You can apply for academic leave when serious reasons prevent you from devoting at least half of your workweek to your studies. Application deadlines for academic leave are 1 April for summer semesters and 1 October for winter semesters. Before you decide to apply for academic leave, please read the information on student status changes carefully.

The application

The electronic application for academic leave for the subsequent semester is available in your STiNE account under "Studium" > "Anträge."  Please submit the application via your STiNE account. Applications must be submitted within the application deadlines stated above.

You must submit relevant proof to attest that there are compelling reasons forcing you to apply for academic leave, e.g., a medical certificate ( Attest) in the case of illness. Please submit documents proving your reasons via our contact form within the application deadlines stated above.

Universität Hamburg usually accepts the following reasons as grounds for academic leave:

• an illness which makes a regular study routine impossible
• care of children younger than eighteen or nursing other relatives
• a study period at another German university or abroad
• Students enrolled in degree programs outside of the bachelor's and master's system that are not subject to ongoing examination (e.g., those leading to the Staatsexamen) may take one semester of academic leave in order to prepare for their final exams. 

Notification that your application has been accepted will be made available to you in your STiNE account under "Studium" > “Dokumente” once the decision has been made. A rejection notice will be sent by regular mail.

Further information

Students must pay the full semester contribution during academic leave.

Please note: Should submission of your application for academic leave and payment of the semester contribution overlap, semester documents may be be issued with your status prior to application submission. After your status has been changed, you will automatically receive new proof of enrollment (Semesterbescheinigung) detailing your academic leave status.

Outgoing students, who will be unable to use their semester public transport ticket while abroad, may be reimbursed the cost of the ticket by the Studierendenwerk (student services). Further information is available here.

Should important reasons prevent you from continuing your studies during the lecture period,  you may apply for academic leave after the reenrollment deadline if the reason you provide is deemed sufficient evidence that you are unable to pursue a normal course of study.

A period of academic leave generally comprises one full semester. If you are caring for a child or children under eighteen or nursing relatives, academic leave may be granted for up to three years.

Periods of academic leave do not count as subject semesters. While on academic leave, students are prohibited from completing coursework or exams, with the exception of final exams. Acceptable reasons for completing a degree during a period of academic leave are:
 

• resitting exams failed in the previous semester
• completing coursework or exams commenced during the previous semester
• sitting exams for which registration took place before the grounds for academic leave existed
• sitting exams during periods of study abroad

Special regulations for students of medicine and dentistry:

Students of medicine and dentistry who are planning to write their doctoral dissertations prior to completing their degree may apply for a maximum of three semesters of academic leave. In such cases, please ensure that your application for academic leave includes certification of your doctoral status from the Office of the Dean in the Faculty of Medicine. Further information is available here.