PhD students and postdocs with scholarships
Scholarship holders only receive maternity benefit before the birth if they are also employed. In the case of employment, the maternity allowance is paid via the health insurance fund and supplemented by the employer. As a rule, the stipend continues. There are grants that pay a family supplement after the birth. At the same time, you can apply for the basic parental allowance of 300 euros per month at the parental allowance office. For the calculation of the parental allowance the average earned income of the 12 months before the birth is decisive. Thus, the money you receive from the scholarship is not relevant for the calculation of the parental allowance. To be on the safe side, however, you should consult your health insurance and the parental allowance office.
Maternity protection
Since 1 January 2018, the Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz, MuSchG) has also applied to (doctoral) students. The Maternity Protection Act protects you and your child against health risks and disadvantages - during pregnancy, after delivery and during breastfeeding. Please inform the university about your pregnancy.Parental leave
You could put your doctorate on hold by taking a leave of absence from eCampus. Keep in mind that a leave of absence can have a negative impact on your scholarship and be sure to seek advice before taking this step. You will receive parental allowance or benefits according to SGB 2 (also known as Hartz 4) regardless of whether you are on leave of absence or not. For further information on leave of absence and alternative funding, please see the chapter on "PhD students who finance themselves".Further important information
Please contact your scholarship provider and inform them about your pregnancy and later the birth of your child. Ask specifically about:- Granting of family allowances or childcare allowances
- Extension of the funding period due to child care
- Further support options for reconciling academia and childcare