Uni-Tübingen

Child Care

Good childcare is essential for students and employees with children. The University of Tübingen supports those with care responsibilities by offering crucial information and programs which support parents and those with care responsibilities. When we find new open places for child care, you may find them in our News section.

In particular, there are the KiBeKo program to financially suppport or augment child care expenses and the child care opportunities the University is providing for their employees.

KiBeKo Program -  Financial Support for Childcare

New Registration Deadline for Childcare Spots at the City of Tübingen:

The registration deadline for the allocation process will be moved foward from the end of February to the end of January. Only registration and documents the ZAK received until January 31, 2025 will be considered for allocation.

Childcare Opportunities

Childcare Opportunities for Students

The Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim offers childcare for students of the University of Tübingen at different locations. To be elligible, the place of residence of parents or caretakers must be Tübingen. Doctoral students are entitled to these offers as well. More information on childcare opportunities may be found at the Studierendenwerk website .

KiKo Spots for Employees

The University of Tübingen has a total of 17 reserved childcare spots— the so-called KiKo places—available for children between 1 and 6 years of age in the municipal daycare centers Mauerstraße, Feuerhägle, and Ahornweg.

These spots are available for children of university employees (excluding the University Hospital and Medical Faculty). Other university affiliates, such as scholarship holders, may also be eligible for a KiKo place if they are affiliated with the university through their funding.

Priority is given to children whose families reside outside of Tübingen or have recently moved to the area. Parents living in Tübingen who can participate in the regular municipal allocation process are encouraged to do so.

Childcare Hours for KiKo Places:

Parents can choose care hours between 30 and 45 hours per week within the following opening times:

  • Kinderhaus Mauerstraße: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM
  • Kinderhaus Ahornweg: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
  • Kinderhaus Feuerhägle:
    • 2 days per week: 7:30 AM – 1:15 PM
    • 3 days per week: 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

 

The parental contribution is based on the number of care hours and follows the fee structure of the current fee schedule for daycare centers in the city of Tübingen, plus an additional € 80 per month for meals.

Applications for admission can be submitted to the Equity-Care Team at any time.

KiKo Application form

Casa jUNIor for University Employees living in Tübingen

For children of employees and scholarship holders/guests of the University of Tübingen who reside in Tübingen, there are 15 full-day spots available for children of six months to three years of age. The Casa Junior daycare center is operated by Casa KiTaNa gGmbH. Here you can find the website of the Casa Junior daycare center (website only in German). 

Casa Junior is open Monday though Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM and has 25 closing days per year. The fee schedule of the city of Tübingen applies.

Please send the following registration form to the Equity-Care team:

Casa Junior Application form

Please also make sure to also register with the Central Childcare Registration Office of the city of Tübingen through their online form. There, we encourage you to name “KiTa Casa Junior” (Casa daycare center) as one of your three preferences. 

 

Childcare Opportunities for UKT Employees

(university hospital)

Our hospital's daycare center supports physicians employed by the hospital, researchers, and non-scholars. 

You can find more information on the clinic's daycare center. Currently, the webpage is only available in German.

Scientist with a primary focus on research at the faculty of medicine may be eligible for a KiKo childcare spot, if your child is between one to three years of age. Please contact the respective dean's office for more information, or to apply. 

Please find more information on KiKo childcare spots for medical researchers. Currently, the webpage is only available in German.

Municipal and Local Childcare Services

Childcare in Baden-Württemberg is the responsibility of the municipalities. As a result, municipal childcare facilities, as well as those run by independent providers, generally only accept children who reside in the respective municipality. Therefore, please check the childcare options available in your local community.

 

 

Note for University of Tübingen members residing in the city of Tübingen:

Information about childcare options in Tübingen can be found on the city's official website under the Childcare Services section.

Important: The new registration deadline for daycare centers and kindergartens is January 31, 2025! All required documents must be submitted online via the city’s parent portal: www.tuebingen.de/kitas.

 

For people who can't speak German, we have a PDF in English which may be used as guide on how to fill out the respective forms. 

Childminding Services (Kindertagespflege)

As an alternative to daycare centers, childminding (Kindertagespflege) is available for children under the age of three. 

