What should I do in case of illness or force majeure?
Force Majeure
Illness or other forms of force majeure can be the cause of absence during lessons/exercises/examinations/practics/evaluations.
What applies to illness also applies to other forms of force majeure.
What should I do if I am absent during the academic year?
There are no general regulations regarding the mandatory reporting of absence if you are ill during the academic year.
Short illness period
You do not have to report a short period of illness that only has an impact on theoretical lessons.
Longer illness period
A longer period of time may well be reported to the Faculty Student Administration (FSA).
Practics or exercises
For practics or exercises where attendance is required (non-period evaluation!), inform the teacher and the FSA immediately. With the latter you also submit a medical certificate.
If possible, the teacher may impose a compensatory activity.
Most faculties have internal guidelines for this.
Long-term illness
In the event of a long-term illness of a few months, you may consider applying for special status on the basis of exceptional social or personal circumstances.
What should I do if I am ill or absent during the exam period?
- Immediately inform the exam secretariat of your absence at the latest on the day of the exam/evaluation itself.
- Submit the necessary medical certificate within 3 working days after the exam/evaluation.
- Contact the examiners involved with the question whether a catch-up exam is possible.
A catch-up exam can only be organised within the same exam period. If you are no longer able to take all the exams within the same exam period, you will not have passed and you can automatically participate in the resit examination period. If you are not able to take an exam in the resit examination period and there is no catch-up exam, you will have to take the course back into your curriculum in the next academic year.
What is a valid medical certificate?
If you are ill or have had an accident, you must submit a medical certificate from a physician who certifies that he/she effectively examined you at the latest on the day of the missed exam or evaluation moment (e.g. non-periodic evaluation in practicals and exercises where presence is required) and determined the illness or the consequences of the accident himself/herself.
A certificate that only mentions your declaration (dixit certificate) or a certificate that was written after the start of your illness or accident (post factum certificate) is not valid.
A medical certificate about practicing sports activities must state in detail which movements you are not allowed to do.
Covid-19
For students with Covid-19, the following medical certificates are accepted as a valid medical certificate:
- a certificate of a positive PCR test
- a certificate of a positive rapid antigen test taken by the pharmacy
- a valid medical certificate from a physician, as described above
A self test taken at home does not count as a valid medical certificate.
More info
Education and Examination Code