Studying at our university should be compatible with pregnancy and childcare. We support you with breastfeeding and nappy-changing rooms, a free family breakfast for students with children through to various childcare options - take advantage of the numerous opportunities for successful studies with a child.
We want to provide support so that parenthood, childcare & caring responsibilities are easily compatible.
Georg Teichert, Central Commissioner for Equal Opportunities
Individual consultation
There are a number of places to go for information on maternity protection, combining studies with raising children, childcare options and any other queries you may have.
Contact
Pregnancy, children and study at a glance
Nutzen Sie unsere Tipps und Informationen zur Vereinbarkeit von Schwangerschaft, Kind und Studium an unserer Universität. Unsere Universität bietet unter anderem Still- und Wickelmöglichkeiten und die Möglichkeit der Mitnahme von Kindern in Lehrveranstaltungen. Die Universitätsbibliotheken bieten zahlreiche Services, die Sie mit Kind nutzen können.
Maternity Protection Act
The German Maternity Protection Act also applies to expectant and breast-feeding students. It protects your health as an expectant mother and that of your child at your place of study during pregnancy, after giving birth and while breastfeeding.
Objective of the Maternity Protection Act
Pregnancy, the birth of a child and its first months of life is a special time in a family’s life. Mother and child need special protection in the period prior to and after the birth: maternity protection. It protects the welfare of pregnant and breastfeeding women and counteracts any disadvantages that may result from the implementation of measures under maternity protection law. The Act is intended to enable you to continue your studies to the best of your ability during this time without endangering your health or that of your child and compensates for any disadvantages.
Maternity protection period
Maternity protection begins six weeks before the birth or the estimated date of birth and ends eight weeks after the birth (12 weeks in the case of premature births, multiple births or disabilities). However, the Maternity Protection Act applies throughout pregnancy, after childbirth and also while breastfeeding. As a student, this means that you are not permitted to attend lectures or take exams.
However, you can expressly agree to do so by waiving the protection periods in writing vis-à-vis the university. The waiver can apply to the entire protection periods (before and/or after childbirth), or to either one of the two periods.
Waiver of protection periods
If you wish to waive the protection obligations (before and/or after childbirth), please complete and submit the section of the form entitled "Declaration by expectant mothers concerning lectures and examinations during the statutory maternity protection periods" (Notification of pregnancy form: page 2) to your faculty’s study office (Studienbüro). The waiver of the protective obligations may be revoked at any time in writing with effect for the future.
Hazard assessment
The university is obliged to assess the specific study conditions, the places of study and the study environment for possible hazards for you as an expectant mother and your unborn child. Any necessary and appropriate protective measures must be determined and implemented on the basis of this hazard assessment. Hazards can occur in particular during practical training, in laboratories or on field trips.
The study office at your faculty will discuss the further course of your studies with you and establish whether there are any unjustifiable hazards for you and your unborn child. Following consultation with the relevant academic advisers, it will also be determined whether separate arrangements need to be made in order to compensate for disadvantages due to pregnancy wherever possible.
Notification of a pregnancy
Inform the university of your pregnancy and expected delivery date through your faculty’s study office at the earliest possible opportunity so that appropriate protective measures can be taken. Please use the form below for this. A copy of your maternity card (Mutterpass), a doctor's certificate or a midwife's certificate stating the expected date of delivery is required as supporting documentation. Please do not hesitate to contact the staff of the study offices if you have any questions.
Studying part-time
To take adequate account of the particular responsibility that students with children bear, our university has an inter-faculty regulation on studying part-time. Approval for studying part-time can be sought if you are unable to study full-time for such reasons as pregnancy and maternity leave, parental leave, caring for a child beyond parental leave or caring for or looking after close relatives within the meaning of the Home Care Leave Act (Pflegezeitgesetz - PflegeZG). In addition, a semester-long leave of absence allows for temporary time off for maternity leave, caring for relatives or parental leave.
Leave of absence
As a rule, students who are pregnant may take a semester-long leave of absence. Students with children can even take a leave of absence of up to six semesters as part of their parental leave. You need to apply for a semester-long leave of absence in writing, stating the reason, by completing the relevant form at the Studiensekretariat during the re-enrolment period. Your will need you maternity card (Mutterpass) or the child's birth certificate as supporting documentation. Leave semesters are not considered semesters of study, but as university semesters. It should be borne in mind that eligibility for federal funding for students (German Federal Training Assistance Act - BAföG) can be suspended and credits can be completed provided no unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld - ALG II) is being drawn; the student’s own entitlement to children's allowance should be reviewed. Further information can be obtained from Studentenwerk.
