Studying and family

Information on service offerings the University of Stuttgart is committed to for ensuring family-compatible study conditions.
[Photo: Fotolia]

Family-friendly University of Stuttgart

The University of Stuttgart has been recognized several times over the years for being family-friendly. It is dedicated to the continued development of support offerings it currently provides for employees and students by way of family-friendly work and study environments. It is not only members of the University with family obligations who benefit from a university that is organized as family-friendly: we also win by attracting and retaining highly qualified employees, using our human resources more effectively, and reducing family-conditioned interruptions to studies. 

All University of Stuttgart members have a responsibility for implementing these goals and standards, but this applies especially to management. Our university leadership lends its active support to making career and studies compatible with family life.

"Making career and studies compatible with family is part of our University's strategy."

Prof. Wolfram Ressel, Rector, University of Stuttgart

As family, the University of Stuttgart understands all life partnerships which take on long-term social responsibility, including parents and children, life partners, siblings, grandparents, as well as relatives needing care.

Studies & family

Students with children or caring for relatives find tailor-made information on the website under the tab Studies & family [de]:

  • Paid maternity leave and flexible study options
  • Childcare
  • Financial help
  • Infrastructure and interchange

Students who are pregnant or nursing require special protection. Therefore, please find out among other things about the following:

  • Taking leave before and after the delivery
  • Taking time off for maternity leave
  • Health risks, such as with internships

Note: On January 1, 2017, an amendes maternity leave law will take effect. The Studies & Promotions Division [de] will announce in a timely manner what effects if any this will have on pregnant and nursing students.

More information

Students with children or relatives needing care have special needs. In order to accommodate these needs, extensive rules for flexibilizing studies are found in in the University of Stuttgart’s exam regulations and its admissions and enrollment statutes:

  • Special request for admission to the 1st regular semester
  • Taking time off for maternity leave, parenting leave, childcare, and caregiving
  • Exam withdrawal due to a child’s or caregiver’s illness
  • Deadline extensions for diagnostic exams and exam
  • Extension of time to complete theses (Bachelor’s/Master’s theses)
  • Extension to maximum time required to complete studies

More Information

Additional offers

The Uni & Family Service in the Gender Equality Office is the go-to resource for all staff members and students with questions on balancing career, studies, and family at the University of Stuttgart. The Uni & Family Officer coordinates already existing and develops further compatibility measures and supports the university's internal networks. In addition, she has project responsibility for the "audit familiengerechte hochschule" (family-friendly university audit) and represents the university management in regional and national networks, especially in the largest German-speaking network for family policy at universities, the "Familie in der Hochschule e.V.".

The University of Stuttgart has appointed an interested employee as a care advisor. The care advisor offers a personal point of contact for employees and students who care for relatives. The advisor provides assistance if, for example, a relative suddenly requires care unexpectedly, as well providing information about where affected persons can obtain further advice.

Contact the care advisor

At the University of Stuttgart, there are a number of services designed to support students with children. You are welcome to join our newsletter to get information and news concerning young family lifestyle (e.g. about child benefits, maternity leave) or events for studying parents (e.g. holiday childcare programs, networking events for studying parents).

Subscribe to receive regular information (once a month) from Service Uni & Family. Just write an e-mail (without text message). You can unsubscribe at any time.

Hohenheim-Stuttgart Kids University

The Kids University is offered by the University to children between the ages of eight and twelve. Every semester, professors explain complex sets of facts relating to topics in their research fields in terms that children can understand.

Pupil Campus on Science Day

Once a year, on Science Day the University of Stuttgart opens its laboratories to let visitors explore the world of science and its insights. The day includes a Pupil Campus, a program of exploration geared to children and youth when not just besides observing and listening but doing hands-on experiments frequently is the order of the day.

Mensa: Kids eat for free

Students' children up to the age of ten can partake of meals free of charge in Stuttgart Student Services cafeterias.

Students with children are very welcome to join the regular meetings of our Studying & Family network. Here you can network with other students with children and swap experiences.

The meetings are organized by the Uni & Family Service and take place roughly once a month at the Vaihingen and Downtown campuses (Stadtmitte). All those taking part can contribute ideas, questions and suggestions and have their say in organizing future meetings. The dates of upcoming network meetings are announced on our News [de]. If you want to be kept informed by e-mail, please sign up for our Studying & Family mailing list.

In contrast to other networks, the network Uni & Care is not target group specific but designed for employees and students with nursing responsibilities or future nursing needs. During the meetings, especially general and university-specific information in regards to legal rights and flexibility programs in the nursing field as well as the need of help for family members without a level of care are discussed.

The network meets every last Tuesday of the month, alternating between the campus Vaihingen and Stadtmitte with around 10 members regularly attending and is guided by a care-coordinator and the managing director of the Service Uni & Family. Please subscribe to our internal mailing-list (write E-mail).

The virtual FamilyNETWORK entails a university-internal classified-ads service for employees and students of the University of Stuttgart. It was created in collaboration with the Service Uni & Family and the Technical Information and Communication Service (TIK) with the financial support of the collaborative research center Transregio 75 to further the exchange and mutual support between studying parents.

You can find important information in the Studying Abroad with a Child [de] portal, as well as reports from other students on issues relating to studying abroad with a child. The page has been developed as part of the “Family at the University” best practice club, with the aim of supporting students with children.

Contact

This image shows Inken de Wit

Inken de Wit

 

Service Uni & Family

This image shows Julia König

Julia König

B.A.

Service Uni & Family

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