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Leave of Absence

You can apply for a leave of absence directly online through the Marvin portal.

What is a leave of absence?

A leave of absence is an approved interruption of studies. A leave semester does not count as an academic semester, but only as a university semester, unless it is credited due to a comparable study abroad program.

If you take a leave of absence, you remain a student and must pay the full semester fee. Please note that taking a leave of absence may affect your student financial aid (BAföG), child benefits, or the duration of your student health insurance. Make sure to check with the relevant office about potential financial implications before applying for a leave of absence.

What reasons can justify a leave of absence?

According to § 8 of the Enrollment Regulations of Philipps University, students may be granted a leave of absence for the following reasons:

  1. The nature and duration of an illness that prevents proper studies*
  2. Completing a study-related internship that is not part of the regular curriculum**
  3. A study-related stay abroad
  4. Maternity leave or the care of a family member who is in need of care according to a doctor’s certificate
  5. Membership in a national squad (A, B, C, or D/C squad) of a top sports association recognized by the German Olympic Sports Confederation
  6. Participation as an appointed or elected representative of academic or student self-governance
    *An official medical certificate is required. It must indicate that the student is unfit for studying and taking exams for the entire semester (including lecture-free periods).
    **An internship certificate from the institution and confirmation from the department that the internship is considered "study-related" are required.

These documents must be uploaded during the application process. A leave of absence can only be granted for full semesters and, except in cases under points 1, 4, and 5, for no more than six semesters. A leave of absence excludes the acquisition of academic credits or taking exams. However, students on leave may retake failed exams during their leave. Only students on leave for reasons 4 to 6 are allowed to attend courses and complete academic and exam-related tasks during their leave.

Periods of maternity leave or parental leave are not counted toward the maximum duration (further information can be found in the Enrollment Regulations (German PDF)).

What deadlines must be observed?

A leave of absence must be applied for online via Marvin during the re-registration period (exceptions apply for leave due to illness, maternity leave, or caregiving for a relative, in which cases applications can still be submitted during the ongoing semester).

Additionally, please note:

A leave of absence cannot be requested for multiple semesters at once. New applications must be submitted for each semester.
Retroactive leave for a completed semester is not possible.
A leave of absence in the first semester is only allowed in exceptional cases, especially for reasons 1, 4, and 5.

Examination-related Information:

A leave of absence may affect your exam rights, particularly regarding deadlines for ongoing exam processes. In such cases, you should definitely contact the examination office in your department. A leave of absence alone does not count as a withdrawal from an exam. Exams completed during the semester will not automatically be invalidated by a subsequent leave of absence within the same semester. The specific rules of the examination regulations apply.
For state examination programs and departments without an examination office (or committee), please contact the respective dean's office.

In modularized programs, a leave of absence cannot be granted for the final exam (this also applies to law programs if there are still exams to be completed in the specialization area).

Note: You can check the current status of your application in Marvin (link below).