Leave of absence

Possible reasons for taking a leave of absence and supporting documents required

• A prolonged illness that leaves you unable to study for most of a semester's main teaching period. Supporting document: a medical certificate stating the period during which you are unable to study
• A period spent abroad, for example studying at a university outside Germany. Supporting document: confirmation that you have been admitted to or enrolled at the university abroad
• Pregnancy. Supporting document: a medical certificate or maternity record
• Parental leave/Statutory maternity-protection period. Supporting document: child's birth certificate
• Family responsibilities, particularly raising a child under the age of 18 or supporting family members with longer-term care needs
• Military or alternative civilian service, participation in Germany's one-year social (FSJ) or environmental (FÖJ) volunteering scheme, and other similar types of voluntary service
• Internship or work placement outside the university that takes up a substantial part of a semester's main teaching period. Supporting document: work placement or internship agreement
• Involvement in student representative bodies. Supporting document: confirmation from the Student Parliament (StuPa) or the General Student Committee (AStA)
• Preparing to set up and launch a business start-up.
• Verified active involvement in elite-level sport.

Applying for leave of absence

Leave of absence is granted for one semester at a time. It is not possible to take leave of absence for individual subjects only.

As a rule, you should apply for leave of absence when you re-register for the next semester. Your application should be submitted within the re-registration period, preferably as soon as the reason for taking leave of absence arises, but at the very latest by the last day of the main teaching period of the semester for which leave is being sought. Applications received after this deadline cannot be approved, even if there is a valid reason for the leave of absence.

You can apply for a leave of absence online using the SIM student portal.

The application procedure

Before you can apply for leave of absence, you must have already submitted your re-registration request via the SIM student portal. Further information about the re-registration process.

You can then apply for leave of absence in the SIM student portal by following these steps:

1. Click on the 'Meine Anträge' ('My applications') tile.
2. Click on 'Antrag anlegen' ('Create request').
3. Under 'Art des Antrags' ('Type of request/application') select the option 'Antrag auf Beurlaubung' ('Request leave of absence').
4. Select the academic year and semester for which you are applying for leave.
5. Open the 'Anlagen' ('Attachments') tab and upload the relevant supporting documents.
6. Click on 'Absenden' ('Submit').
7. When the confirmation prompt appears, click on 'Ja' ('Yes') to submit your application.

Your application will then be reviewed and processed by the Admissions Office.