Desk with laptop and flower pot in the background

Leave of Absence

Taking a break

Upon application, students may be granted leave of absence for good cause. The application for leave of absence must be justified and the necessary evidence must be enclosed. The application for leave of absence must be submitted within the deadlines applicable to the semester in question. 

Please submit the application exclusively online in horstl under: My university studies >Applications >Leave of absence. Incoming applications in written form (by email or letter) will not be processed.

Deadlines:

Summer semester: 30.04.
Winter semester: 31.10.

Exceptions:

Exceptions to the deadline are only possible in the case of sudden and unexpected events occurring after the start of the semester within four weeks of the start of lectures.

 

Important!

Please remember to upload any supporting documents with your application for leave of absence.

Basic information on leave of absence

  • Leave of absence is only possible for full semesters and, with the exception of the cases in sentence 2 no. 1, for no more than six semesters. Periods of maternity protection under the Maternity Protection Act and parental leave do not count towards this limit.
  • The application for a grant s.o. leave of absence must be accompanied by the necessary evidence, which may also contain health data that can be processed further. In the case of para. 1 sentence 2 no. 1, the expected duration of the illness must be certified by a doctor. Para. 1 sentence 3 and § 6 apply accordingly. The data of the application for a grant s.o. leave of absence will be processed with the previously stored data.
  • Leaves of absence do not count as semesters. A leave of absence generally excludes the acquisition of evidence of achievement or the taking of examinations. It is possible to repeat failed examinations during the leave of absence. Students granted leave of absence in accordance with para. 1 sentence 2 nos. 4 to 6 are entitled to attend courses and to complete university studies and examination performances.
  • A grant s.o. leave of absence in the first semester is only possible in exceptional cases, in particular in the case of para. 1 sentence 2 nos. 1, 4 and 5. A retroactive leave of absence for a semester that has been excluded is excluded.

Reasons for leave of absence according to §8 HSchulImmV HE

  • Type and duration of an illness that excludes proper university studies
  • the completion of a study-related internship that is not part of the university studies
  • a study-related period abroad
  • periods of maternity leave in corresponding application of the Maternity Protection Act in the version published on 20 June 2002 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 2318), last amended by the Act of 23 October 2012 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 2246), the use of parental leave in accordance with Section 15 of the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act in the version published on 27 January 2015 (Federal Law Gazette I p. 33) or the nursing of relatives in need for long-term care according to a doctor's transcript of records
  • Membership of a squad formed at national level (A, B, C or D/C squad) of a top professional association in the German Olympic Sports Confederation
  • Participation as an appointed or elected representative in the academic or student self-management organisation