Studying with a child and/or care responsibilities

The range of care tasks and the assumption of care responsibilities is wide and also includes many "simple" activities. Students often provide this support in the family setting as a matter of course and do not perceive it as caring responsibilities. However, the sum of the many "little things" can lead to a burden that makes studying more difficult. This can also be the case if the student takes on more and more tasks over time, e.g. if family members become increasingly dependent on care. Students may then have too little time to prepare for exams, be stressed or get too little sleep.

Caring tasks can include, among other things

•     Minor support in everyday life, e.g. in the household, going shopping together or doing the shopping, carrying out minor repairs, assisting with financial matters, or helping with PC and internet challenges
•     Accompaniment to official appointments and/or visits to the doctor
•     Support with personal hygiene
•     Care, e.g. being there so that a person is not alone so much, or taking over care so that the person does not put themselves in danger unsupervised.

Around 16% of students provide care and support for other people alongside their studies. This is a very large group of students, which is significantly larger than students with children of their own (approx. 5%). Most of these students lead so-called 'hidden lives', i.e. they are reluctant to tell others about the often family-related challenges they face.

Students with caring responsibilities

•     are predominantly female (around 75%),
•     often live together with their relatives or in close proximity to each other,
•     usually look after their own parents or grandparents,
•     are involved in helping others for an average of almost 20 hours a week,
•     have less time to maintain their own social contacts and are less integrated into student networks and
•     are less present in courses than other students.

Counselling in the family office for students
It is important to Bremen University of Applied Sciences to support students with different types of caring responsibilities. The Family Office for Students is there for you and will work with you to find ways of providing support and relief. You are welcome to contact to us for counselling!

Care counselling & training
Since 2022, students on the International Nursing degree programme have been offering various services for students, caregivers and carers through the project "Study & Care. Get help" project has been offering various services for students who take on caring responsibilities alongside their studies. These include, for example, counselling on care-specific topics, information on financial support options and care training sessions. If you are interested, please contact the Family Office for Students or use the care students' email address studycare@hs-bremen.de and their Instagram page.

Studying and caring don't (always) go well together!
Students with caring responsibilities sometimes need more time for the demands of their studies and cannot easily keep or meet deadlines. It is best to discuss this directly with your lecturers, for example to agree a postponement or extension of deadlines for assignments. This is possible after individual consultation with the examination board - however, there is no entitlement to this. You are welcome to contact the Family Office before or after your discussion on this topic.

In the winter semester 2023/24, the family service offices of universities in Lower Saxony and Bremen are offering an online series of events entitled "Care in Focus" as part of a cooperation.

Projekt Pausentaste - An offer for children and young people who look after their families.

Thanks to the Act on the Expansion of Assistance for Pregnant Women and the Regulation of Confidential Birth of 1 May 2014, pregnant women in distress and conflict situations can find the support they need. A central instrument of the law is the help hotline ‘Pregnant Women in Distress’. 

Under the free-phone number 0800 40 40 020, it offers confidential and anonymous initial counselling on all questions related to pregnancy. The helpline is not only available to pregnant women, but also to their social environment and professionals. It can be contacted around the clock, every day of the year, and, if desired, refers to a local pregnancy counselling centre. Counselling is offered barrier-free and in 17 foreign languages. 

The complementary internet service schwanger-und-viele-fragen.de makes it possible to get information online and also offers free, confidential and anonymous counselling via chat and e-mail. 

Germany has a law that protects pregnant and breastfeeding students!

The German Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz, MuSchG) is a law designed to protect the health and safety of pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children. It also protects students during their studies, including practical training and laboratory work.

You do not have to be a German citizen to benefit from maternity protection at your university. If you are an international student at Bremen University of Applied Sciences, you should also inform the university about your pregnancy so that the necessary protection can be arranged.

Please note that maternity protection during your studies and financial benefits, residence permits, and health insurance are separate matters. Your eligibility for financial support or other benefits may depend on your individual circumstances.

Inform the University About Your Pregnancy

The university needs to know about your pregnancy to assess potential risks and arrange appropriate protective measures.

You should also inform the university as early as possible if you are breastfeeding.

When? As soon as you know that you are pregnant.

• Download the pregnancy notification form from the university website.
• Complete the form with the required information.
• Prepare a copy of your Mutterpass (German maternity record) showing your expected due date, or ask the university which alternative medical document it accepts if you do not have a Mutterpass.
• Submit the form and supporting document to:familieundstudium@hs-bremen.de

A risk assessment (Gefährdungsbeurteilung) is a review of your study environment to identify anything that could put your health or your child's health at risk. The university must assess risks and determine which protective measures are needed. Depending on the circumstances, you may be offered alternative tasks or adjustments to your study activities.

When? As soon as possible after notifying the university.

• Contact the university to arrange an appointment with Christina Rehm, the occupational health and safety specialist.
• Explain your study situation, including lectures, laboratory work, practical training and internships.

In Germany, the statutory maternity protection period normally covers:

• Six weeks before your expected due date.
• Eight weeks after the birth.

The period after birth is extended to twelve weeks in certain cases, including premature and multiple births.

During the protected period, students are generally not required to attend classes or take examinations, and they must not suffer academic disadvantages as a result.

• Check your expected due date and the dates of your maternity protection period.
• Ask how your study programme will be affected and what options are available to you.
• If you wish to attend classes or take examinations during the protected period, ask the university about the required written declaration waiving this protection (Declaration of Waiver of the Maternity Protection Period).
• Remember that you can revoke this declaration at any time, with the revocation applying to the future.

• Contact your programme director or the relevant academic adviser if your pregnancy affects your studies.
• Discuss any necessary changes to practical assignments, laboratory activities, internships or attendance requirements.
• If you are concerned about examinations or deadlines, ask which options are available under your programme's regulations.
• Clarify which university office you should contact if you need adjustments later in your pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Pregnancy can affect more than your studies. As an international student, you may also have questions about health insurance, residence permits, finances and childcare.

Residence permit: If you hold a student residence permit, contact the Bremen Service University (BSU) or the relevant immigration authority if you are considering taking a leave of absence or changing your study plans.

Health insurance: Contact your health insurance provider to clarify which pregnancy-related medical services are covered and whether you need to take any additional steps.

Financial support: Ask the relevant advisory service (eg Social Counselling) whether you may be eligible for financial assistance. Eligibility for benefits such as parental allowance (Elterngeld), child benefit (Kindergeld) or student financial aid can depend on your circumstances and residence status.

Childcare: Contact the Family Office for Students to ask about childcare options and support for student parents.

Study interruption: If you are considering a leave of absence, ask how this could affect your studies, funding and residence status before submitting an application.

Important for international students: Do not assume that taking a leave of absence automatically extends your residence permit or that every family benefit is available to you. Obtain individual advice before making decisions.