Studying with a child
Dear parents, welcome to HFB Hamburg!
The HFBK aims to make working and study conditions progressively more family-friendly, and, in particular, to support students with children in combining family activities with studying.
Welcome to the HFBK
All students who are parents of small children can pick up a small gift for their new arrivals from Anja Steidinger. We look forward to seeing you!
Maternity leave regulations for pregnant and breast-feeding students
To enable the university to undertake the steps requisite to ensuring the protection of mothers, we rely upon pregnant and breast feeding students to notify the university of their status. Nevertheless, this does not represent a statutory requirement and you can also choose the point at which you provide this information. Please find the notification of a pregnancy and statement covering the periods of statutory maternity leave as established by German maternity leave legislation here. All information (communicated in person, in writing or in digital form) pertaining to a pregnancy (and the estimated delivery date e.g. via a copy of the mother’s pass) or the breast feeding period is to be submitted to: The office of student affairs and examinations Wartenau 15, Room 01, 22089 Hamburg, Mail: studierenmitkind@hfbk.hamburg.de
Important document
Subsidies for baby and childcare costs
Where to put the child when kindergarten or daycare is out and there is still an important university event to attend or you have to prepare for an exam? When the child is sick and has to be looked after by a babysitter at home?
In these cases, the HFBK Hamburg offers all enrolled students and doctoral candidates with children a subsidy for childcare costs. Financial assistance of up to 200 euros per semester can be applied for per family, and up to 300 euros in the final semester.
Application for subsidy of baby and childcare costs
The parent and child room
The parent and child room in the main building offers a comfortable withdrawal space for play, relaxing and changing nappies. The key can be obtained from the gatehouse.
Childcare during events
A professional care service by the Notfallmamas is provided to accompany designated symposia, lectures and events at the HFBK Hamburg by the . If you require this, we recommend register at studierenmitkind@hfbk.hamburg.de.
Activities for children
During the Annual Exhibition and the Graduate Show, there are special tours for children in addition to the tours for adults in each case. The »child island«, designed by students, means that children can be artists themselves during the exhibition.
family-friendly university
In 2014, the HFBK Hamburg received an »audit familiengerechte Hochschule« (family-friendly university audit) certificate from Berufundfamilie gGmbH, an initiative of the not-for-profit Hertie-Stiftung foundation. Re-certification took place in 2017, the re-re-certfication in 2020.
In the spirit of this audit, the HFBK aims to make working and study conditions progressively more family-friendly, and, in particular, to support students with children in combining family activities with studying. Numerous measures have already been implemented by the HFBK to achieve this.
More helpful links
The Studierendenwerk Hamburg can provide you with further information on studying with children and childcare.
Furthermore, a new portal of the Verband der deutschen Studierenwerke (association of German Student Unions) provides detailed information on the field of "studying with family responsibilities".
The Hochschulsport (university sports center) also offers courses for parents and children.
In addition, the Familienportal des Bundes (federal government's family portal) offers a lot of important information.