Studying with children

Information from Giessen Student Services / Studentenwerk Gießen A.d.ö.R. for students at Justus-Liebig-University, Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen - University of Applied Sciences and Hochschule Fulda - University of Applied Sciences

Dear Students and Parents (-to-be),

Is it really possible to bring children up while taking exams, attending lectures or completing work placements? Pregnancy and the birth of a child fundamentally change the way you plan your everyday life and studies. Considerable organisational talent is needed to juggle childcare, university studies, household duties and the funding of it all.

Students with children need all kinds of information. They face numerous questions and have to overcome many new challenges. From finding childcare and organising their studies to securing an income: studying with children affects every area of their lives.

Being responsible for a child and planning your own professional future means tackling two daunting tasks at the same time - in other words, mastering the balancing act between nappy changing and attending lectures. The many student parents (according to a survey carried out by the German National Association for Student Affairs (Deutsche Studentenwerk), a good 6 per cent of all students have children) who consult us prove that it really is possible to combine university studies with family life.

We have compiled the following information pages to help you cope with all the new challenges. They offer you some useful advice for your everyday life as a student and a parent and help you find the right places to go for advice and the right people to contact.

These pages will undoubtedly answer many of your questions. However, they are not a substitute for personal advice. The team in the Advice & Service Department / Beratung & Service will be happy to help you find solutions to your specific problems. We want to encourage students with children, especially single parents, to complete their studies as successfully and quickly as possible.

Please feel free to phone us, email us or drop by in person. We look forward to meeting to you!

Wishing you happy times with your child and every success with your studies!

Your Studentenwerk Gießen