Das Referat für Recht und Soziales (Division for Legal and Social Issues)

At the moment, two division members and three external staff members work in the Division for Legal and Social Issues. The AStA division members provide consultation regarding social loans (Sozialdarlehen) or other student social issues. General consultation as well as consultation on residence issues or BAföG is provided by the two external staff members.

We attend to the social concerns of FH Bielefeld students. These might be financial problems, questions about studying as a parent, living situations, and many other things. We also represent the social interests of students in committees such as the “Audit familiengerechte Hochschule” (a family-friendly university audit) or the “Diversity Kommission.” The Social Division has also supported and helped to organize talks and lectures on questions of social coexistence – not only in the university. The division is always open for suggestions for future public talks within its thematic scope.

We offer open consultation hours that are independent of the university and social security institutions. We see ourselves as representatives of student interests.

We are also responsible for the administration of social loans. These can be granted to students in an unexpected financial emergency. An extra bank account has been set up with funds from the student body’s semester fees. The full regulations of the social loan can be read in the AStA office.

For the application for a social loan, we will need the following documents:

  • Your personal identification
  • Your enrollment confirmation for the semester (the Semesterbescheinigung)
  • Rental contract
  • Proof of income
  • Complete bank statements for the last three months

(Any required copies can be made for free in the office.)

Loans may amount to a maximum of 600 euro and must be paid back (interest-free) within six months. In order to approve a loan, we need to make sure that a repayment is ensured. This is why we require the documents stated above. Additionally, we work closely with the Finanzreferat (the Finance Department), as they must also approve the application. If no payments or incomplete payments have been made by end of the repayment deadline, we will have to issue a warning letter, which entails additional costs!

The members of the Social Division are regularly obligated to explain their activities as well as non-repaid loans in meetings with the Student Parliament.

For further information, an application for a social loan, counselling interviews, problems, suggestions, etc., you can visit our open consultation hours or send us an email.

Division members (Referent*innen): Kim-Marvin and Darius




NEWS:

21st Social Survey

Preliminary results of the 21st Social Survey (Sozialerhebung) of the Studierendenwerk (the student facility services) are online. The social survey usually takes place every three years and assesses the financial and social situation of the students. A summary can be found here:

http://www.sozialerhebung.de/download/21/Soz21_zusammenfassung.pdf

Further detailed information on factors such as age or gender can be found here:

http://www.sozialerhebung.de/archiv/soz_21_auszaehlung
 
Legal consultation:
Wednesdays 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(Interaktion 1, 33619 Bielefeld, second floor, room A237)

Social loan consultation:
Wednesdays 11:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Thursdays 11:30 p.m. to 1 p.m.
(Interaktion 1, 33619 Bielefeld, second floor, room A237)
sozial@fh-asta.de

BAföG consultation:
Fridays from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
(Interaktion 1, 33619 Bielefeld, second floor, room A237)
bafoeg@fh-asta.de

Consultation on residence issues:
Mondays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
(Advisory café of AStA in the Uni Bielefeld, room C1-162)
beratung-auf@asta-bielefeld.de


Please take note that consultation hours differ during the semester breaks. See the “News” section of the website or the notice boards of the Fachhochschule.

Important note:
Our student consultation service is not binding legal consultation in terms of the law. Thus, liability and recourse claims against us are excluded.