Studying as parents

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  4. Studying as parents

Advice und provisions

Combining study with parenthood

Our family-friendly university promotes measures that create family-oriented study, working and living conditions. Students who have children face particular challenges when it comes to coordinating life as a parent and completing the tasks required of students.

The balancing act required between studying and looking after a family is also acknowledged in terms of the Germany BURSARY .

We strive to make your options transparent for organising your studies with the aid of our provisions.

We will be happy to discuss how we might be able to help. Feel free to arrange a detailed consultation – even outside our opening hours, if you wish.

Statutory provisions

Combining studying with family life takes good time management and the right parameters.
We provide an overview of the existing regulations. As these are subject to change, it’s important for you to ensure you to stay up to date.

The key is to contact the relevant professors to discuss how best to structure your studies.

Other important contacts are the faculty women’s commissioners and the chair of the examination board for your faculty.

Deadlines for studying and eligibility for examinations are regulated by the State Examination Regulations for Universities of Applied Sciences (RaPO) dated 17 October 2001 and the University Examination Regulations for Kempten University of Applied Sciences (APO) dated 4 October 2013.

Please also contact Academic Registry. You can find a checklist for students with responsibilities as a carer here. Authorised leave is just one of the various statutory provisions for structuring studies to accommodate specific circumstances.

 

Authorised break in studies

Students can applied to take a break from their studies on important grounds. In particular, pregnancy or caring for either young children or a close relative qualify as such. It is also possible to carry over part of parental leave beyond the child’s third birthday. During leave for pregnancy or caring for a child or relative, it is still possible to study and take examinations. Important: Applications for leave on these grounds must be clearly marked as such and accompanied by the appropriate evidence (e.g. birth certificate) !

This rule is stated in article 7 of the Registration Rules.

Applications for leave from Kempten University of Applied Sciences should be submitted to Academic Registry .

The specific rules and deadlines for the different faculties are recorded in the relevant Programme and Examination Regulations for the degree programmes.

 

The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth has compiled a brief guide (in German – but the Ministry’s website also has a lot of information in English) for students who are pregnant or parents:
Familien - Wegweiser

“Studying as parents” get-together

On the first Thursday of every month, from 9:30 a.m. during the break in the families’ corner of the canteen!

Besides tasty muesli, the parents’ get-together provides a chance to meet other students with a family. We look forward to seeing you there!

Children, partners and expectant mothers are (also) very welcome!
Would you like a reminder? Get in touchand we’ll add you to our contacts!

Dates for Winter Semester 2020/21 will be posted soon here.

 

Family parking spaces for students with children and expectant mothers

To help make caring and studying more easily manageable, Kempten University of Applied Sciences provides five secured family parking spaces for students with child(ren) and expectant mothers.

Keys for the bollards are issued during the first week of the semester (March/October). Keys are selectively allocated, according to the prevalence of morning lectures that need combining with family care responsibilities.

Please send your completed application form to the Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity.

Children’s meals in the canteen

Children’s meals are provided by Augsburg Student Union as a very straightforward way to help students with child(ren).

Upon presentation of a student ID, parents or guardians of children up to 6 years old are served a free children’s lunch.

Maternity protection and parental leave

Maternity protection

The new Maternity Protection Act was expanded to include students with effect from 1 January 2018, both for university classes and compulsory internships.

Some special conditions apply to students, such as foregoing the pre- and post-natal protection period . The university is responsible for ensuring maternity protection for students, although for students completing internships, the employer bears this responsibility.

Kempten University of Applied Sciences can only take specific measures to protect pregnant or nursing mothers and their (unborn) child once it is informed of the pregnancy . Once a student has notified the Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity of the pregnancy or nursing period , it will inform the relevant academic advisor and Academic Registry.

The primary responsibility for conducting the appropriate risk assessment lies with the student’s academic advisor. The medical officer might be involved, for example if the pregnant/nursing student’s immune status needs checking. 

 

Protection periods

Final 6 weeks of pregnancy

  • Unrestricted study, as long as no unreasonable risk
  • Time off for medical checks

8 weeks post-partum for regular birth                                                                             
Otherwise 12 weeks (premature, multiple, disability)

  • For premature births, the protection period is extended post-partum accordingly
  • Study possible, subject to medical consent Revocation possible at any time, but not retrospectively (e.g. exams already taken)
  • Time off for medical checks and nursing

 

Examination regulations
Any disadvantage due to pregnancy, birth or nursing is to be avoided and compensated for (e.g. by modifying the prescribed order of modules, extending the deadline for catching up on examinations, or accepting a different form of examination). If a student continues to study during maternity protection, this can only be revoked prior to an examination. Aborting an examination is subject to the familiar university regulations should an illness occur during an examination.

