FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Im Folgenden findest Du Antworten auf häufige Fragen rund um die Themen Chancengleichheit im Studium, Vereinbarkeit von Studium und Care-Arbeit, sowie Unterstützung bei Diskriminierungserfahrungen an der Universität.

Equal Opportunities in Student Life

How can diversity and equality be taken into account and implemented in university teaching?

Equal opportunities in university courses start with language. In the recommendations on gender-inclusive language, teachers and students alike can find information on how they can already make a difference with their language.
Further guidance is provided by the content notes in teaching. In this way, teaching content that can be potentially disturbing and (re-) traumatising can be highlighted in advance and the participants in the course are free to decide whether or not they want to expose themselves to this content.
Further information and guidelines for gender- and diversity-conscious university teaching can be found in the Toolbox Gender und Diversity in Teaching at Freie Universität Berlin.

You are studying and wondering whether you might be entitled to a disadvantage compensation (NachTeilsAusgleich)?

For students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses, there is the possibility of a disadvantage compensation for your studies, exams and other forms of examinations.
The representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses or the Subject-specific Study Advisory Service can provide support and advice in the application process.
The General Student Committee of the University of Bonn (AStA) can also provide support. In addition to counselling, the counselling for disabled or chronically ill students (BOCKS) also offers a regulars' table every third Thursday of the month for exchanges.

You are trans* and would like to adjust your name and gender in the administrative systems of the University of Bonn?

Students as well as employees of the University of Bonn can apply to adjust their first name and gender entry even before an official change of personal status according to the currently valid Transsexual Act (TSG). The data will be completely adjusted in the administrative systems of the University of Bonn, so that the name you have chosen for yourself will appear on your student ID, your study certificates and all other documents, and no longer your dead name.
You can find the application form here. Fill it out and send it to the Student Registry along with your student-ID, the dgti-supplementary-ID and an official ID-document.
Postal Address:
Universität Bonn
Abt. 1.3 - Studierendensekretariat
53012 Bonn
Deutschland

Are there safe toilets for trans* people on the grounds of the University of Bonn?

Unfortunately, unisex toilets have not yet been installed at every institute at the University of Bonn. You can find an overview of the existing unisex toilets here. The Equal Opportunities Office endeavours to keep this list up to date. Please let us know about any additional unisex toilets that we may add to the list.

Questions on the compability of studying and care work

You are currently studying, have a child/children and are looking for support or exchange experiences with other students?

The Office of Family Services of the University of Bonn advises students on topics related to childcare, the compatibility of studies, career, science and care work and family, and much more. You can find the entire range of their service here. Furthermore, you can register for regular online meetings for mutual exchange with other students with children at the Office of Family Services at kunde@uni-bonn.de.
The General Student Committee of the University of Bonn (AStA) also offers counselling on studying as a parent- from students with a child for students with a child. The counselling service plans to organise regular meetings for students and their children in the future.

You are a student, currently pregnant and wonder if the 'Maternity Protection Act' also applies to students at the University Bonn?

The ‚Maternity Protection Act‘ applies to students as well. This means that there should be no disadvantages in studying during pregnancy or breastfeeding. In order for the ‚Maternity Protection Act‘ to apply, the pregnancy must be registered at the University of Bonn. The Office of Family Services can assist you with your registration and you can find instructions on how to register your pregnancy on their website.
You can find more information on the topic of maternity protection for students here.

Are you wondering if you can bring your child/children to your lecture or seminar?

The University of Bonn understands itself as a family-friendly university. This includes the compatibility of studies and care work/family. In cooperation with the Studierendenwerk Bonn and the General Students Committee, the university endeavours to provide various childcare options especially for students' children.
However, should there be situations where childcare cannot be found for the duration of a course, you can bring your children with you, provided that no hazardous substances are handled in the course and the presence of the child/children is okay for all participants. Please make sure to discuss this with the relevant teacher beforehand!

You have some freetime between two lectures and wonder if there is a quiet place to study with your child/children?

Students and lecturers also spend time on the university campus outside of lectures to study or work. If you want to have a relaxed working environment where your child can also be present, there are so-called parent-child rooms available for this purpose. Unfortunately, these are not to be found everywhere on campus and some of them are only accessible to staff members, not to students.
An overview of where to find baby-changing facilities and breastfeeding rooms at the university can be found here.

You have experienced discrimination and are looking for support?

You want to be able to stand up better against sexualised discrimination or encourage your colleagues or fellow students to further educate themselves on the topic?

The workshops offered by the Equal Opportunities Office are aimed at all members of the university and promote a proactive approach to the topic, so that not only affected persons, but all members learn how they should behave in such situations. In addition to self-confidence training, training for Allys is also offered. The different workshops indicate which target group they are aimed at.

You have experienced or witnessed a discriminatory incident and would like to report it?

You can report discriminatory incidents that you have either experienced yourself or observed via the discrimination notifier of the Equal Opportunities Office of the University of Bonn.

You are affected by racism and stress due to racist discrimination in the university context and are looking for contact persons at the University of Bonn?

The University of Bonn offers individual counseling regarding racism for students. The counseling is being held by Eden Kirchner (she/her). You can find all further information here or contact Eden Kirchner directly.

The autonomous BIPoC department of the AStA Bonn is the student representation for all students affected by racism at the University of Bonn. You can find all information about the offers of the department here or on Instagram (@bipoc_unibonn).