt (youth welfare office), providing proof of your intended duration of study. If you are already a registered resident of Erfurt, you can also apply for childcare via the Kita-Online-Portal (only available in German).
Thuringian Student Services runs a daycare centre called Kita Campus-Kinderland on the campus of the University of Erfurt, which gives priority to children of international students. Here, too, parents need to register their child using the Kita online portal.
You will also receive support from the Gender and Diversity Service at Fachhochschule Erfurt.
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Are you the legal guardian of a child under the age of 14 who lives in your household? Do you spend at least 19 hours a week caring for close relatives? Studying part-time might be an option you would like to investigate.
Studying part-time takes longer but gives you more flexibility alongside your studies as you only have to do half of the exams and assignments that are expected of full-time students.
Most of the full-time degree programs at Fachhochschule Erfurt can be studied part-time. Check the respective examination and study regulations to see if your program is one of those.
You can apply to study part-time when you enrol or at a later date during the course of your studies. You need to apply one semester at a time, but this allows you to switch to full-time study at any point.
Please note: It is important to agree on an individualized study plan with your academic advisor as early as possible. You also need to make sure you can finance your studies, because part-time students don't qualify for BAföG (state student grants).
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Due to caring for a child or close relatives alongside your studies, you might end up studying for longer than the average student. If you exceed the standard period of study by more than four semesters, you are usually required to pay additional long-term tuition fees.
If you have to study for longer due to such caregiving responsibilities, you can apply to defer compulsory fees. However, you may not study for more than twice the standard period of study.
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Students from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are entitled to family benefits such as parental allowance and child benefit in Germany. They may also be able to claim certain welfare benefits, for example, during a leave of absence.
Here you will find further information on family benefits in Germany (available in English and other languages).
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Financing your studies as a student with children or caregiving responsibilities is complex and depends on a variety of factors. We highly recommend contacting Thuringian Student Services' General Social Counselling as early as you can.
It might be helpful to know that special consideration is given to students with children when it comes to BAföG (state student grants):
- Students who take a break from their studies during pregnancy will continue to receive BAföG for up to three calendar months.
- If students fall behind with their studies, they can request to take the assessment test at a later date from the fifth semester onwards.
- If a student's studies exceed the standard period of study, the maximum funding period for students with children can be extended upon request.
- In addition to BAföG, students with children receive a flat-rate childcare supplement that does not have to be repaid later.
- Tax-free allowances for income and assets are higher for students with children.
Meanwhile, the problems faced by students with caregiving responsibilities have also been addressed in the BAföG regulations: students caring for close family members (classified as at least care level 3) who find themselves falling behind with their studies can apply for an extension of their BAföG funding beyond the maximum funding period.
Family-friendly campus
In recent years, we have worked hard to make our FH campus more family-friendly and develop services that help students, staff and faculty strike a better balance between their studies, careers and family commitments. Together with Thuringian Student Services, we are constantly looking how to improve and expand our support services.
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In cooperation with Thuringian Student Services, Fachhochschule Erfurt provides hourly childcare for children between the age of 12 weeks and seven years old on the main campus at Altonaer Straße 25 (building 11). Our childminder takes care of the children, supported by student assistants with childcare experience.
To register, you can visit the Thuringian Student Services "infopunkt" in the cafeteria (building 6).
More information on how to register
Students at FH Erfurt are also entitled to make use of the flexible childcare "Räuberhöhle" at the University of Erfurt at Allerheiligenstraße 20.
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On the Altonaer Straße campus, there is a family room directly opposite the library. During the interdisciplinary project week, students completely redesigned and redecorated the family room. This quiet space gives you an opportunity to take a break and feed or change your baby. The key can be obtained from the library or the guard at the main gate.
More changing areas can be found on the first floor of buildings 3 and 5 and the ground floor of buildings 7 and 8.
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Our KidsBox is a versatile solution for parents who have to take their child with them to university, for example, if they are unable to find childcare at short notice.
The KidsBox is designed for babies and children up to primary school age and includes a travel cot, a play mat for crawling and playing, and a variety of colouring materials and toys.
You can borrow the KidsBox from the Gender and Diversity Service. It can also be use for events at FH Erfurt - just get in touch.
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Children are also very welcome in our university library. In the basement, we have a play area with a neighbouring workspace for parents.
Furthermore, children's books can also be borrowed from the library.
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With a children's ID card from Thuringian Student Services, student parents also receive a free portion for children up to six years of age when they buy their own meal in the refectory. You can obtain a children's ID card from the Student Services "infopunkt" in the cafeteria (building 6).
High chairs are also available for small children
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The university sports club "Universitätssportverein (USV) Erfurt e.V." runs courses for children of various ages and their parents.
Do you need advice on how to tailor your studies to your individual family circumstances, or do you have any questions about topics such as student finance, childcare or accommodation? We're happy to help!
Below you will find an overview of the most important contacts at Fachhochschule Erfurt and Thuringian Student Services.
Fachhochschule Erfurt
Gender and Diversity Service
The Gender and Diversity service provides advice on individual issues related to managing your studies, particularly the following:
- studiying during pregnancy/maternity and parental leave
- studying alongside caregiving responsibilities
- challenges of studying with a family
- prospective students with families
Pregnant students can contact our office for initial advice before they notify the university of their pregnancy.
All consultations with the Gender and Diversity Service are confidential and may be conducted anonymously if preferred.
Student Admissions Office
The Student Admissions Office is responsible for all administrative issues surrounding your studies and is happy to help and advise on the following:
- leaves of absence during your studies
- studying part-time
- long-term tuition fees and deferral of compulsory fees
Thuringian Student Services
infopunkt
At the Thuringian Student Services “infopunkt”, you can get information about their services for students with children and access the following:
- registering for flexible childcare
- applying for a children's ID card for the refectory
General Social Counselling
The General Social Counselling offered by Thuringian Student Services can help you figure out your options and make decisions, and can also provide information on a range of social issues, including for pregnant women and students with children.
They can advise you on the following benefits: additional assistance as per the German Social Code XII, child benefit, parental allowance, child supplement, universal basic income, housing benefit, BAföG (student grant).