In accordance with the German Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz - MuSchG), pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding may not lead to disadvantages while studying, such as delayed studies. If your studies are affected due to pregnancy or maternity leave, you can ask your faculty's study office to discuss an individual solution to enable you to pursue your studies or alternative examination options. Please obtain this information in good time and in person.
Fancy going abroad while studying? Are you looking for new perspectives – along with your child? The Studying abroad with children website provides help in preparing for a stay abroad and shows how other student parents fared with their children abroad.
Leipzig University and Studentenwerk Leipzig
You will find breastfeeding and nappy-changing facilities at various locations at Leipzig University and Studentenwerk Leipzig:
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Augustusplatz Campus
Nappy-changing room in the lecture hall building on the 1st floor next to the "Kinderladen". The key can be collected from the Kinderladen during opening hours.
during opening hours. There are family places and a children's corner in the cafeteria as well as changing tables in the toilets of the cafeteria Mensa am Park.
Cafeteria Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße
There is a baby-changing room at Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße 33, halfway up the stairs between the ground and upper floors (ladies' toilet, room 053).
Centre for Social Services
Nappy-changing table in the barrier-free WC. Changing utensils are available. In the waiting area of the Social Counselling Centre there is a play corner and breastfeeding facilities behind a privacy screen.
Faculty of Education
There is a well-equipped breastfeeding and nappy-changing room in House III at Marschnerstr. 31. Room -126 can be reached with a pushchair via the lift.
Faculty of Life Sciences
There is a nappy-changing table in the women's toilet on the first floor of Brüderstraße 34 as well as in the barrier-free WCs
in Talstraße 33 and Johannisallee 21-23.
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science has created nappy-changing facilities on the fifth floor of the Augusteum in both the women's and men's toilets. The folding nappy-changing tables are equipped with nappies size 2, 3 and 4, wet wipes and nappy bags.
Faculty of Physics and Earth Sciences
Nappy-changing tables in the men's and women's toilets on the ground floor.
Humanities Centre (GWZ)
In the Beethovenstraße, the nappy-changing facilities are located on the ground floor in the middle building (building 3) behind the lifts in the barrier-free WC.
Faculty of Medicine
There is a nappy-changing room with a nursing sofa in the Central Library of Medicine in Liebigstraße.
Mensa at the Elsterbecken
On the ground floor there is a baby changing and breastfeeding room with nice big windows. The lift to the refectory on the upper floor is just around the corner.
Mensa at the Park
In the lecture hall building, there is a breastfeeding and nappy-changing room on the first floor next to the children's shop. If this is locked, the key can be collected from the "Kinderladen". In the nearby Mensa am Park there is a children's play corner and family seating.
Liebigstraße refectory
There is a folding nappy-changing table in the ladies' toilet on the ground floor.
Peterssteinweg Canteen
There is a folding nappy-changing table in the barrier-free toilet in the foyer area.
Faculty of Sports Science
In the aquatics centre on the Jahnallee campus, in both the men's and women's changing rooms.
Strohsackpassage
There is a changing table in the barrier-free WC on the 3rd floor of Nikolaistrasse 6-10 in the premises of the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs.
Student Service Centre (SSZ)
In Goethestraße 6 there is a folding nappy-changing facility in the disabled toilet. Nappies, pads and wet wipes are there. There is a children's play corner right next to it. A baby food warmer can be provided if needed. Please note the opening hours of the SSZ.
Faculty of Theology
At Martin-Luther-Ring 3 there is a baby changing facility in the break room next to the lecture hall on the ground floor.
Faculty of Economics and Management Science
At Grimmaischen Str. 12 there is a folding nappy-changing table in the ladies' toilet on the 2nd floor, I 221.
City of Leipzig
- Apotheke im Petersbogen
Petersstraße 36-44 - Breuninger
Markt 12 (Toiletten im 2. Obergeschoss) - Cafeteria Dittrichring - Hochschule für Musik und Theater
Dittrichring 21 - Deutsches Rotes Kreuz
Willy-Brandt-Platz 7 (3. Etage, Mittelbau über Fahrstuhl Nachtzugang) - DM-Drogerie Markt
Grimmaische Straße 14 (im Obergeschoss) - Familieninfobüro
Stadthaus, Burgplatz 1 - Galeria (Kaufhof)
Neumarkt 1 (4. Etage neben der Spielzeugabteilung) - H&M
Petersstraße 1 (2. Obergeschoss bei den Anproben) - Höfe am Brühl
Brühl 1 (Untergeschoss neben den Toiletten) - Hugendubel
Petersstraße 12-14 (Toilette im Obergeschoss)
The university’s Academic Senate has recommended that parents are permitted to have their children with them in lectures. This must be arranged in such a way that it neither exposes the children to danger nor affects the quality of the lecture to a significant degree. Please make prior arrangements for this together with your lecturers.
