Upon application, students with good reasons can be exempted from the commitments of a traditional degree programme (academic leave). The total duration of leave should not exceed two semesters.

Semesters of leave will be recorded as semesters of leave in our records. They count as university semesters, but not as subject-related semesters.

Students on leave

• are not authorised to attend any lectures or use any university facilities, apart from the library facilities (except students that take care of family members)
• are not authorised to take exams during their leave (except students that take care of family members)

An application for academic leave must be submitted before start of lectures. If the cause for leave occurs after start of lecture the application should be submitted without delay.

It is not possible to apply for academic leave for previous semesters.

For application please use the form available below. The application can be submitted by post or e-mail (studiensekretariat@uni-ulm.de) to the Office of Student Affairs. The Studiensekretariat will make a decision based on the application form. 

Academic leave is only possible with the existence of a good reason. The following situations constitute a good reason: if a student

• spends one or two semesters at a foreign university, usually as an exchange student

• receives a scholarship which is based on conditions preventing the student from attending lectures

• takes on some sort of practical activity which is to benefit his/her degree. This is only valid for practical activities which are not part of examination regulations

• cannot attend lectures due to illness and his/her ability to complete the expected class and examination work is impeded by the illness

• is doing a so called "Freiwilligendienst", usually civil service

• are caring for a close relative.

• cannot attend lectures due to the approaching birth of a child and the subsequent care required

• is serving a prison term

Academic leave can only be granted if sufficient proof of the reason for academic leave is submitted along with the application form.

During a semester of academic leave it is generally not possible to take any exams.

The exceptions to this rule are:

• retaking an exam that a student has failed during previous semesters without attending the lecture or course during the semester of academic leave,
• completing exams that were started in a previous semester without attending the lecture or course during the semester of academic leave,
• taking exams in a semester of academic leave; the cause of the academic leave being studies at a university abroad (non-integrated studies abroad, e.g. ERASMUS),
• taking exams in a semester of academic leave; the cause of the academic leave being the raising and education of a child/children and/or caring for a family member,
• registering for, completing and submitting final theses like bachelor or master theses.

Yes, students with children can take up to six semesters of academic leave. This is due to the German laws "Mutterschutzgesetz" and "Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetzes".

Students that take semesters of academic leave because they raise and care for their children are allowed to attend lectures or use university facilities. They are also allowed to take exams during their semesters of academic leave.

Semester fees must be paid during a semester of leave. There are no exemptions from semester fees due to a semester of leave.
You can find more information on all fees during your studies here.

You can apply for an exemption of the tuition fees (tuition fees for international students or for a second degree).

A semester of acacemic leave can be granted if the practical placement takes longer than the practical placement defined by the examination regulations. This regulation is valid for practical placements in Germany and abroad. Academic leave cannot be granted for a practical placement that lasts only for the duration according to the examination regulations. The application for academic leave has to be signed by the chai of the examination board.

For technical reasons it is absolutely essential that the reference is entered properly filling in the transfer form. Prompt re-registration cannot be guaranteed otherwise.

The first two digits of the reference define the year of the semester, the third digit defines the summer(=1) or winter(=2) semester. Those three digits are followed by a "minus", the matriculation number, the surname and the first name of the student.

Here is an example for the reference used to re-register for the summer semester 2023: 231-0123456 Test Anne

Students can find their personal reference in the Hochschulportal by clicking on "My Functions" --> "Administration of study" --> "Certificates in German" --> "Gebührenaufstellung"

The deadlines for re-registration end

• for a summer semester 10 February,
• for a winter semester 10 August.

The fees are to be transferred during this period even if the 10.02. or 10.08. is a Saturday or Sunday. You will find the total amount of payable fees here.

You will find a list of the payable fees per semester here.

Late payments will be assessed a late fee in the amount of 20.00 Euro if payment is made after 10 February for a summer semester and after 10 August for a winter semester.

Please print the certificates of enrolment by logging on to the "Hochschulportal". Ulm University will not send any certificates of enrolment by post.

