Study and Work with Family

When a relative suddenly needs care, you are often faced with a variety of problems: Where can you find a carer as quickly as possible? How can you ensure that neither your relative nor your work or studies have to take a back seat?

In such situations, TUM offers advice and, if necessary, emergency care. Further information on this, various brochures on the subject of care and information on flexible working hours to enable you to be active in caring for relatives can be found on the TUM Family Service pages.

For parents who wish to continue studying or working at the university while raising children, various support options are available, such as daycare centers run by TUM and the Studentenwerk, as well as discussion groups for students with children.

Additionally, the Student Service Center at the TUM main campus offers counseling for students with family responsibilities on topics such as study financing and maternity leave.

Further information and relevant documents can be found here.

If you need childcare during school holidays and want to provide your child with a varied program, you can learn more about the "Bewegte TUM-Ferien" holiday program organized by the TUM family service. This program is available at all TUM locations.

If you are looking for breastfeeding or diaper-changing facilities beyond the faculty's own children's room, you can check the list of family-friendly facilities.

Financing a family, whether raising children or caring for dependent relatives, is an important aspect. That’s why TUM provides information on various funding options and offers different programs to support families.

Students and employees with children can apply for parental and child benefits. The necessary forms and further details on parental benefit regulations can be found here.

Additionally, students and doctoral candidates may receive financial support through scholarships. For students, the Deutschlandstipendium is a great option, as it specifically considers social criteria such as parenting responsibilities.

Further information is also available from the Equal Opportunity Office.

In principle, child benefit applications can only be submitted by parents or a single parent who has a residence or habitual residence in Germany. In addition to residing in Germany, having children is, of course, a prerequisite for applying for child benefit. According to Section 2 (1) of the Federal Child Benefit Act (BKGG), the following children are eligible:

• Biological and first-degree related children, including adopted children.
• Stepchildren and grandchildren who have been taken into the applicant’s household.
• Foster children who have been taken into the household, provided that the relevant legal requirements are met. This means that the foster child must not have been taken in for commercial purposes but as part of a long-term, family-like relationship. Important: There must be no care relationship with the biological parents.

What does "taken into the household" mean?

The law requires that the child permanently resides in the household and is cared for and provided for there. Merely registering the child at an address or providing occasional care is not sufficient. Alternating custody between biological parents and a foster caregiver does not establish a child benefit entitlement.

Child Benefit for Foreign Nationals in Germany

Foreign nationals residing in Germany are entitled to German child benefit if they have a permanent residence permit or another residence status that qualifies them for child benefit. Nationals of EU countries, the European Economic Area (EEA), and equivalent states are entitled to child benefit without requiring a residence permit, as they are treated equally to German citizens under EU freedom of movement regulations.

Required Documents for a Child Benefit Application

To receive a positive decision on a child benefit application, proof of the child’s existence and relationship to the applicant is required. If the birth of a child is the reason for the application, a birth certificate must be submitted.

All women in employment or training are entitled to special protection during pregnancy and after childbirth. The Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) protects (expectant) mothers from dismissal and, in most cases, from temporary income reduction. Additionally, it safeguards the health of both mother and child from workplace hazards.

The maternity protection period usually begins six weeks before the estimated due date and ends eight weeks after birth (exceptions apply for multiple births and premature births).

If you are pregnant, please inform your direct supervisor verbally as soon as possible. Additionally, send a copy of your maternity record (Mutterschutzpass), including the expected due date, along with your name and address, to Zentralabteilung 2 – Human Resources at your respective university location.

Once your pregnancy notification has been received, you will receive an information letter specifying the leave period. The letter will also include the latest applications for child benefit and parental leave.

Further details on maternity and parental leave periods for mothers and fathers, as well as a brochure (in german) from the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth, can be found below.

Legal Basis:

After the maternity protection period ends, there is the possibility to apply for parental allowance (Elterngeld) / parental allowance plus (ElterngeldPlus) and parental leave according to the Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act(BEEG), provided that an employment relationship is still in place.

Entitlement Period:

The entitlement to parental leave extends until the child’s third birthday, with the maternity protection period being credited. Up to 12 months of parental leave can be taken between the child’s third birthday and the child’s eighth birthday. For births up to June 30, 2015, the old regulations regarding the transfer period still apply. After that, with the consent of TUM, up to 12 months of parental leave can be transferred to the period until the child’s eighth birthday. Each parent can claim parental leave, regardless of how much leave the other parent takes. Parental leave can also be taken for individual months or weeks. The father’s parental leave can start during the mother’s maternity protection period, right after the child’s birth. An early termination of parental leave is only possible with the employer’s consent.

Application and Deadlines:

If parental leave is to follow the maternity protection period, the corresponding application must be submitted to TUM (Central Department 1) at least seven weeks before the start of the parental leave. The application must include a specific declaration regarding the periods of parental leave taken within the two years. Each parent can split their parental leave into up to three periods, and further splitting is only possible with the employer’s consent. For the period between the child’s third birthday and the eighth birthday, parental leave must be applied for at least 13 weeks before it begins. The entitlement to parental leave is not directly linked to the receipt of parental allowance/parental allowance plus.

Part-time Employment during Parental Leave:

During parental leave, a part-time employment (less than 30 hours per week) can be undertaken without affecting parental allowance. This can also take place with an employer other than TUM but requires prior notification and approval from TUM.

Parental Allowance/Parental Allowance Plus:

Parental allowance/parental allowance plus must be applied for at the responsible Center Bavaria for Family and Social Affairs. This government office provides information about the amount, duration, and other related questions regarding parental leave.

Impact of Parental Leave without Part-time Work on the Employment Relationship:

• Employment Duration: During parental leave, the rights and obligations arising from the ongoing employment relationship are suspended. However, the employment period continues for collective bargaining purposes.
• Vacation: For each full month of parental leave, the vacation entitlement is reduced by one twelfth. If vacation was not taken before the start of the parental leave or was not fully used, the remaining vacation will be granted after the parental leave, in the current or next vacation year. If the employment relationship ends during parental leave, unused vacation must be compensated financially.
• Dismissal Protection: From the point when parental leave is requested, but no later than eight weeks before the start of parental leave, and during the parental leave, the employer cannot terminate the employment. However, in special cases, termination may be deemed permissible. The dismissal protection also applies if part-time work is carried out with the same employer during parental leave. Dismissal protection also applies during parental leave between the child’s third birthday and eighth birthday, starting 14 weeks before the leave. The employee can terminate the employment relationship only with three months' notice at the end of the parental leave.

Fixed-Term Contracts:

Fixed-term contracts are generally not extended due to parental leave. Therefore, parental leave can generally only be granted until the end of the current contract. Information on possible continued employment opportunities for scientific staff due to family-related aspects is provided by the relevant personnel managers of the Human Resources Department.

Sick Pay During Parental Leave:

No salary is paid during parental leave.

VBL Supplementary Pensions:

Parental leave may lead to disadvantages in supplementary pension schemes if no or lower compensation is received compared to before parental leave. For inquiries, the VBL (Supplementary Pension Fund) is the contact point. It is recommended to obtain individual and direct information about the social security implications of parental leave from the responsible advisory offices of the respective social insurance carriers.

Further Information:

You can find more information here (in german).

During parental leave, parental allowance can be received. The corresponding application forms from the Center Bavaria for Family and Social Affairs can be found on this site (german).