Studying under special circumstances

Are you going to become parents? Information on maternity protection regulations, studying and financing your studies with a child, as well as different advisory services are available here:

The University of Jena doesn't charge any tuition fees. However, you will still have to pay a semester fee and cover your living expenses throughout your studies. Special circumstances may lead to financial difficulties you should budget for.

The Studis Online External link  platform offers an overview of available options to finance your studies.

As part of their general counselling, legal, social, and financial advice services, the Studierendenwerk Thüringen will also offer personal advice and information on how to finance your studies—especially in special circumstances.

General information on how to proceed as well as sources of further information are also available on the Division of Student Affair's dedicated funding webpage.

Find out if you can study your chosen degree programme part-time by checking the ‘key facts’ on its study programme database page.

To study part-time means to study ‘at half speed’, which gives you more flexibility in terms of balancing your studies with family responsibilities, part-time employment, illness, etc. One thing to bear in mind is that part-time studies are not funded by BAföG. However, you may still be entitled to ALGII, housing benefit, or child benefit. Before taking up part-time studies, please consult Studierendenwerk Thüringen's general social counselling services.

As a part-time student, you can register for regular courses, but you will not complete as many courses per semester as full-time students do. To this end, you will develop a personal study plan with the help of subject-specific academic advisors.

If you are going to miss at least six weeks of a semester's lecture period, it is advisable to apply for a leave of absence.

If you exceed the regular programme length of your bachelor’s or master’s programme by four semesters, you will have to pay an additional €500 for each semester. However, there are some exceptions to this, for which you can apply.

Having doubts is deeply human. Doubts, in their many manifestations, can often become particularly prominent if you find yourself in special circumstances.