How to print your certificate

When taking an exam or submitting the final thesis students have to be enrolled in a study program. Enrolment is not necessary when taking an exam between the beginning of a semester (1 April or 1 October) and one month after the beginning of the lecture period (usually mid May/mid November).

Please note: for state examinations (physicum in medicine and dentistry, medical and dental examinations in medicine and dentistry and state examinations in the teaching degree programs) enrollment is required at time of taking an examination.

Re-registration is not possible if a student

• is only admitted until the end of the previous semester (e.g. as an exchange student),
• has already taken his last exam and received his final certificates unless he is studying at a university abroad,
• has lost the entitlemenat to take exams.

Please contact the responsible official in the Studiensekretariat if you have any questions concerning your re-registration.

Students that finished their bachelor studies and wish to start their master studies in the next semester can choose between the following options of re-registration:

You pay the fees for the next semester in time (10 August/10 February) and re-register for the next semester. You will be re-registered as a bachelor student for the time being. After having passed your final exams of your bachelor studies and applying for enrolment in the master programme the responsible official in the Studiensekretariat will enrol you in the master programme. Please note that this is only possible before the exam period starts in February/July.

If you do not re-register in time you will be withdrawn from Ulm University at the end of the semester. After having passed your final exams of your bachelor studies you will transfer the payable fees (no late fee!) and apply for re-enrolment in the master programme. Enrolment certificates for the next semester can only be issued after re-enrolment.

No matter which possibility you choose please note:
In restricted master programmes you need to apply for admission first. After receiving the admission letter you need to apply for enrolment in the master program within the deadlines stated in your admission letter. If you do not enrol in time your access is denied.

In not restricted master programmes you do not need to apply for admission. The prerequisites for enrolment will be checked by the responsible official in the Studiensekretariat.

Usually re-registration is not possible for students that have finished their studies at Ulm University.

Re-registration is possible however if students are enrolled at a foreign university after their graduation at Ulm University.

For further infromation please contact the Studiensekretariat.

If you would like to change your study programme and your new study programme is a bachelor programme that does not require prior admission, please contact the responsible official of the Studiensekretariat. Please fill in the form located on the right side of this website. Usually you do not have to hand in any other documents. Please make sure that your visa and/or your university entrance qualification allow you to enrol in the new study programme.

The deadlines for applications are:
winter semester: 30 November
summer semester: 31 May

If you would like to change your study programme and your new study programme is a master programme that does not require prior admission, please contact the responsible official of the Studiensekretariat. Please fill in the form located on the right side of our homepage. Usually you do not have to hand in any other documents. Please make sure that your visa and/or your university entrance qualification allow you to enrol in the new study programme.

If the new programme is a master programme you need to fulfill the prerequisites that are stated in the admission regulations. You will find all prerequisites on the website of the Admissions Office.

Applications for change of study for master programmes need to be handed in before the exams of the current semester take place, usually the beginning of February in a winter semester and the beginning of July in a summer semester.

If you would like to change your study programme and your new study programme is one that does require prior admission, please contact the responsible official of the Admissions Office. The responsible official will give you information concerning prerequisites for the study programmes and necessary documents.

If you would like to change your study programme and you are already in an advanced semester or wish to change to an advanced semester, some special rules apply:

If you wish to change your study programme and an advanced semester, you need to contact the chairman/chairwoman of the examination board. He or she will define which subject-related semester of the new study programme you need to be enrolled in. To enable him or her to do that please hand in all Transcripts of Records of your previous studies.

If you are enrolled in the third or a higher subject-related semester and you wish to abandon your studies and change your study programme you need to proof that you have seen your academic counsellor before applying for a change of study programme.

Generally official university withdrawal takes place at the end of the semester. However students can also request for withdrawal with immediate effect. The student ID card must be submitted with the withdrawal application form as well.

Students will be officially withdrawn if

• they receive their final certificate unless they apply for further enrolment and either are accepted to another degree programme, are going to study abroad or are going to re-take an exam to improve its results,

• they have lost their right to be examined,

• they have not paid fees and charges related to their study despite warnings and threats of university withdrawal once the deadline set for the payment has lapsed.