The university library has a wide range of services available for using it together with your child.
Short-term loan for students with small children
Upon request, students with small children may borrow reference material from the open-access holdings of Leipzig University Library:
- Loan of maximum three books for maximum three days
- Please report to one of the service counters - a permanent entry will be made in your library account
- This arrangement usually applies until the child starts school
- Short-term loans do not apply to periodicals (but scanning and copying facilities are available).
24/7 campus library
The campus library in the lecture hall building can be used 24 hours a day. Outside the usual opening hours during the day, a night entrance is open at Augustusplatz. You can only use this entrance with a valid student or library card.
Access for the disabled
Information on access to the individual library locations for the disabled can be found on the university library website.
Study rooms
There is a group study room (A) on the third floor of the east reading area (Lesebereich Ost) in the Bibliotheca Albertina, which you can use as a parent-child study room on a preferential basis without prior reservation. You can reserve group study rooms in the campus library.
Childcare
From full-time childcare to flexible solutions for lectures or during the holidays.
Our university founded the UNiKAT day-care centre in cooperation with the provider “Kindervereinigung Leipzig e.V.”, which takes an inclusive approach. It provides childcare for 35 children under three and for 116 children from the age of three until they start school. Six places are reserved for children with special needs. Please submit your request directly to the facility via the City of Leipzig’s parent portal.
In cooperation with the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs, Graduate Academy Leipzig offers its members childcare places for children up to three years of age. A total of 15 childcare places are available with three childminders, who can care for children between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. The day-care centres are located in Straße des 18. Oktober, Tarostraße and Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße. Childminders are governed by the regulations of the Jugendamt (Children and Youth Welfare Office) and are regularly monitored by the Jugendamt and the provider. The childcare costs are based on the City of Leipzig’s parental contribution rates. You can find the applications forms on the website.
Children of researchers, staff and students of Leipzig University Hospital and Leipzig University's Faculty of Medicine are cared for at the UniKidsLeipzig and miniUNIversum day-care centres, both of which are situated close to the university. Childcare is also available for children up to the age of three. Three childminders care for a maximum of five children each. The services are based on a cooperation with the Internationaler Bund (IB) Freier Träger der Jugend-, Sozial- und Bildungsarbeit e.V. (international association for youth, social and educational work).
The Studentenwerk Leipzig offers various childcare options in the south of Leipzig and near the city centre exclusively for students' children. Conceptually geared towards different focal points, a wide range of care is guaranteed. These include the kindergarten Am Gutenbergplatz, the day care centre Villa Unifratz, the integration kindergarten Einsteinchen and hourly care in the Kinderladen.
Needs-based childcare is essential to enable parents to return to work or study early after the birth of a child. As there are not enough childcare places available, especially for children under the age of three, you should start looking for a place early and consider different childcare options. This includes, for example, day-care centres and childminders. The city or municipality where the child has its primary residence is always responsible for providing a state-subsidised childcare place. Private or privately run facilities can enrol children regardless of their place of residence. The City of Leipzig’s parent portal contains information on childcare services in day-care centres, after-school care facilities (Horte) and childminders. You can use the portal to search for available places in day-care centres for your desired starting date and, if there is a match, send a childcare request to the facility. An overview of all childcare services in Leipzig can also be found on the city’s website.
Leipzig University
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Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs
Our FerienCampus programme provides regular childcare for children aged 6 to 12 during the summer and winter holidays. To ensure flexible hourly supervision during seminars, conferences or other events, you can borrow our cases containing games and toys and the mobile children’s playroom “makz”. - Research Academy Leipzig
In cooperation with the Office for Equality, Diversity and Family Affairs, Research Academy Leipzig offers its members free flexible childcare for the duration of the events at each venue. Please inform the Research Academy of your childcare request together with your child’s or children’s age(s) by email. This should be done either when registering for an event or at least two weeks before the start of the event. We work with the mittagskind agency to provide childcare. The caregivers are all trained educators, have first aid pass and a police clearance certificate.
Medizinische Fakultät (Faculty of Medicine) and University Hospital
Day care for children up to the age of three is provided for children of researchers, staff and students of Leipzig University Hospital and Leipzig University’s Faculty of Medicine. Three childminders care for a maximum of five children each. The services are based on a cooperation with the Internationaler Bund (IB) Freier Träger der Jugend-, Sozial- und Bildungsarbeit e.V. (international association for youth, social and educational work. In addition, the MEFALE programme provides childcare for children aged 6 to 13 in the first and fifth week of the summer holidays and a holiday camp on the Medical Faculty campus in the first week of the winter holidays.
