Student and parent

Pregnancy affects different people’s bodies in different ways. Most people are able to continue to study throughout their pregnancy, but if you are a student who is pregnant or breast feeding, you may need to take extra precautions in some teaching situations, such as:

• contact with contagions
• contact with chemical or biological substances
• physical burdens, such as heavy lifting or uncomfortable working positions
• handling animals

If there is a risk of harmful effects on your pregnancy or breast feeding, you may need to review your study situation together with a study and career counsellor.

More information about laws and regulations in this area:

• Swedish Working Environment Act SFS 1977:1160 (only information in Swedish).
• Swedish National Board of Occupational Safety and Health (now the Swedish Work Environment Authority) regulations 2007:5 – pregnant and breast feeding employees (only information in Swedish).

Looking after a child for a specific reason which may entitle you to approved leave from studies with a guaranteed right to continue your studies after your approved leave. For more information about approved leave from studies with guaranteed admission, see SLU’s regulations for education and approved leave.

Approved leave from studies with guaranteed admission can be granted for a maximum of one year at a time. Send your application for approved leave from studies to the Division of Educational Affairs on a special form.

If you are a parent and a student, you may need greater study planning.

SLU’s regulations for education contain guidelines on how course coordinating departments provide the timetable. If you are unable to attend a compulsory part of a course because you are looking after a child, you are entitled to complete this compulsory part of your course as soon as possible. Contact the course examiner and agree with them how you will do the part you have missed. For more information, see SLU’s regulations for education.

SLU’s study and career counsellors can also help you to plan your studies.

On the Swedish Social Insurance Agency website you will find information about parental pay for those who are studying and are already parents or are expecting a child.

Parental pay is paid as financial support to parents who look after a child.

You can receive student finance from CSN for the same period during which you receive parental pay from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. Parental pay is a form of income and the rules on the earnings threshold therefore apply. It is not guaranteed, however, that you can receive parental pay at the same time as you are studying. Contact the Swedish Social Insurance Agency to find out what applies to you.

If you are not a Swedish citizen, find out more about what is required for you to receive student finance on CSN’s website.

If you are studying without student finance when you have a child, you may lose your previous sickness benefit-based income (SGI). Contact CSN and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency for more information about what applies to you.

If you are not a Swedish citizen, you must register with the Swedish Social Insurance Agency in order to gain access to the various forms of support offered by the Swedish Social Insurance Agency.

You are not normally entitled to temporary parental pay from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency when you are a student. However, you can receive student finance from CSN if you are unable to study because you are temporarily looking after a sick child. You must report the fact that you are looking after a sick child to CSN. For more information, see CSN’s website.

If you are working at the same time as studying and you have to be at home in order to look after a sick child, you are entitled to temporary parental pay from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. You will find more information on the Swedish Social Insurance Agency website.

If you are unable to attend a compulsory part of a course because you are looking after a child, you are entitled to complete this compulsory part of your course as soon as possible. Contact the course examiner and agree with them how you will do the part you have missed. You can find out more in SLU’s regulations for education.