Families

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 always check for recent updates.

We’ll be happy to help!

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

Other important contacts are the Local Officers for Equal Opportunities for Women in Science and the chairpersons of the relevant examinations committees in your faculty.

The deadlines for completing studies and examinations are stipulated by the State Examination Regulations for Universities of Applied Sciences (“RaPO”) and the University Examination Regulations at Kempten University of Applied Sciences (“APO”).

You can also seek support from academic advisors, Academic Registry and the University Student Advisory Service.

The BGFD publishes a checklist for studying with a child that pools lots of relevant information.

Authorised break in studies

Authorised leave is just one of the various statutory provisions for structuring studies to accommodate specific circumstances.

Students can apply 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 Enrolment Rules.

Applications for leave of absence from Kempten University of Applied Sciences should be submitted to Academic Registry using the appropriate form or online in Mein Campus.

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 for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth “BMFSFJ” provides a concise overview for parents-to-be and families, such as an antenatal checklist and information about the parental allowance for students.

To help make caring and studying more easily manageable, Kempten University of Applied Sciences grants students with children and expectant mothers access rights to thegated area of the staff car park.

These permits are issued during the first week of the semester (March/October). Access is granted selectively, primarily on the grounds of frequent morning lectures combined with family care responsibilities, as well as the age of the child.

If you are interested, please email the Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity at gleichstellung(at)hs-kempten.de

They can give you an application form. Please note that in order to gain priority access, you will need to present your child’s birth certificate and pay a deposit.

We can help you to manage your studies while you are pregnant. If you wish, the initial appointment can be anonymous!

There is a formal process to compensate for any disadvantages that you might incur if the Maternity Protection Act regulations adversely affect your studies.

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, if required, foregoing the protection period both before and after birth. 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 also be involved, for example if the pregnant/nursing student’s immune status needs checking. 

Protection periods

Final 6 weeks of pregnancy

• Unrestricted study is possible, as long as no unreasonable risk.
• Students can take 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 equivalent to the ante-natal time lost.
• Study is possible, as long as not medically prohibited. Revocation is 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. Withdrawing during 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. 

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

BAföG Payments and allowances for additional requirements via the Job Centre
Anyone with sufficient need is entitled to additional social security payments and one-off grants during pregnancy or after the birth of a child – irrespective of studying. Thus even if you are receiving BAföG payments, after the twelfth week of pregnancy you can apply for a monthly additional needs supplement equating to 20 per cent of the regular social security payment. Further one-off payments can be made, e.g. for maternity clothes or to cover initial needs for a new baby. You need to present the following documents: Evidence of income, assets and rent together with official confirmation of pregnancy.
Family portal
Notes on BAföG for expectant mothers and parents of young children

Augsburg Student Union offers advice locally in Kempten:
BAföG – advice

Child benefit

All children fundamentally qualify for child benefit from birth until their 19th birthday.
www.familienkasse.de

Additional child allowance

An additional child allowance is available to single parents and families on low incomes.  Since 1 January 2021, this amounts to 209 euros max. per child per month in order to cover, together with Child benefit a child’s needs. If you receive the additional child allowance, you are also entitled to payments towards education and participation, and you are exempt from paying childcare facilities’ fees. You can find out whether you qualify for additional child allowance using the KiZ calculator provided by the Family Treasury. You can apply for this allowance online.

BMFSFJ – Child allowance and benefits for education and participation

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 one and three 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.

Deutschlandstipendium

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

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.

Daycare facilities for children 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.

An overview of state benefits can be found at the German Student Services Organisation (“Studierendenwerk Deutschland”): Financing your studies with a child

Hildegardis Association
Support for Christian students who are mothers. The deadlines for applications are 30 June / 31 December each year. Applicants must be Christians.

Professional advancement bursary from the Foundation to Aid Professional Training for Gifted Workers (Stiftung Begabtenförderung beruflicher Ausbildung – sbb)
This professional advancement bursary assists specialist workers with vocational training and practical experience in studying for a first degree.

Deutschlandstipendium
The Germany Scholarship is awarded to students at Kempten University of Applied Sciences. Studying with a child can be given special consideration in this respect.

State Foundation for Mother and Child | Bavarian State Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Affairs (bayern.de)
Pregnant women, large families or single parents can find themselves in difficult situations. In such cases, special support is required. The “State Foundation for Mother and Child” can provide financial assistance if statutory benefits are insufficient.

