Exemption from Payment of the Semester Fee and Reimbursement

Exemption from payment of the semester fee requires you to be granted leave of absence by your university or academy (sabbatical semester) and to provide evidence of your absence from the study location of Leipzig during the entire semester.

Leave of absence granted by your university or academy

Any questions regarding a leave of absence may only be answered at the University‘s registrar’s office (Studierendensekretariat) or by the university or academy employees responsible for study matters, as the case may be.
A leave of absence granted by university or academy does not automatically entail the exemption from payment of the semester fee.

Application for Exemption from Payment of the Semester Fee

The decision concerning exemption from payment of the semester fee lies with Studentenwerk Leipzig. Proof of absence from the study location of Leipzig during the entire semester is a decisive factor for the exemption from payment. Furthermore, the application for exemption from payment of the semester fee must be accompanied by proof of leave of absence approved by the university/academy.

The application for exemption from payment of the semester fee must be submitted to Studentenwerk Leipzig in writing and separately for each semester using the relevant form sheet (applications to be found under Documents for Download at the end of this page). The complete application including any proof of absence must be submitted to and received by Studentenwerk Leipzig no later than the last working day before the beginning of the semester for which you apply the exemption. Regarding submittal of applications and deadlines, § 3, Section 2, of the Studentenwerk Leipzig Beitragsordnung must be observed.

When submitting such application, absence from Leipzig must be verified by means of an official confirmation of absence, i. e. the activity tying you to a place other than Leipzig must be fully documented for the entire 6 month period of the respective semester, without any gaps (such period being determined by the semester term of the respectively relevant university or academy in Leipzig!). Such confirmation of absence must include the exact start and end dates of your absence from Leipzig. If there is more than one reason of absence during one semester, the respective confirmations of absence must cover the entire semester term without any gaps.

The following documents may, among others, serve as confirmation of absence:

1. in case of studying abroad:

• certificate of enrolment at the hosting university, or
• binding commitment issued by the hosting university regarding the allocation of a place of study (e. g. letter of acceptance, pre-registration or other similar documents), or
• ERASMUS Learning Agreement (signed and stamped by the hosting university)

Please note that even for lecture-free periods during your stay at the hosting university a proof of enrolment without any gaps must be submitted.

2. for an internship abroad:

• internship contract or formal confirmation issued by the internship company specifying the exact period, the training objective, the supervisor and the time scope (e.g. number of hours)

3. for a domestic internship:

• internship contract or formal confirmation issued by the internship company specifying the exact period, the training objective, the supervisor and the time scope (e.g. number of hours)

and

• confirmation of residence at the place of internship outside of Leipzig (e. g. a copy of your ID card, official proof of residence, valid tenancy agreement)
• if you rent an apartment or room in Leipzig, a proof of disuse is required (e.g. cancellation, subletting, etc.).

4. in case of illness:

• doctor’s certificate stating that you will not be able to pursue your studies during the entire semester

and

• confirmation of residence outside of Leipzig (e. g. a copy of your ID card, official proof of residence, valid tenancy agreement)
• if you rent an apartment or room in Leipzig, a proof of disuse is required (e.g. cancellation, subletting, etc.).

5. in case of pregnancy and/or parental leave:

• doctor’s certificate or maternity log and/or
• the child’s birth certificate

and

• confirmation of residence outside of Leipzig (e. g. a copy of your ID card, official proof of residence, valid tenancy agreement)
• if you rent an apartment or room in Leipzig, a proof of disuse is required (e.g. cancellation, subletting, etc.).

Confirmation of absence must always be up-to-date and valid for the respective semester and issued by the external institution to which you are bound during your sabbatical semester (e.g. by the foreign university or academy, the internship company, or in case of illness by the attending doctor).

Such confirmation must be an official confirmation given by said external institution, i.e. such document must unequivocally indicate the institution by which it is being issued, meaning it must be written on the authority’s or department’s or company’s own stationery and bear a signature with the title of the responsible employee and the authority’s or department’s or company’s own stamp. Therefore, E-mails written by said external institution may not be accepted as official confirmation of absence!

Renewal of Enrolment

Renewal of enrolment (Rückmeldung) in case of a leave of absence is only complete if the application for leave of absence and the application for exemption from payment of the semester fee have been approved (make sure to observe the deadlines for renewal of enrolment of your university/academy!). If an exemption cannot be granted, only timely payment of the semester fee including the fee for the Mobility Fund and the basic rate for the semester ticket and/or the amount payable for the MDV ticket will complete the renewal of enrolment at your university or academy.

Please note: The decision concerning exemption from payment of the Beitrag for Student Council members lies with those Student Council members themselves. The Leipzig University Student Council (Student_innenRat) has assigned this task related to the exemption from payment of the semester fee to Studentenwerk Leipzig.

Re-registration already done

If the exemption is approved only after the re-registration at the university or academy, refunding of the already paid semester fee must be applied for on a separate form and providing the necessary evidence (see information on application form) to Studentenwerk.

Students disenrolling after enrolling or renewing their enrolment before the beginning of a semester or withdrawing their enrolment (waiver of admission to university) within the deadlines in place at the respective university/academy are, upon application, eligible for reimbursement of the semester fee paid by them for the respective semester.

This application must be submitted to Studentenwerk Leipzig in writing using the relevant form sheet (applications for reimbursement to be found under Documents for Download at the end of this page) and must be received by Studentenwerk Leipzig no later than prior to the beginning of the lecture period of the semester for which reimbursement is solicited. The certificate of disenrollment and/or the confirmation of the waiver of admission to university issued by the respective university/academy must be enclosed in this application. When submitting the application for reimbursement, the student card must be presented to check the imprint (if no student card was issued, this must be communicated). After the imprint has been checked, further action may be required. Regarding submittal of the applications and deadlines § 3, Section 3, of the Studentenwerk Leipzig Beitragsordnung  (regulations on the semester fee)  must be observed.

For further information, please go to our Semester Ticket page.

For further information, please go to our Semester Ticket page.

For further information, please go to our Semester Ticket page.