This typically involves care provided by a registered childminder (Tagesmutter) in their own home.

Childminding services are regulated at the county level. Please contact the local district office (Landratsamt) responsible for your area to learn more about how childminding is organized in your county.

 

In Tübingen County, childminding services are managed by the Eltern- und Tageselternverein Tübingen e.V. More information is available at: www.tageselternverein.de.

More Childcare Programs and General Information

TüFA Babysitter Agency

The non-profit Tübingen Family and Elderly Assistance Association (TüFA) offers a service for connecting families with qualified babysitters. There are two options available:

Online Babysitter Exchange

Through TüFA's online babysitter exchange, parents and babysitters can connect easily, setting their own terms—even for last-minute needs.

All babysitters listed in the exchange have previously introduced themselves to TüFA and have experience in childcare. To protect their privacy, they are listed with their first name and contact information (phone or email) and are required to keep their availability up to date.

For the protection of babysitters, parents must also introduce themselves briefly to TüFA, sign an information agreement, and pay a one-time fee of €20. Once registered, they gain access to the online babysitter exchange, where they can directly contact babysitters and arrange schedules and payment. TüFA does not provide insurance coverage or assume any liability in this process.

The TüFA babysitter exchange is supported financially by the University of Tübingen, the Medical Faculty, and the University Hospital.

 

TüFA Babysitter Placement Service

Through this placement service, TüFA matches parents who require regular childcare (one to two times per week) with babysitters registered with TüFA.

These babysitters are insured and receive at least the minimum wage. Parents pay €16.00 per hour of childcare, plus a transportation fee per session:

  • €3 within the city area
  • €5 for surrounding areas

If babysitters are required to travel on behalf of the family, a fee of €0.30 per kilometer applies. Any parking fees or bus tickets incurred during the babysitting session must be reimbursed directly by the client.

Contact

Parents seeking babysitters, as well as individuals interested in working as babysitters, should contact TüFA directly:

 infospam prevention@tuefa-tuebingen.de 

or  Monday - Friday, 8.00 AM -12.00 PM: 07071 / 980513.

More information on TüFA can be found here:
https://www.tuefa-tuebingen.de/hilfsangebote/kinderbetreuung/ 

Childcare: Holiday Programs

At the university city of Tübingen, there are a variety of childcare programs during for school-aged children during school breaks. Early registration is recommended.

The programs offered by different providers range from hourly activities to full-day events and week-long holiday programs.

Not all providers offer programs during every holiday period, and in some cases, residency in the Tübingen district or city is required for participation. Registration for holiday programs takes place directly through the respective provider. 

Holders of the KinderCard/KreisBonuscard-Junior can usually receive a discount or, in some cases, full coverage of the program costs.

Below is an overview of various holiday programs available for school children:

 

List of Holiday Programs

CVJM Tübingen – Programs in almost all Baden-Württemberg school holidays, including camps in Tübingen, Germany, and abroad.

d.a.i. (German-American Institute Tübingen) – Language courses (half-day) during autumn, carnival, Easter, Pentecost, and summer holidays. Language trips (domestic and international) during Pentecost and summer holidays.

Evangelical Youth Organization Lustnau – Summer tent camp, full-day program for children aged 8–12.

Evangelical Waldheim Spatzennest e.V. – Summer holiday camps, half-day and full-day programs for children and teenagers aged 5–16.

Family Education Center Tübingen – Day and weekly courses, half-day and full-day, in all Baden-Württemberg school holidays.

Institut Français Tübingen – Language courses (half-day) during autumn and Easter holidays.

Kindersommer-Mühlbachbande – Unfortunately, this program will not take place again this year.

City of Tübingen – Full-day holiday care for elementary school children during Easter, Pentecost, summer, autumn, and Christmas holidays.

Werkstadthaus, Französisches Viertel – Courses (half-day) during all Baden-Württemberg school holidays, except Christmas.

TSG Holiday Sports Camps – Full-day activity-based holiday courses during Easter, Pentecost, summer, and autumn holidays.

City Museum Tübingen – Half-day programs during Pentecost and summer holidays.

Circus Zambaioni – Summer holiday program.

