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Multiple children playing in the snow in front of a rainbow, next to adults with a wheelchair, walker, and stroller on a sidewalk beside a high-rise building with reindeer decoration. © Familien-Service​/​TU Dortmund

How to organize my studies and care for my child(ren)

On this page, you will find information on how to organize your studies with a child, including answers to questions such as:

  • How can I combine my studies with a child? What support is available for organizing my studies?
  • What should I consider when planning my schedule?
  • Who can and should I contact in this new situation?
  • Where can I find information about taking a leave of absence?

To plan your future course of study, it is helpful to clarify the following questions in advance:

To plan your future course of study, it is helpful to clarify the following questions now:

Create an overview of the coursework and examinations you still need to complete. Consider which requirements you can realistically complete during pregnancy and which ones you will need to complete after giving birth.

If your pregnancy is uncomplicated, you feel well, and there are no safety concerns (details in the next section), you may continue your studies even during the statutory maternity protection period. This means that pregnant students may attend classes and take exams throughout the entire maternity protection period — six weeks before the due date and eight or twelve weeks after giving birth.

If you work with hazardous substances (e.g., in laboratories) or with machinery, you must undergo a risk assessment early in your pregnancy together with Claudia Hannappel

from the Department of Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection and your examination office. In some cases, TU Dortmund University is required to implement special protective measures.

The Maternity Protection Act protects you from the beginning of your pregnancy and during breastfeeding until one year after delivery. The TU Dortmund University Family Service can also answer questions about the Maternity Protection Act.

A child already senses the mother’s stress, discomfort, and restlessness in the womb. If you are feeling well, everyday life can continue — just plan for more breaks. It is not necessary to stop your studies early. Allow yourself time to prepare for the birth and to organize essentials such as a crib. TU Dortmund University provides baby and rest rooms for breastfeeding, diaper changing, or resting. Pregnant students can use these spaces to retreat and relax.

There is no uniform regulation for submitting coursework. It is advisable to discuss your situation directly with your lecturers and clarify submission deadlines individually.

There are no standardized special regulations for coursework. You should discuss your situation personally with your lecturer. However, the following regulations apply to all new and updated examination regulations:

"...If students make credible by means of a medical certificate that they are unable to complete an examination performance in whole or in part in the intended form or time limit due to a prolonged or permanent disability or chronic illness, the chairperson of the examination board shall determine in which other form or time limit the examination performance shall be completed. In case of doubt, the responsible person or office for questions concerning the interests of disabled students (e.g. the area "Disability and Studies" within the Center for Higher Education at the Technical University of Dortmund) should be involved. Examination procedures shall take into account the periods of absence due to the care of children living in the household who are predominantly to be cared for, the care of the spouse, the registered life partner or of a relative in the direct line or of a relative by marriage in the first degree, insofar as the latter is in need of care."

"... A graded examination shall be deemed to have been assessed as insufficient (5.0) if the candidate fails to appear at the examination date without good reason or if he or she withdraws from the examination without good reason after the examination has begun. The same applies if the examination performance in a written examination is not completed within the specified processing time. The reasons asserted for the withdrawal or the failure to attend must be notified to the examination board in writing without delay and must be made credible. In the case of illness of the candidate or of a child to be predominantly cared for by the candidate, the submission of a medical certificate is required. In the case of illness on the part of the candidate, the medical certificate must contain the facts proving the inability to take the examination in a generally comprehensible form. If the examination board does not recognize the reasons for the withdrawal or the absence, the candidate will be informed of this in writing."

These regulations must be applied by the responsible examination board even if they have not yet been incorporated into your degree program’s examination regulations. You can obtain specific information from your dean of studies, lecturers, and the faculty equal opportunity officers.

Frequently asked questions about examinations can be found in the examination FAQ.

Students with children may still complete coursework or take examinations during a leave of absence for “raising and caring for their own children.” However:

  • they are not eligible for BAföG during a leave of absence, and
  • students