Navigation auf uzh.ch
Navigation auf uzh.ch
We recommend that you contact the UZH Student Administration Office as soon as possible to find out about the regulations, and the applicable deadlines and periods, governing leaves of absence which may be granted to mothers (-to-be) during pregnancy and in connection with maternity leave, and to both parents upon application for essential time spent caring for children. Think carefully about how many semesters you would like to take as a leave of absence, because the total number is capped, and they can also be applied for in other circumstances (such as if you fall ill), or further children.
Where resources are tight and parents are on low incomes, the Student Financial Aid Office will be pleased to provide information on possible grants and loans. The office also assists students experiencing short-term financial difficulties and offers advice in all financial matters.
Thanks to a very generous donation from the former AVETH Foundation, the kihz Foundation is able to provide support in social hardship cases.
kihz: Support for Social Hardship Cases
Should the baby’s due date coincide with deadlines for important papers, or exams, we recommend that you find out as soon as possible from your instructors and professors, as well as from those responsible for your exams, about the possibility of extending the deadline and/or deferring the exams. Please also consult the Deferral of Examinations During Pregnancy fact sheet (in German) (PDF, 86 KB)
If you know when you would like to resume your studies, draw up a plan (roughly at first, if necessary) of how you will structure your daily life around studying and childcare. A sample weekly schedule can be found here: Studying plus Childcare: Weekly Schedule (in German) (PDF, 100 KB)
If you work in a laboratory, are regularly exposed to dangerous chemicals, or your work involves activities that are dangerous during pregnancy, please immediately contact Christoph Weber: Safety, Security and Environment. This office will then arrange an appointment with you and your line manager to discuss how to adapt your working environment and your duties to your pregnancy. Further information on pregnancy and maternity leave can be found in a variety of checklists and fact sheets (partly in English).
Contact the kihz Foundation early on about childcare in the Zurich University Area.
Parents-to-be can find further tips and checklists at mamagenda.ch (in German, French, Italian)
The City of Zurich also offers professional, non-family care for pre-school children, both in the city’s own daycare centers, and via private-sector providers.
City of Zurich Childcare Facilities (in German)
A number of centers run by the ELCH association offer additional crèche services in various regions of Zurich.
If parents or other relatives do not live nearby, or if you are a single parent, we recommend building a broad network of neighbors, other parents and friends to provide additional childcare. There are several community and other organizations in the Zurich area that offer assistance.
nachbarschaftshilfe.ch (in German)
The community centers in the various districts of Zurich, or initiatives in your local area, may be able to help.
