Studying with a child

Since January 1st, 2018, the Maternity Protection Act Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG) also applies to female students. Its purpose is to protect the health of the student and her child during studies, pregnancy, after childbirth and during the breastfeeding period.

Maternity leave for female students includes the following statutory provisions

• The maternity leave period is 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after the birth of the child. (In certain cases, 12 weeks)
• During the term of protection, there is a relative ban on the participation in exams and courses: Students are excluded from examinations and courses during this period. However, at your own (written) request, you can still participate during the protection period before and after childbirth. You can revoke your consent to participate at any time with effect for the future.
• During pregnancy and the breast-feeding period (first 12 months after birth), students have the right to be exempted for checkups related to pregnancy and for breast-feeding of the child without any disadvantages.
• Rules regarding exams
  There should be no disadvantages due to pregnancy, childbirth or lactation. These are to be compensated. The declaration to the university that the student wants to continue her studies despite maternity protection can only be revoked before the exam. If examinations are abandoned, the general regulations of the examination regulations of the universities apply, as in the case of a disease.

Exemptions from prohibition of employment/training for pregnant students

• Visits to the training facility between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. are possible if:
  a) The wish is explicitly declared to the university 
  b) Participation is necessary for training 
  c) No irresponsible risk arises from working alone
• Visits to the training facility on Sundays and holidays are possible if:
  a) The wish is explicitly declared to the university
  b) Participation is necessary for training

The revocation of a declaration for night, Sunday and holiday work/study is possible at any time - but only for the future.

There is no legal obligation to report pregnancy to the university. However, notification is a prerequisite for the claim of the regulations. To report your pregnancy to the university, please contact the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity.

The Maternity Protection Act for reference:
Federal Office of Justice: Gesetze im Internet - Mutterschutzgesetz 2018 (german)

Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: Brochure Leitfaden zum Mutterschutz (german)

A detailed list of financing options for students with children can be found under “Studis online":
Financial tips: Studying with a child: Finanztipps: Studieren mit Kind.

In summary, the following options are available to you:

1. Parental benefits and ElterngeldPlus
2. Child benefits
3. BAföG and Kinderbetreuungszuschlag for BAföG
4. Alimony advance
5. Child allowance
6. Childcare expenses
7. School supplies package
8. Other: Increased need, maternity benefits, federal foundation - mother and child

Bavarian Family Benefits

All parents with children of the age of one or two years are eligible for Bavarian Family Benefits. As it is independent from parental benefits it does not have an effect on them. People who have applied for and have been accepted for parental benefits in Bavaria do not have to submit an application. The application for parental benefits is simultaneously an application for family benefits.

The following requirements must be fulfilled for applicants to be eligible:

• The main residency must be in the Free State of Bavaria.
• Applicants must live in the same household as their child.
• Applicants must raise the child themselves and provide beneficial early childhood care.

Further information on this topic can be found at: ZBFS Zentrum Bayern Familie und Soziales

Further information on financial aid can be found under the following links:

Landratsamt Ansbach – Gesundheitsamt
Checklist information for pregnant women and young families
Checkliste Informationen für Schwangere und junge Familien (german)

Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
Leitfaden zum Mutterschutz (german)

Family-friendly and Barrier-free campus plan

For parents, older people and people with various disabilities, a plan of the main campus of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences is available in pdf format with details of family-friendly and barrier-free facilities (parent-child room, baby-changing facilities, lifts, electric door openers …).

If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the plan, please contact the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity.
Email: familie(at)hs-ansbach.de

Parent-child room with baby-changing facility

Building 92, GF, Room 15 (92.0.15)

Es bietet:

It offers:

• space for baby changing and nursing
• activities for babies and toddlers
• a place to stay for parents with small children.

Hier ein kleiner Eindruck zur Räumlichkeit über den nachfolgenden Link: Parent-child room

The room is also equipped with the KidsBox, a kind of a mobile children's room that can be taken to one's own work or study space. You can get a little insight into the contents of the KidsBox by clicking on the link below: KidsBox

Diaper wrapping

Changing facilities are also available in the spacious and daily cleaned barrier-free toilets:

• Building 92, GF (92.0.8)
• Building 51, GF, east (51.0.16)
• Building 50 1. Floor, east (50.1.13)
• Building 54, GF (54.0.3)
• Library (70)
• Dining hall (87.0.15)
•  

Dining

Highchairs are available in the dining hall for our youngest visitors to the canteen. A children's plate card (free addition to the parents' meal for children under the age of 10) can be applied for.

