Leave of Absence
If you are prevented by valid reasons from duly pursuing your studies, you are usually entitled to up to two semesters of leave of absence. However, you cannot take a leave of absence in your first semester at the University of Würzburg except in Master’s programmes.
If you are studying two or more programmes at the same time, you cannot take a leave of absence from one programme and continue with the other(s). Leave of absence means that you are not studying in the semester in question, i.e. you will be placed on leave from ALL of the programmes you are studying.
Circumstances under which a leave of absence will be approved:
Please submit a statement from a medical practitioner that confirms that you have a medical condition that renders you unable to duly pursue your studies in the semester in question or renders you unable to successfully complete the semester in question.
We will not accept a sick note from your doctor!
If you are completing a study abroad period, you will have to let us have either a confirmation from the International Office of the University of Würzburg (if you are going abroad with Erasmus/Socrates) or an enrolment certificate issued by your host university. The form ‘Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status’ alone will not suffice.
Please submit a letter confirming your participation in the assistant teacher programme.
Please note:
Participation in an assistant teacher programme is considered a work placement. However, since programmes generally run over one year, the period of leave of absence that will be granted is two semesters.
If you are undertaking a work placement, you must meet the following requirements to be eligible for a leave of absence: You must spend at least half the lecture period of the semester in question in your placement, and your placement employer must be an institution other than the University of Würzburg.
As proof, please submit a letter issued by your placement employer that states the start and end dates of your placement.
Please submit a photocopy of your child’s birth certificate or proof of pregnancy (if your child is due to be born during the semester in question).
In accordance with the provisions of the Bundeselterngeld- und Elternzeitgesetz (Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act, BEEG), pregnancy and child rearing leaves of absence can be granted for a total period of up to six semesters per child, but not beyond the date the child reaches the age of three years.
If you have not taken all of your entitlement (six semesters) by the time your child reaches the age of three years and your child was born before 1 July 2015, you can carry over up to two semesters of leave. Any carry-over leave not taken by the time your child reaches the age of eight years will be lost.
If your child was born on or after 1 July 2015, you can carry over up to four semesters of leave. Any carry-over leave not taken by the time your child reaches the age of eight years will be lost.
Please note:
Leaves of absence for fathers can commence no earlier than the date of birth of their child. If your child is born after the application deadline for leaves of absence has passed, you will only be granted a leave of absence for the current semester if you apply for it within 14 days after your child is born.
Note:
Please also read the information about the new maternity protection act, which entered into force on 1 January 2018.
Please submit a statement from a medical practitioner that confirms that your family member has care needs. That statement must also state the name of the individual giving care. Please also submit documentary evidence of the family relationship between yourself and the care recipient (e.g. birth certificate(s) or similar).
According to Section 4 (1) Pflegezeitgesetz (Care Leave Act, PflegeZG), individuals are entitled to a maximum of six months of care leave for each close relative in need of care. This means that you can only be granted a leave of absence of one semester.
If you are participating in a volunteer programme (voluntary military service, Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ), Freiwilliges ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ), Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD), weltwärts or kulturweit volunteer programme, European Voluntary Service, International Youth Volunteer Service, development volunteer service), you are eligible for a leave of absence, provided that you spend at least half the lecture period of the semester in question volunteering. In exceptional cases and depending on the duration of your service, you may be granted up to two semesters of leave of absence.
As proof, please submit a letter issued by the organisation running your volunteer programme that states the title of the programme as well as the start and end dates of your service.
You are eligible for a leave of absence if your volunteer work requires a time commitment that is so substantial that your volunteering is not compatible with your studies. As proof, please submit a letter issued by the institution at which you are volunteering. That letter must state that you are volunteering during the semester in question and must also state the required time commitment.
Applications for permission to take a leave of absence must be in writing. We have a special application form for this. In exceptional circumstances, we will also accept informal written applications.
Please mail your completed application form to the address indicated on it or scan and email it to us.
An application for permission to take a leave of absence can be filed at the earliest at the time you re-enrol to continue your studies in the semester in question and must be filed no later than one month after the start date of the lecture period of the semester in question.
Click here for the exact start date of the lecture period of the semester in question.
No, you can’t. You can only apply for one semester of leave of absence at a time.
Exception: participation in an assistant teacher programme
Since assistant teacher programmes generally run over one year, you can apply for two semesters of leave of absence.
Yes, you will have to provide appropriate evidence of your reason for a leave of absence. To find out what documents will be accepted as evidence in your particular situation, please check the applicable section above.
Instead of providing a separate document as evidence, students who are going abroad with Erasmus/Socrates can have their application for permission to take a leave of absence confirmed by the International Students Office. A stamp from the International Students Office and a signature from the processing employee on your application form will then be sufficient evidence.
In normal circumstances, leaves of absence should not exceed a total duration of two semesters.