Offers for students with children
To help you study successfully when you have a child, we regularly organise a family breakfast for students with children as well as childcare during the holidays. Our “makz” mobile cases containing games and toys and mobile playroom allow us to provide flexible childcare options, whether for seminars, conferences or meetings.
Twice a year we organise a family breakfast, giving you the opportunity to meet other students who are parents and contacts from the various organisations and institutions in a relaxed atmosphere. It is a good opportunity for parents to talk to each other about issues and problems associated with studying with a child.
As well as a healthy breakfast buffet, the programme includes a variety of activities for young and old, such as a flea market for children's clothes and toys. The little ones can look forward to a colourful children's programme with balloon animation, painting, handicrafts and face painting.
Studentenwerk’s social affairs advisors will provide practical tips on organising and financing a degree course with a child, and give you helpful contacts. Further advice is available from the Equal Opportunities Commissioners and student councils of Leipzig universities as well as from the staff of the Family Information Office of the City of Leipzig.
The family breakfast is free of charge for students and their children; your student ID serves as proof of eligibility.
Our FerienCampus programme provides regular childcare for children aged 6 to 12 during the summer and winter holidays.
Dates
School holidays do not always mean days off for parents. Childcare takes place regularly during the first week of the winter holidays and the second week of the summer holidays.
Participation fee
The participation fee includes the costs for supervision, meals and entrance fees and is staggered as follows:
| for children of students: | 90 Euro per child |
| for children of employees: | 100 Euro per child |
| for children of guests or externals: | only possible on request |
if needed: Ferienpass*: | summer: 10 Euro per child |
| Sibling discount: | 5 Euro per child |
* The "Ferienpass" is required for participation. Holders of a Leipzig Pass can obtain the Ferienpass at a reduced price (summer: €5, winter: €2.50) from the municipal offices. Subscribers to the LVB SchülerMobilCard (SMC) can obtain the Ferienpass free of charge from the LVB service centres.
REGISTRATION FOR THE FERIENCAMPUS
Important information
- Period
Childcare takes place regularly during the first week of the winter holidays and the second week of the summer holidays. Childcare is available daily between 7:30 and 16:00. -
Location
The meeting and pick-up point is the group room on the 1st floor of the Mensa am Elsterbecken in Marschnerstraße 29c, 04109 Leipzig. - Childcare
Professional supervision during the programme is ensured by an external agency that provides pedagogically experienced and trained supervisors. - Procedure
Once your registration has been confirmed, you will receive detailed information about the planned programme no later than the week before the start of the FerienCampus. This consists of age-appropriate offers at our university (for example, in the museums and collections or offers of the faculties) as well as via the Ferienpass programme of the city of Leipzig. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to purchase the holiday pass. If this has not yet been ordered through the school or the after-school care centre, it can be ordered through the CDF Office when registering. - Participation fee
The participation fee includes the costs for supervision, catering (breakfast and lunch), entrance fees and material costs. - Conditions of participation
By registering, you accept the conditions of participation of the FerienCampus. - Resignation
Registration for the "FerienCampus" is binding. A refund of participation fees already paid is possible up to two weeks before the start of the holiday programme week. After that, cancellation fees amounting to 50% of the participation fee will be charged until the start of the programme if the place cannot be filled. The full fee must be paid at the start of the holiday week.
Mobile cases containing toys and games are available at various locations at Leipzig University, enabling parents to find flexible childcare at our university, especially in the event of spontaneous appointments or if other childcare options have been cancelled. The wheeled cases contain a variety of toys and books for children aged between 6 months and about 7 years. As a member of our university, you can borrow makz for free at the various locations.
Locations
Please ask for the loan at the respective location:
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Bibliotheca Albertina
Lucia Hacker -
Campus Augustusplatz
Campus Service -
Fakultät für Physik und Geowissenschaften
Dekanatssekretariat -
Geisteswissenschaftliches Zentrum:
Herderinstitut -
Juristenfakultät
Dekanatsekretariat -
Theologische Fakultät (Eltern-Kind-Zimmer)
Laura Gonnermann -
Zentralverwaltung
Stabsstelle Chancengleichheit, Diversität und Familie
Mobiles Kinderzimmer "makz"
The “makz” (which stands for Mobiles (mobile), ausleihbares (hirable) Kinderzimmer (children’s playroom) mobile playroom is a cupboard on wheels that can be converted into a painting table and toy shelf in one easy step. In addition to pens, craft materials, books and children’s games, it also contains nappy-changing materials as well as a play rug for babies and mats for nap time. As a member of our university, you can borrow makz for free at the various locations.
Terms and conditions of use