Children's area in the university library

For children who are in the university library under the supervision of their parents, books and toys are available in the children's area. Changing facilities are available in the nearby toilets of the university library.

Parent-child parking

Please contact the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity 0981-4877-503 and familie(at)hs-ansbach.de.

Welcome package

The university has a little surprise for our new parents!
Student parents can pick it up after the birth by presenting their birth certificate at the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity. Please make an appointment in advance.
(Staff and professors please contact the Human Resources Department).

Children's bring day

Since 2022, the Office for Family Affairs, Equal Opportunities and Diversity has organised a childcare day for children of staff and students every year on the school-free Day of Prayer and Repentance. The offer applies to children of primary school age and is intended to close any gaps in childcare on the non-school but non-working Day of Prayer and Repentance.

Bring your child day 2024:

On 20 November 2024, the Children's Bring Day took place at Ansbach University of Applied Sciences. The programme was as follows:

Welcome by the President
What do you actually do at a university and what tasks does the President have?
The children were officially welcomed by the President and were able to ask him questions.

Scavenger hunt through the faculties 
The children learnt about all three faculties on a discovery tour: Business, Technology and Media in a fun way.
They made bubble tea in the food laboratory of the Faculty of Engineering.
The Faculty of Business introduced the children to the topic of marketing by playing with Lego.
In the Faculty of Media, the children were able to try out video games by students from the Faculty of Media.

The programme ended with lunch together in the canteen. 

There is the possibility of childcare by the “Miteinander" maternity center, which is located directly next to the campus in the Brückencenter. There, an individual and very flexible care time can be booked. The Mothers Center is a registered association. The university is happy to provide financial support for the membership fee of the “Miteinander” maternity center. To receive financial support, you can apply for subsidies for the membership fee. As a club member, the cost contributions for the care are significantly lower.

The grant can be applied for at the Office for Family, Equal Opportunities and Diversity (familie(at)hs-ansbach.de) Further information about the Mütterzentrum can be found here: Muetterzentrum Ansbach.

Further information on other childcare options can be found here:

• Landkreis Ansbach: Kinderbetreuung
• Familienlandkreis: Betreuung von Kindern & Jugendlichen
• Student Services Erlangen-Nuremberg: Day Care Centres

Holiday childcare

Ansbach University of Applied Sciences participates in the Easter and summer holiday childcare programme run by the district of Middle Franconia.
Further information can be found on the website of the Equal Opportunities Officer of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences under the tab ‘Family and Career’:
Equal Opportunities Officer Ansbach University of Applied Sciences

The office cooperates with various advice centres and network partners in order to offer the widest possible range of advice and support.

Further advice centres:

Mütterzentrum Ansbach (german)

Koki-Netzwerk frühe Kindheit Landkreis Ansbach (german)

Bündnis Familie Landkreis Ansbach (german)

Bavarian Family Services Network of the Universities

In the following listed links you will find further tips and information.

Parental allowance, parental allowance plus and parental leave:
Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend: Elterngeld, EltergeldPlus und Partnerschaftsbonus

Day care for children:
Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend: Kindertagespflege: die familiennahe Alternative-Ein Leitfaden für Eltern

Studierendenwerk Nürnberg Erlangen:
Werkswelt; Studying with a child

In the links listed below you will find more information on counselling.

Social Atlas Stadt Ansbach:
Stadt Ansbach: Ansbacher Sozialatlas (german)

Health Department:
Stadt und Landkreis Ansbach: staatlich anerkannte Beratungsstelle für Schwangerschaftsfragen (german)

Pregnancy counselling Ansbach:
Landkreis Ansbach: Leben im Landkreis- Schwangerenberatung (german)

Pregnancy counselling:
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Familie, Arbeit und Soziales: Schwanger in Bayern- Infos und Beratung für Schwangere und Familien (german)

Pregnancy counselling Diakonie Ansbach:
Diakonie Ansbach: staatlich anerkannte Beratungsstelle für Schwangerschaftsfragen (german)

Amt für Familie und Jugend - Contact persons and telephone numbers:
Stadt Ansbach: Amt für Familie und Jugend- Wegweiser Adressen und Telefonnummern (german)