Leave of Absence

It is possible to take a leave of absence upon request, provided there is good reason. Several reasons that justify a leave of absence include:

• Illness
• Maternity or parental leave
• Military or civil service
• Study-related stay abroad
• Committee activities
• Completion of an internship

In exceptional cases, private reasons may also be recognised. Leaves of absence are only granted for one semester. Students are allowed to take a total of two leaves of absence (two semesters) per degree programme (except in cases of illness, maternity leave or parental leave).

You can obtain a petition for a leave of absence from the Student Office or  download it here.

Petitions for leaves of absence are only accepted within the re-registration period. Petitioners who submit their request for a leave of absence after the re-registration deadline without having re-registered will be charged a 20-euro overdue fee!

Semester Ticket

If you do not wish to use the Semester Ticket during your leave of absence, you need not pay the semester contribution. Submitting your petition for a leave of absence during the re-registration period automatically re-registers you for the next semester. However, if you do need the Semester Ticket during your leave of absence, please transfer payment of the semester contribution within the re-registration period.

You may submit a request for reimbursement of the semester contribution to the Studentenwerk Thüringen. The request is processed according to the Studentenwerk’s payment statutes. Reimbursement after the semester begins is only possible in exceptional cases. Request forms must be personally handed in at the INFOtake in the foyer of the Mensa am Park.

Changing degree programmes and universities

If you transfer to a different university or change your course of study, any leaves of absence you have already taken count toward your total university semesters. The number of university semesters determines when you will have to start paying long-term study fees.

Stay abroad

A leave of absence is possible for a stay abroad for study purposes, but not for degree programs in which the stay abroad is an integral part of the curriculum (e.g. Bachelor of Architecture). As a result of the study reform (Bologna Process) and the associated improvement in the recognition of academic achievements, achievements completed abroad are generally recognised. If you have any questions about this, please contact the Student Advisory Service in advance. Semesters abroad, regardless of whether the student has taken a leave of absence or not, are (upon application) not counted towards the number of semesters studied when calculating long-term tuition fees.

Study and examination achievements

During the leave of absence, students are not permitted to complete coursework and academic theses (registration and submission of Bachelor's, Master's and Diploma theses). This does not affect the fulfilment of coursework as part of studies abroad. Participation in repeat examinations and the defence of the thesis is permitted, provided that the written part has been submitted by the end of the previous semester. Students on leave of absence are exempt from paying long-term tuition fees. Semesters on leave do not count as semesters of study.

Retroactive leave of absence

If you wish to convert your re-registration status into a leave of absence (or vice versa), you must request a retroactive leave of absence within four weeks of the start of the semester. Leaves of absence cannot be granted for semesters which have already concluded.

Should you desire to convert your re-registration into a leave of absence for urgent reasons, you must include all the documents you received with your notification of re-registration (student ID and certificates of enrolment) along with your petition for a leave of absence to the Student Office.

The terms and conditions for taking leaves of absence are specified in § 13 of the enrolment regulations of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.