Leaves of absence exceeding a total duration of two semesters may only be granted in exceptional and particularly severe circumstances. Remember that you will have to provide appropriate documents as evidence of the existence of such circumstances.
No, you cannot take a leave of absence in your first semester at the University of Würzburg
Exception:
If you are enrolled in a Master’s programme, you can take a leave of absence in your first semester.
If you develop a medical condition in the middle of a semester, a leave of absence may be granted, by way of exception, at a later date, provided that the following prerequisites are met: the condition occurs after the semester has started, you submit documentation from a medical practitioner that confirms this fact without delay after the condition has occurred and the condition renders you unable to successfully complete the semester. This also applies in cases where a pre-existing medical condition deteriorates during a semester to the point that you are no longer able to pursue your studies and are thus rendered unable to successfully complete the semester.
According to the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH), ‘without delay’ means within a period of time not exceeding two weeks (BGH ruling of 25 February 1971, ref.: VII ZR 181/69 = NJW 1971, 891).
Yes, you will be charged semester fees for semesters of leave.
The exact regulations can be found in the applicable bylaws of the Studierendenwerk Würzburg:
Bylaws of the Studierendenwerk Würzburg governing the student public transport pass (Semesterticket; available in German only).
Bylaws of the Studierendenwerk Würzburg on Studierendenwerk fees
If you are studying two or more programmes at the same time, you cannot take a leave of absence from one programme and continue with the other(s). Leave of absence means that you are not studying in the semester in question, i.e. you will be placed on leave from ALL of the programmes you are studying.
No, you can’t. Leaves of absence will not be granted retroactively even if you provide proof of the existence of a medical condition.
If you are underage at the time you submit your application for permission to take a leave of absence, please make sure your parents/legal guardians also sign the document. More information for underage university students and their parents can be found here.
To withdraw your application for permission to take a leave of absence, please file an informal written request. Please note that you must file that request no later than one month after the start date of the lecture period of the semester in question.
While on leave of absence from your studies at the University of Würzburg, you will not be allowed to sit examinations or take assessments; you will only be allowed to resit failed examinations or assessments.
If you failed your first attempt at a final examination or Vorprüfung/Zwischenprüfung (preliminary examination), the letter notifying you of that fact will state the deadline by which you must have taken your resit. Taking a leave of absence will not stop or extend that deadline, and your registration for the respective exam will not be withdrawn automatically! If you are unsure about a particular case or have any other questions, please contact the competent Examination Office!
Exception:
In the case of a leave of absence during appropriately substantiated periods of maternity/parental leave or periods of family caregiving, students on leave of absence will be allowed to sit examinations or take assessments.
If you are studying music as an Unterrichtsfach or Doppelfach subject and file an application for permission to take a leave of absence with the University of Würzburg, you will also have to file an application for permission to take a leave of absence with the University of Music Würzburg.
Please do not file an application for permission to take a leave of absence until you have consulted about the matter with your thesis supervisor and your Faculty or Graduate School. Consulting with them is necessary as taking a leave of absence will also have effects on your existing supervision agreement and agreed work plans.
Your Faculty or Graduate School will let you have a letter confirming that they endorse your application for a leave of absence. Alternatively, they can confirm that they endorse your application by signing and stamping your application form. When you have obtained the confirmation from your Faculty or Graduate School, submit it to Student Affairs along with your application for permission to take a leave of absence and the other required documents.
If you are studying law (state examination) and want to take the free shot (Freischussregelung), please note that semesters of leave of absence will be included in the relevant semester count unless certain conditions are satisfied (cf. Section 37 Ausbildungs- und Prüfungsordnung für Juristen (Education and Examination Regulations for the Legal Profession, JAPO)).
In contrast to many other degree programmes that only have a standard length for completion, programmes in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy also have a minimum length. This means that you must have studied a minimum number of semesters when you register for your exam.
In this context, please keep in mind that semesters of leave of absence will not be included in the relevant semester count!!!
The minimum length of programme requirement is based on German federal law (Section 4 Bundesärzteordnung (Federal Medical Practitioners Act, BÄO) in conjunction with the Approbationsordnung für Ärzte (Licensing Regulations for Medical Practitioners, ÄAppO), Section 5 Bundes-Apothekerordnung (Federal Pharmacists Act, BApO) in conjunction with the Approbationsordnung für Apotheker (Licensing Regulations for Pharmacists, AAppO)) and, ultimately, on European law (Article 24 of Directive 2005/36/EC). For programmes in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy to be considered in compliance with EU standards, they must have a minimum length and students must obtain specific course and examination achievements. Since only those periods are considered to be of relevance that medicine, dentistry and pharmacy students spend actively pursuing their degrees, German lawmakers have made a deliberate decision to not allow semesters of leave of absence, maternity leave or similar to be included in the relevant semester count.
If you have any questions about the minimum length of programme requirement, please contact the Examination Office that is responsible for your degree programme or read the relevant licensing regulations.