 

Exceptions for students 
The university can only require pregnant or nursing students aged 18 or over to study or take examinations not exceeding 8.5 hours per day or a maximum of 90 hours within a fortnight. An period of uninterrupted rest amounting to eleven hours must be ensured each day.

The university must not allow a pregnant or nursing student to pursue university education between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. However, it can allow them to attend events until 10 p.m. with their express consent (e.g. indicated by appearing) and if this is required for their education and unreasonable risk is ruled out.

The same applies on Sundays and bank holidays : The pregnant/nursing student must expressly consent, attendance must be required for their education, unreasonable risk must be ruled out, and the student must subsequently be allowed uninterrupted overnight rest of at least eleven hours plus one replacement day of rest in lieu. 

Important! 
The pregnancy and baby’s due date must be communicated to the Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity as early as possible. The university requires evidence of the pregnancy and the expected date of birth (a copy of the maternity log is sufficient). The Office for Equal Opportunities and Family Affairs must also be informed of the nursing period. 

You can find the notes published by Kempten University of Applied Sciences on the revisions to maternity protection here

Further information and a guide published by the Federal Ministry can be found here.

Parental allowance and parental leave

Parental allowance

Basic parental allowance

You are entitled to basic parental allowance for the first twelve months of your child’s life, which can be extended by means of two partner months to a total of 14 months. Parents can choose whether to take parental leave simultaneously or consecutively.

Adjustments to parental allowance due to Covid-19:

The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs has instigated amendments to the parental allowance, to avoid disadvantaging (expectant) parents in this respect. The Act was passed in May 2020, with the effect of the regulations backdated to 1 March 2020.

The amendments primarily affect the three following aspects:

  • Parents who are key workers and urgently required at their workplace can apply to defer receipt of parental allowance for the period 1 March to 31 December 2020. They can draw parental allowance after their child has reached 15 months , until June 2021 at the latest. The deferred monthly payments do not impact upon the amount of parental allowance with another child.
  •  In the same way, parents should not lose the partnership bonus – an additional benefit for mothers and fathers who both work part-time and share childcare duties – if they work more or less than planned due to the corona pandemic. The four parental allowance+ months that form part of the partnership bonus are not forfeited / do not need paying back.
  • Supplementary income benefits – such as the short-time allowance or unemployment allowance I – that parents receive due to the corona pandemic do not reduce the amount of parental allowance payable. To compensate for disadvantages in the later calculation of parental allowance, expectant parents can exclude the months of supplementary benefits in the period counted.

Parental allowance+

You can extend your claim to parental allowance for children born on or after 1 July 2015 if both parents work part-time simultaneously. More information is available on the website of the Ministry of Family Affairs. 

The Bavarian Centre for Families and Social Affairs runs regular advice sessions in Kempten on the parental allowance. You can find more detailed information at https://www.zbfs.bayern.de/sprache/english/index.php

Parental leave

For fathers, parental leave commences upon the birth of the child, at the earliest; for mother’s, when maternity protection ends. You are entitled to three years of parental leave for each child, to be taken by the child’s eight birthday.

To claim parental leave, you must be employed in a position that extends throughout the given period. If you are a student, you are also eligible for three years of parental leave (semesters of absence). Should your employment or study come to an end, this also terminates your parental leave.

You can commence parental leave until your child’s eighth birthday and are allowed to work up to 30 hours per week during that time.

If both parents work, you can choose whether to take parental leave simultaneously or at different times. Your eligibility for parental leave is treated separately from one another.

