Academic leave / semester of academic leave

The application for academic leave must be submitted online via STiNE before the semester starts (October 1 for a winter semester and April 1 for a summer semester). In addition, the supporting documents for the application must be uploaded in the application form. If you apply for academic leave after the deadline, a processing fee of 30 Euro may be incurred. Exceptions are possible if the reason for academic leave occurred during the current semester.

This fee may not be paid via bank transfer but must instead be paid via EC card at the automatic pay machines located in the Service for Students (SfS) during opening hours. In order for the application to be processed, students must present their receipt of payment to the Student Affairs Team. 

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.

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.

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.

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 (German only).

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

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 (only available in German)

Please note that changes to your student status may have consequences on other areas, for example, BAföG, child benefits, or residence permits. In order to avoid complications, please seek advice from the respective authorities, or even request them to approve your change of status in advance.

We have provided information on some of the authorities responsible for such matters below:

• Registration Office for Foreigners (Ausländerbehörde): A residence permit for study purposes (Section 16 subsection 1 of the Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) only applies to the higher education institution and degree program named therein. Students who change their status without prior approval may lose their residence permit. For this reason, you must secure approval from the Registration Office for Foreigners responsible for you before making any changes to your student status.

  Students can apply for one semester of academic leave per degree program without seeking prior approval from the Registration Office for Foreigners (once during a bachelor's and once during a master's degree program). This is inadmissable, however, if you apply for more than one semester of academic leave within the course of a single degree program. If you are planning to take more than one semester of academic leave, you must secure permission from the Foreigners Registration Office before applying for academic leave.

  For further details, please see our Information on transfers and degree program changes.

• BAföG Office: issues concerning the German Federal Education and Training Assistance Act (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz)
• District Offices: child benefit, parental pay, etc.