A good overview of other specific scholarships is provided by mystipendium.de

Regional facilities und sources of advice in Kempten

Network for family benefits in Kempten and the region
https://www.kempten.de/uber-das-netzwerk-33757.html
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
Pro Familia
www.profamilia.de/en
Catholic Advice Centre for Questions about Pregnancy (in German)
www.skf-augsburg.de
and many others (in German) at
www.kempten.de/kinder-familie-227.html

Cross-regional offers
 
The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth has two useful webpages covering topics relating to 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 channel 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

Campus-Zwerge (Campus Crèche) provides a cosy place to stay for the children of students and staff at Kempten University of Applied Sciences – and others – offering:

• Set groups of no more than ten children aged between nine months and three years
• Care by qualified nursery staff with specialist educational training
• Specially furnished childcare bedrooms and play rooms
• Attentive early-years stimulation
• High-quality care in small groups with a high staff ratio
• If you have any questions about Campus-Zwerge or would like to arrange an appointment for us to show you around, please either email Tatjana Zoubarev or call +49(0)831/2525-7340 or +49(0)831/2525-7341.
• The facility is run by Kempten Town Council.

We are available Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. to look after your children. Core hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Drop-off – 8–8:30 a.m.
Lunch break – 11.45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Here is information about the childcare facilities run by Kempten Town Council: and group care in Kempten.

A programme called Little Bird is centrally responsible for coordinating children’s places in Campus-Zwerge. Please apply there, indicating that you are a member of the university.

If you have any questions in general about working or studying as a parent or about the services Kempten University of Applied Sciences has to offer, please don’t hesitate to contact the Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity – we’ll be happy to help! Simply drop into the office during our opening hours or arrange an appointment: Melanie Lüders

University members, whether staff or students, can address any questions they might have about combining caring responsibilities with work/study to Larissa Albrecht, Officer for Family Carers, or contact the Head of Human Resources, Mr Eberle. Look here for support, advice, brochures and contacts.

Kempten University of Applied Sciences is part of “Care Regio”, a joint project funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care. Here you can find a wiki on care covering professional insights from ways of avoiding dehydration through to human-technology interaction in care!

And an idea of the technical assistance systems that can be used to support people with aged-related or other health issues is provided by the AAL Living Lab at Kempten University of Applied Sciences. The Faculty of Social and Health Studies and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering co-run this project as, amongst other things, a teaching and research apartment for joint projects with collaboration partners. The lab can be explored virtually on the website, which is also the place to book a free tour.

The Swabian Regional Specialist Unit for Dementia and Care functions as a counselling and support facility for districts, towns and parishes or anyone else involved in developing, implementing and optimising services for people with dementia or other care needs.

Mobile working

Kempten University of Applied Sciences offers the option of mobile working. This makes it easier for people with responsibilities as carers, in particular, to work for Kempten University of Applied Sciences partly from home.

Further documents

Further information is posted on Piipe about the following documents:

• Notifying temporary incapacity to work due to caring for dependants
• 10 tips for looking after yourself when combining caring with a career
• Emergency folder

Psychological counselling service

Kempten University of Applied Sciences offers its staff the possibility of anonymous psychological counselling free of charge. Further details can be found in Piipe at Other (external) sources of advice

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the Office for Equal Opportunities, Family Affairs and Diversity.

Sources of advice

A significant proportion of students regularly care for or support someone close to them. The individual characteristics of the target group vary, as does the extent of the support provided; the latter ranges from assistance with household chores and joint leisure activities through to intensive support and personal hygiene. Students who are primarily responsible for caregiving are particularly likely to experience negative effects on their studies and private lives.

That is why we offer comprehensiveconsultations relating to caring for people in need of help,whatever their age. We are on hand to answer address any questions or problems and offer advice and assistance – and we are happy to help. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

The current guidebook on “Studying and caring for relatives” (in the series “CHE kurz + kompakt”) provides answers to the most important questions about support services for students with caring responsibilities. An annotated list of links and checklists for steps forward and further research round off this PDF packed with information.