Funding, bursaries and miscellaneous

Financial support

BaföG

Additional requirements allowances:
If you are entitled to BaföG, you can check whether you are deemed to have additional requirements due to pregnancy. Expectant mothers who have reached the end of the 12th week of pregnancy and are deemed as in need qualify for an additional allowance equating to 17 percent of the standard rate of aid towards costs of living.
BaföG for apprentices with a child
Notes on BaföG for expectant mothers and parents of young children

The Augsburg Student Union offers local advice in Kempten:
BaföG – advice
 

Child benefit

All children from birth until the age of 18 qualify for child benefit.
www.familienkasse.de

Additional child allowance

Single parents and couples with children are eligible for additional child allowance (with effect from 1 July 2019: € 185) for unmarried children under the age of 25 living in the same household if child benefit is claimed for these children, the gross income is at least € 900 (for couples) or € 600 (for single parents) and the attributable income and assets do not exceed the maximum income limit.
www.familienkasse.de

Parental allowance

The Federal Act on Parental Allowance and Parental Leave (BEEG) regulates entitlement to parental allowance. Students also receive parental allowance.
The minimum parental allowance of 300 euros is paid to anyone who cares for their child themselves after its birth and works no more than 30 hours per week.
www.zbfs.bayern.de/sprache/english/families-children.php

Bavarian family allowance

The Free State of Bavaria awards parents for each child aged between 1 and 3 years, i.e. from the 13th to 36th month, 250 euros per month – increasing to 300 euros per month for the third child on. This family allowance is paid to all parents of children born on or after 1 October 2015, irrespective of income or employment status. Parents in Bavaria still receive family allowance whether the child attends a crèche or is cared for in the family. No separate application is required for parental allowance drawn in Bavaria.
www.zbfs.bayern.de/familie/familiengeld/index.php/

Financial assistance

Applications can be made to the “Bundesstiftung Mutter und Kind” for financial assistance.

Childcare costs

Parental contributions can be covered entirely or in part, depending on income. Applications should generally be submitted to the Youth Welfare Office, the Office for Social Welfare or the District Administration Office.

Childcare daycare facilities in Kempten (in German): www.kempten.de/kindertagesstatten-635.html
Childminding teams / childminders in Kempten (in German): www.kempten.de/Informationen_fuer_eltern.html
§90 SGB VIII (Child and Youth Services Act): Regulates fixed shares of costs.
§90 III SGB VIII (Child and Youth Services Act): Applications can result in costs being partly or entirely waived if they pose an unreasonable burden on parents.

Regional facilities and useful links

Regional facilities
 
Support for families in Kempten
Kempten Child Protection League: Babysitting finder and open childcare; course for parents on “Strong parents – strong children” (in German)
www.kinderschutzbund-kempten.de
“KoKi Kempten – Netzwerk frühe Kindheit” for expectant parents and parents with young children up to the age of three; courses on “becoming parents”, among many other things.
www.kempten.de/de/koki-kempten.php
Family-friendly Kempten action group: Advice guide
www.familien-kempten.de
 

Advice centres in Kempten
Pro Familia
www.profamilia.de/en
Catholic Advice Centre for Questions about Pregnancy (in German)
www.skf-augsburg.de
Socio-educational special service in Kempten
www.ejv-ke-oa.de

and many others (in German) at
www.kempten.de/kinder-familie-227.html

 

Useful links
 
The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth has two interesting webpages about families and children: 
https://familienportal.de/familienportal/meta/languages/family-benefits
www.bundesstiftung-mutter-und-kind.de (in German)

Info gateway on “Studying with a family” (in German)

https://www.studentenwerke.de/de/content/studieren-mit-kind

 

The Ministry also provides an online potential benefits calculator (in German):
www.infotool-familie.de

 

International studentswho are married and/or have children can find useful information and ideas on the study-in-bavaria website:
www.study-in-bavaria.de/en/how/tips-for-student-life/family-matters

 

Applications, forms, certificates –
new parents face a string of visits to various authorities. As your child grows up, there are plenty more formalities to be observed. The 115 helpline offers quick and reliable advice. For further information, see “Aktion Eltern”

There’s also the regional Family Gateway – with plenty of facts, videos, interviews and other info for families and expectant parents in Bavaria (in German).
www.familienland.bayern.de/

 

YouTube for fathers

“Vaterglück” is the German-language channel for expectant and new fathers, providing concrete, factual, easily digestible information on topics such as parental leave, security, bonding, proof of paternity and joint custody.

www.youtube.com/channel/UCO9Lk4v4M8mCMpyZ6TA_1GQ

Contact

Officer for Equal Opportunities and Family Affairs
Melanie Lüders

 
+49 (0) 831 2523-512
melanie.lueders(at)hs-kempten.de

Officer for Women’s Commissioners
Silke Schweiger

 
+49 (0) 831 2523-390
silke.schweiger(at)hs-kempten.de


 Building D, ground floor, D117
   

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See our homepage: Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity.

 

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