A family-friendly university: what does that mean?
As a family-oriented university, we support students with children, care responsibilities or other family commitments in balancing family life with their studies. On the one hand, this includes family-friendly study conditions and facilities (e.g. breastfeeding and nappy-changing facilities or a parent-and-child room on campus). Furthermore, the Family Service offers comprehensive support and provides free information to, amongst others, pregnant students and student parents about their rights, the support services or advice centres available both within and outside Spoho, and possible financial assistance for students with children. Students can also turn to the Family Service for help with personal difficulties.
The Family Service also participates in various university-wide and North Rhine-Westphalia-wide projects aimed at establishing and strengthening family-oriented structures and conditions in the long term. We are a member of the Germany-wide ‘Family in Higher Education’ (FidH) network and the ‘Higher Education Family Network NRW’. By signing the ‘Family in Higher Education’ Charter, we reaffirm our commitment to helping students balance family life with their studies.
Frequently asked questions about studying with care responsibilities
Yes, in principle it is possible to continue your sports studies whilst pregnant, provided certain safety measures are taken. The Maternity Protection Act protects pregnant students and requires that study conditions be adapted to accommodate pregnancy, in order to protect your health and that of your child. As a pregnant student at GSU, you can find further information on this on the intranet.
Yes. Once you have officially informed the Family Service of your pregnancy, all the courses you are attending will be subject to a risk assessment. Courses and any final examinations that pose potential risks to you as an expectant mother or to your baby will be adapted to ensure that you can participate safely.
Yes, the Family Service offers childcare for children aged 6–12 throughout the year’s holiday weeks (except the Christmas holidays) via professional external service providers. You can find further information on the sports-focused holiday camps and the eligibility criteria on the intranet.
No. Spoho does not have its own nursery for students’ (or staff’s) children. However, the Cologne Student Services Organisation does offer nursery places for students’ children.
In Cologne, every child is legally entitled to a childcare place from their first birthday. Options include childminders or a place at a nursery, which must be applied for via the LITTLE BIRD nursery portal. The Family Service will be happy to advise you on the options best suited to your family and on how to go about finding a childcare place.
Yes, there are various forms of financial support available which you may be eligible for, depending on your financial situation, and we can offer you personalised and tailored advice on these.
As a student with care responsibilities, you have the option to apply for priority places on the modules you need, to apply for a semester’s leave of absence, or to reorganise your study schedule to reduce your exam workload. This enables you to plan ahead more effectively and at an earlier stage. During a personal consultation at the Family Service, we’ll be happy to advise you – based on your individual circumstances and needs – on your legal entitlements and support options available to students providing care. Further information on the priority enrolment process and other support options provided by GSU.
As a student who is a parent, you have, amongst other things, the option of priority enrolment in courses. This enables you to plan your future course dates more effectively and to organise childcare well in advance. To take advantage of priority enrolment for courses and find out about other support options, please visit the Family Service intranet page or get in touch with the Family Service.
What do I need to know if I want to study whilst looking after a child or children?
Funding options
Students with child(ren) are entitled to a wide range of different time-limited benefits. The German Student Services Organisation (DSW) provides detailed advice on this to all prospective and current students.
The DSW’s leaflet ‘Financing your studies with a child’ provides an initial overview. Information on parental allowance is available on the official Family Portal website or from GSU’s Family Service. Applications for parental allowance are made through the parental allowance office in your place of residence, e.g. the parental allowance office of the City of Cologne.
Students who demonstrate excellent academic or school performance and are studying under difficult circumstances (such as having family commitments) can also apply for a Deutschlandstipendium. The Stipendienlotse also provides a helpful overview of other scholarships.
Szilvia Fekete
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location_on
Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6
50933 Cologne
Main Building, Ground Floor, Room 7eMail: stipendien(at)dshs-koeln.de
phone: +49 221 4982-2150
Useful links and documents
- arrow_outward German Student Services Organisation (DSW)
- arrow_outward Frequently Asked Questions about Parental Allowance
- arrow_outward Funding your studies whilst raising a child (leaflet)
- arrow_outward Parental Allowance Office of the City of Cologne
- arrow_outward Overview of other scholarships (Scholarship Guide)
Pregnant whilst studying sport
Pregnant students may continue their sports studies in all cases, provided there are no health concerns identified by a doctor. Female students are also entitled to the rights ‘for the protection of mothers at work, in training and in higher education’ under the Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) both before and after giving birth.
The pregnancy and the date of childbirth can be reported to the GSU as soon as the pregnancy is known. Whilst there is no obligation to do so, female students can only avail themselves of the protective rights under the MuSchG if the pregnancy has been officially reported to the Family Service. Once the pregnancy has been reported to the Family Service, a risk assessment is carried out in consultation with, amongst others, the lecturers of all the courses attended by the pregnant student. Consequently, for example, examinations that may pose a risk to the pregnant student can be completed in the form of an alternative assessment. Female students at GSU can find all further information on pregnancy whilst studying sport, as well as after childbirth and regarding the protective rights under the MuSchG, here on the intranet.