Special regulations for leave of absence

There are special regulations for students with care responsibilities regarding leave of absence

• Proper application (in writing each semester to Academic Registry by the final working day prior to the start of the semester)
• Examinations can continue to be taken. Registration deadlines are to be observed.
• Remember to re-enrol and pay the associated fees.
• Leave of absence for a semester is not counted as a semester of study.
• Leave of absence is generally not possible during the first semester of study.
• § 7 Statute for Enrolment […] Procedures; art. 48 BayHSchG
• Attention:
• BAföG is not paid during leave of absence.
• Child benefit eligibility lapses during leave of absence!
• Deadlines for resitting examinations might not be postponed!

Making your studies more flexible or switching from full-time to part-time study should be discussed with the academic advisor for your degree programme. We will be happy to assist with a prior conversation!

Further useful and interesting information:

• Pause Button – People who help others sometimes need help themselves – this is a service for children and young people who care for their families.
   
• Young Helping Hands is aimed at children, adolescents and young adults who care for their parents and/or other relatives – also for parents, previously affected persons and professionals! 
   
• A highly recommended podcast is: Young Care Matters
   
• Echt unersetzlich (=Truly Irreplaceable)offers advice and support for young people with family members who have illnesses or disabilities.
   
• Studying with care responsibilities?A quantitative survey (in German) on combining studying, private life and caregiving
   
• Results of the survey on “Students with caregiving responsibilities” (in German)

If you would like to network at Kempten University of Applied Sciences, please feel free to contact me: larissa.albrecht@hs-kempten.de

We can send you the emergency folder compiled by berufundfamilie gGmbH on request.

An overview of the key sources of information from the Ministry of Health can be found at:

In need of care. What now?

Care guide (in German) 

Patient decree 

Further information:

The Medical Service (“Medizinischer Dienst”) provides information about requiring and getting assessed for care.

Free brochures with practical advice are available from the ZQP on important topics such as personal and oral hygiene, incontinence, etc.

The organisation wir pflegen focuses on the interests and challenges relating to caring at home, particularly from the perspective of parents with caring responsibilities.

The care guide published by the AOK contains extensive information on nursing homes, day and night care facilities, care services and forms of support on offer.

The Bavarian “Landespflegegeld” (care allowance), is aimed at recognising people in need of care and providing them with financial support.

The District of Swabia supports its elderly and other residents in need of care who can no longer live independently at home with regard to their accommodation and care. The authority covers some or all of the costs of a care home.

Neighbourhood assistance is often available in rural areas or in shared accommodation. Sporadic, voluntary support is often unpaid. However, because people in need of care are dependent on regular help in their everyday lives, neighbourhood care is financially supported in many federal states. pflege.de defines neighbourhood assistance with regard to care requirements, typical tasks, and the care services that can be financed.

Care support points offer free counselling on all topics related to care and are open to all citizens (either statutory or private insurance).

Kempten town authorities have produced a brochure for senior citizens about “Getting older in Kempten” . In addition, a wide range of advice and services can be found there on the subject of senior citizens in Kempten.Contact at Kempten Town Council:

Director Office for Senior Citizens in Kempten Christine Weixler.

The council also publishes information on its website: 

• Advice for senior citizens (List of care homes and facilities in Kempten)
• Social facilities  (List of all facilities in Kempten)

Oberallgäu District Administration Office’s webpage on “Getting older in the District of Oberallgäu” lists important addresses and points of contact.

Caring for and supporting a family member is challenging for both the people in need and their relatives. The Caritas’ specialist centre for family carers is on hand to offer expertise and support in this situation.

The Dual Careers Service provides support, advice, assistance and guidance with:

• Job searches (finding employment cannot be guaranteed)
• Making contact with local employers
• Application forms and documents
• Personal application strategies
• Information about application processes in Germany

We offer socially related assistance with:

• Information about childcare and schools
• Information about / integration into the local area
• Information about looking for real estate and accommodation
• Onboarding at Kempten University of Applied Sciences

If you would be interested in any of these services, please get in touch by completing the Contact form and sending it to us!

Useful links to find your way around:

Family-friendly Kempten

Careers in the Allgäu

Living and working in the Allgäu

The Allgäu region

Service point: Careers

Education portal for further training and getting started in the Allgäu

IHK Welcome Centre, Ulm / Swabian Chamber of Industry and Commerce – vacancies noticeboard

Kempten University of Applied Sciences

Profiles: Employers in the local area

Language Centre at Kempten UAS