A good balance between family life and a degree program or work is essential for maintaining a high quality of life. As a university with nearly 22,000 students and an employer with a workforce of more than 2,000 people, WU is constantly working to develop and implement lasting measures for providing a family-friendly study and work environment. As a result, WU has been certified as a family-friendly university under the Austrian “hochschuleundfamilie” audit since 2013.

On this page, you can find key information and contacts for students with children.

Your first point of contact

The WU Student Counselling Team can help you master the challenges you’re facing. We offer confidential counselling sessions where we take the time to look at your personal situation in depth and develop appropriate solutions. We also offer moderated peer group sessions where students who have similar questions or are facing similar situations can network and exchange ideas. In addition we assist to put you in contact with other institutions that can help you with any further questions and issues you may have. Get in touch with us to arrange your first session!

Study-related matters

To study successfully as a parent, you do not only need efficient organization – you also need to have the appropriate information. Here is an overview of key administrative and financial support measures that you should know about as a student with a child:

• Waiver of no-show rules (in LVP-type course exams) if your child falls ill: If you are unable to take an exam you signed up for on short notice due to your caretaking responsibilities (e.g. if your child falls ill), the no-show rules are waived for you. In such cases, please submit an appropriate confirmation (e.g. a medical certificate) via our online tool (in German).

• Academic leaves of absence: You can apply for an academic leave of absence to pause your degree program for one or more semesters due to a pregnancy or caretaking responsibilities for children. During an academic leave of absence, you remain enrolled in your degree program but are not able to take any exams or courses. If you would like to take an academic leave of absence, you need to submit an application before the start of the respective semester. For details and contact information for further questions, please see our web page on academic leaves of absence.

• Waiver of tuition fees: If you exceed the tuition-free period, you can apply for a waiver of tuition fees if you are pregnant or have to look after a child that lives in the same household, up until the child turns 7 years old. The application deadlines are September 30 (for the winter semester) and February 28/29 (for the summer semester). For details and contact information for further questions, please see our web page on tuition fees.

• Special support grant for studying abroad with a child: Special support grants are available for completing semesters abroad together with your child/your children. These grants are intended to help you cover the additional costs you incur in connection with your caretaking responsibilities abroad. If you’re planning to study abroad at a WU partner university outside Europe, special support grants are available to complement WU mobility grants. To study abroad at a WU partner university in Europe, you can apply for Erasmus+ special support grants. Basic information is available on our web page on international student mobility. On this page, you can also find contact information for getting in touch with WU’s International Office, which is available to provide details and further advice.


 

On Campus WU

• Use our interactive campus map to find the locations of the 12 baby changing stations available on Campus WU.

• You can use all first aid rooms on campus for breastfeeding. To access them, you need to have your student ID activated for these rooms. Please send an email with your student number to dolores.schulz@wu.ac.at to request access.

• You can also use the Day Care Center in building D2. It is designed for children aged 0 to 5 years and is equipped with toys, a kitchenette with a stove and fridge, as well as a child-sized toilet. The Day Care Center must be booked in advance for use. Please klick here for more information.

• Kindergarten at Campus WU: There is a kindergarten directly on Campus WU, operated by Kinder in Wien (KiWi). It primarily serves the children of WU staff and students, aged 1 to 6 years.

Further information and contacts

• Comprehensive information on family- and child-related matters is available on https://www.familienberatung.gv.at (in German) and Oesterreich.gv.at, where you can also find a page on family allowances and federal study grants for students with children (in German).

• The UniKid-UniCare Austria network has put together comprehensive information and recommendations on its website.

• As part of the Vienna Children’s University program, WU researchers offer workshops and lectures for children aged 7 to 12 to show kids that research on business and economics can be fun.

If you have any further questions about studying as a parent, don’t hesitate to reach out to the WU Student Support team or the WU childcare representatives.