Studying with a child and/or care responsibilities

Applications for leave of absence are submitted to the Registrar's Office. in the course of re-registration. In an ongoing semester, leaves of absence are only approved in particularly justified exceptional cases and then apply retroactively for the entire semester. Pregnancy and birth as well as illness of a child can be such exceptional cases. Either the mother or the father can apply for a semester of leave to look after their own child; the parents can also take turns looking after their child each semester. 

The number of semesters of leave that can be taken in total due to pregnancy and caring for a child is based on the entitlement set out in the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act: a total of 6 semesters (including maternity leave) until the child reaches the age of three. 

Important: You still have the option to undertake coursework and examinations during parental leave (§ 12, AT BPO [General Part of the Bachelor’s Examination Regulations]). 

Before applying, bear in mind that many courses are only offered every two semesters or must be completed in a certain order. You need to plan particularly well if you are enrolled in a programme that is being phased out, as the range of courses offered there will be successively reduced. 

Discuss your planned course of studies with the Registrar's Office. 

Exemption from the student union fee 

Students on parental leave can be exempted from the Studierendenwerk fee if they are on leave of absence in the semester applied for. 

The illness of one's own child is a justified reason for applying for an extension of the deadline to complete the bachelor's thesis. In the event of such a case, you will need a certificate from the paediatrician and must confirm that no other person was available to look after the child. You then submit these documents to the staff at the Enrolment and Examinations Office. 

The maternity leave period is also a justified reason to withdraw from examinations or to extend the deadline for the Bachelor's thesis (§ 12, AT BPO [General Part of the Bachelor’s Examination Regulations]). To do this, you must contact the Registrar's Office and Student Affairs with suitable proof (e.g. your maternity care passport). 

If your child falls ill at the time you have to take an examination (does not apply to the examination form ‘written examination under supervision’), the procedure is analogous to that for an illness of the examinee himself/herself. You can withdraw from the examination if you submit a certificate from the paediatrician and the child is mainly cared for by you alone (§15 (3) AT BPO [General Part of the Bachelor’s Examination Regulations]). Withdrawal from the registered examination should be communicated in writing to the Enrolment and Examinations Office and the Examination Committee no later than the third working day before the examination. If this is not possible for a valid reason, you must notify them in writing within 5 days of the examination date.

• Examination Regulations

Students with children who go abroad through the Erasmus programme are paid a monthly allowance. In addition, there is the possibility for these students to apply for special funds to cover the additional costs incurred abroad. Please contact the International Office as early as possible. 

• A student mother's experience abroad (PDF)

For students with children, the Wismar Family-Friendly University Coordination Office has set up a platform on the topic of studying abroad with children, where you can find tips, a discussion forum and reports on the experiences of other students.

The amount of financial support is individual and depends on the applicant’s personal situation. General requirements are: evidence of pregnancy and the place of residence and domicile is in Germany; local counselling centre for pregnant women was visited before giving birth; there is an emergency situation. Purpose: The Federal Foundation Mother and Child steps in to help when other social benefits do not take effect in time or in sufficient form. 

Website Federal Foundation Mother and Child

The Heinrich Böll Foundation offers financial support for student parents. 

Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships

Interest-free student loan for women in the maximum amount of 10,000 euros. Family scholarships exclusively for female students with a child who have been accepted for funding. 

Website of the Hildegardis Association

Scholarship holders with a child receive a childcare allowance in addition to the scholarship. 

Website of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation

Please discuss this with the lecturers before the respective course actually takes place. Usually, it should be OK. However, if you do have other supervision options, we generally advise against it. Experience has shown that it is more difficult to take notes and follow the proceedings, and your own concentration suffers as a result. 

The legal situation provides children with an entitlement to support in day care facilities and in child day care. Since 1996, every child who has reached the age of three has a legal entitlement to a kindergarten place until they start school (§ 24 of Social Code VIII). Since 1 August 2013, children from the age of one to the age of three have a legal right (Kinderförderungsgesetz - KiföG) to early childhood support in a day care centre or in day care. There are two associations at the university that offer regular childcare for under-threes:

• Flummi e.V.
• Socke e.V. 

Verein für Innere Mission 

Blumenthalstraße 10, 28209 Bremen 

Phone: 0421 349 67 67 

Website: inneremission-bremen.de 

Protestant Student Congregation Bremen  

Counselling for international students from the so-called developing countries can find advice and support in difficult life situations at the Protestant Student Community. Questions about studying, work, residence and orientation in Germany are dealt with here. The service is free of charge.   

Website of the Protestant Student Community

Xenos e. V. 

The Verein zur Förderung ausländischer Studierender in Not (Association for the Promotion of Foreign Students in Need) aims to provide material assistance to foreign students who have fallen into hardship through no fault of their own, e.g. to cover the costs of rent or health insurance for a maximum of a few months.   

Website of Xenos e. V.

Autonomous International Students' Committee (AISA) 

At AISA at the University of Bremen you can seek advice, support and help for international student parents or expectant parents/mothers. 

Website of the AISA

• The AStA's social counselling service is the best source of information on questions regarding grants, scholarships, student loans and social security: 
• For information on placements and semesters abroad, please contact the International Office.
• Affected parents whose continuation of studies at the university is at risk due to an unforeseen financial difficulty can submit an informal application for funding to the Equal Opportunities Office of the Hochschule Bremen. 
• Xenos e. V. - The association for the support of non-German students in need aims to provide material help to students who are in need through no fault of their own, e.g. to cover the costs of rent or health insurance for a maximum of a few months.

The contact here is the Economic Youth Welfare Office at the Social Services Office.

Contact the programme director, the Enrolment and Examinations Office and your examination committee as early as possible. Get advice there and find out how you can make up for the exam or how you can get an extension of the deadline.

It is possible to take a leave of absence from studies during pregnancy and until the child reaches the age of three. Individual advice should be sought from the Enrolment and Examinations Office before submitting an application.

Students who actually look after a child within the meaning of § 25 Paragraph 5 BAföG who has not yet reached the age of 14 at the beginning of the respective semester, can be exempted from payment of the Studierendenwerk fee. For this purpose, a new application for exemption must be submitted to the the Enrolment Office for each semester.

Breastfeeding and nappy-changing facilities as well as children's toilets are available at the various campus locations. In this way, we would like to give you, as student parents, the opportunity to bring your child to the university as part of the compatibility of family and studies.

Overview of breastfeeding and nappy-changing facilities and children's toilets (PDF)

Organising a study abroad programme with a child requires a lot of time and perseverance. Therefore, you should start planning and organising at least one and a half years in advance. In addition to deciding on a particular country and university, you should also clarify the relevant requirements and necessary formalities, such as whether there are mobility programmes or exchange programmes with universities abroad that match your own field of study. 

Students can obtain further information on studying abroad with a child from the International Office.

Yes, with an informal supplementary application you can claim your special circumstances that require your immediate and location-based admission to the degree programme.