TVD Derendingen Holiday Camps – Full-day activity-based holiday courses during Easter, Pentecost, summer, and autumn holidays.

Tü-Kiss (Children’s Sports Schhttps://uni-tuebingen.de/universitaet/aktuelles-und-publikationen/attempto-online/newsfullview-attempto/article/spiel-sport-und-wertevermittlung/ool Tübingen) – A non-profit sports association promoting motor skill development, offering sports camps for children aged 6–10.

Pixel – A facility under the University City of Tübingen’s Department of Youth Work.

Children’s Sports Week 2024 – Organized by the Institute for Sports Science in cooperation with the Equity-Care team. The next Children's Sports Week will take place from August 4–8, 2025. Further information will be provided in due course.

 

Additional Information

Some Tübingen sports clubs also offer holiday programs for their members. Please check directly with the clubs for more details.

Holders of the KinderCard/KreisBonuscard-Junior are eligible for a discounted seasonal swimming pool pass for €17 per year. 

To obtain a seasonal pass, a passport-sized photo of the child is required.

Childcare During Conferences

The ability to bring children to conferences, congresses, or other events enables many researchers to attend in the first place. It is an important contribution to balancing academia and family life. The Family Office provides advice to conference organizers on offering appropriate childcare services.

 

Guidelines for Implementing Childcare Services at Conferences:

  1. The conference invitation should already include information about the availability of childcare services.
  2. A registration form for childcare should be attached to the conference registration form. This should ask for details such as the child’s age and desired childcare hours. Parents should also be informed that participation in the childcare service does not include accident or liability insurance and that they must sign a waiver of liability before the childcare service begins.
  3. Experience shows that last-minute cancellations or new childcare requests often arise shortly before the conference. This should be taken into account during planning.
  4. The costs of childcare services should be calculated as early as possible and, ideally, included in the conference fee. Parents may also be asked to contribute additionally.

  5. Finding suitable rooms for childcare at the University of Tübingen can be challenging, especially since the childcare location should be near the conference venue. The two existing family rooms are small and only suitable for a limited number of children. Advance booking and reservation of the selected childcare rooms is mandatory. Please contact the respective family room coordinators for assistance.

     

Available Family Rooms at the University of Tübingen

Brechtbau Parent-Child Room: Equipped with toys, a changing table, and a nearby restroom.

Contact person: Dr. Heike Oberlin, Tel: 29-74005.

Family Room at Morgenstelle (HSZ 16, Room 3 E 06): Suitable for up to three children with two caregivers. Equipped with a kitchenette, table and chairs, a changing table, a sofa, and toys, with a nearby restroom.

Contact: Family Office of the University of Tübingen, Tel.: 29-74961.

Hiring Childcare Providers:

  • Childcare staff must be fully insured, but the University of Tübingen does not provide this coverage. It is therefore recommended to use the services of TüFa (Tübinger Family and Elderly Assistance Association, TüFa e.V.).
    • TüFa e.V. Contact: Tel.: 07071/98 05 13
    • TüFa offers a pool of experienced and reliable childcare providers who have undergone background checks and are covered by accident and liability insurance through TüFa. Payment is handled via invoicing through TüFa.
  • Student or academic staff are NOT allowed to provide childcare services!

Additional Requirements

  1. Parents must sign a liability waiver before childcare begins.
  2. During the conference, childcare providers must be able to contact parents at all times.
  3. A designated person from the organizing team must be available as a point of contact for both parents and childcare providers. This person should regularly check in to ensure that everything is running smoothly and that no further assistance is needed.

Short-Term and Emergency Childcare

The Bündnis für Familie Tübingen (Alliance for Families Tübingen), in close cooperation with the City of Tübingen, has published an informational flyer titled:

"Short-Term and Emergency Childcare for Children"

This flyer provides an overview of various childcare providers in Tübingen that parents can turn to in cases where short-term or emergency childcare is needed.

Important Note:

If a child gets sick, parents can use sick leave days, which they are legally entitled to, in order to care for children up to the age of 12. More details on this regulation can be found under the section: "When Your Child is Sick – Work Arrangements for Parents."