Financial support helps students with a child or children to continue and complete their university education. Examples of financial support include parental benefit, child benefit allowance, housing allowance, grants – including the national scholarship programme (Deutschlandstipendium) – as well as additional BAföG financial support (state student loans and grants) and subsidies for the cost of childcare. For more information:

• Student administration and social welfare organisation
• Social services department of the student council (AStA) 
• Student financial advisory organisation

When you have children you often have to deal with unexpected situations, which can sometimes prevent you from participating in your studies in the usual way (e.g. sick children or cancellation of childcare). Being able to plan your studies to suit you, personal advice and support from teaching staff can prove invaluable in such situations. In addition to the teaching staff, the following organisations and staff members are also on hand to provide support:

• Subject-specific student advice
• Study and teaching coordinators

Becoming pregnant during your studies can also raise questions about health and safety. Protecting unborn children and their mothers is of the utmost importance in this area. For more information on the best way to continue your studies while you are pregnant or breastfeeding if you are studying Sport, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, or Art or working in a laboratory or as a student teacher at a pre-school or school, please consult the following websites:

• Health and Safety Unit

• Information from the Health and Safety Unit regarding maternity protection

Pregnant students and students with one or more children usually bear a heavier burden during examinations than other students. Good communication with the teaching staff and flexible arrangements provided in the examination regulations can help to overcome this.

• Alternative examination components
• For further information please contact the Prüfungsamt

For the allocation of places for practical training at a school, the Centre for Teacher Training and Didactics (DIZ) proceeds in accordance with a hardship provision for students with children:

• Hardship provision for school placements applied by the Centre for Teacher Training and Didactics (DIZ) (2015)

Part-time studies can be a good way of dividing your time between your family responsibilities and your studies. More information about studying part-time at the University of Oldenburg, submitting applications and part-time study regulations can be found under “Enrolment" on the InfoPortal Studium.

• Enrolment affairs
  

Please note: Part-time study excludes you from BAföG. For information on child benefit and health insurance contributions while studying on a part-time basis, please contact the Student administration and social welfare organisation.

Students can support each other. When your daily routine involves combining your studies with raising a child,  a good network is indispensable, so that there will be someone to help you in the event of last- minute difficulties. A network of parents studying at the University of Oldenburg runs the

• studieren mit Kind, AStA

Studying parents need to develop specific routines to help them organise their academic and family life. They need to be very flexible and resilient, and be able to recognise their strengths and weaknesses. Free psychological support is available, should you feel that you have reached your limits: 

• Psychological counselling service (PBS).

Family Services is responsible for coordinating a number of measures and arrangements at the University of Oldenburg which are designed to make it easier for you to organise your studies alongside raising your child. We provide information and assistance

• while you are pregnant
• if you are responsible for taking care of a child/children
• if you are responsible for taking care of other family members on a regular basis(care of relatives).

We can help you find the right contact person!

Register for the 'Family-friendly university' event (Familiengerechte Hochschule) in Stud.IP, to receive the latest information on 'Studying with a child' at the University of Oldenburg. The event is also a great way to expand your network.

• Family services
• Flyer [pdf]