Admissions Office

An overview of semester dates for past, current and upcoming semesters can be accessed here.

If you have successfully re-registered for the current semester – or if you are a new student who has paid their semester fee after being enrolled – you can access and print out your enrollment certificate and/or a certificate for BAFöG (in accordance with §9 BAFöG – Federal Training Assistance Act) in your student management account.

You can find a short step-by-step guide here.

A refund of the semester ticket fee is possible under certain circumstances, for example in the case of a semester abroad, prolonged illness, double enrollment, disability, or an approved leave of absence.

To receive a refund, an application must be submitted to the Admissions Office. The application form and an information sheet with further details can be found on the right under ‘Applications and Forms’.

Application deadlines:

Summer semester: April 15
Winter semester: October 15

All additional documents required for the application must also be submitted to the Admissions Office by these dates.

If your student ID card has already been validated for the semester, it must be revalidated after approval so that the semester ticket can be removed. The newly validated card must be presented to the Admissions Office by April 20 or October 20 at the latest. Only then can the refund be processed. To speed up the process, we recommend validating your student ID for the next semester only after your refund application has been approved.

Process overview:

• Submit the application with all required documents to the Admissions Office by the deadline (April 15/October 15).
• Wait for the confirmation email.
• Revalidate your card if necessary (by April 20/October 20).
• Present the newly validated card to the Admissions Office.
• Wait for the refund to be transferred to your account.

If you have any questions, the Admissions Office will be happy to help!

Enrollment may be revoked for a summer semester by April 15 and by October 15 for a winter semester. For a revocation of enrollment to be effective, the original application for de-registration must be submitted to the Admissions Office by the above dates either by post or in person. The application for reimbursement of the semester fee may be submitted together with the application for de-registration. The Student Card must be included together with the application for reimbursement of the semester fee.

Once the de-registration application has been received by the Admissions Office, it will be checked and de-registration will follow thereafter. The health insurance provider (Krankenkasse) will be informed about the de-registration. The semester fee will be reimbursed subject to the deduction of an administration fee of 30 euros. Please note that the semester fee will not be reimbursed if the Student Card is not included with the reimbursement application. 

The period of enrollment at Hochschule Geisenheim University does not equal time spent studying.

If you have not yet enrolled, but have already transferred the semester fee, please complete the application form for reimbursement of the semester fee and forward it in the original to the Admissions Office.

As of January 1, 2018, the German Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz) now applies to female students who have predefined, compulsory training events with a set location, time, or schedule, or if they are required to complete an internship as part of their education.

Pregnant students automatically receive maternity protection – no application is necessary.

Your Rights

• Exams: As a rule, you do not have to take any exams six weeks before and eight weeks after the birth.
• Compulsory events: You can request exemption from events with compulsory attendance, excursions, and laboratory and internship activities.
• Working hours: Expectant and nursing mothers (up to 12 months after giving birth) may not be employed between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. or on Sundays and public holidays.

Female students can voluntarily waive these rights during maternity leave, even after the birth. This requires a written declaration to the Admissions Office or Examination Board. This declaration can be revoked at any time.

Risk Assessment

Hochschule Geisenheim University must carry out a risk assessment for every pregnant student who reports her pregnancy. The assessment form is used to determine whether the pregnant woman is exposed to health hazards and whether protective measures must be taken during pregnancy or the breastfeeding without this being disadvantageous to the student.

In order for Hochschule Geisenheim University to comply with maternity protection regulations, all students are advised to notify the Admissions Office of their pregnancy and expected date of delivery as soon as they are aware of these facts. There is no obligation to notify the university. However, if they do not, they voluntarily waive the measures regulated in the Maternity Protection Act.

Advice and Further Information

Balancing family and studies/maternity leave:
Family Services Office (Beata Szabo)
Tel.: +49 6722 502 691
E-mail: Beata.Szabo(at)hs-gm.de

Risk assessment and occupational safety:
Dr. Karsten Rose
Tel.: +49 6722 502 283
E-mail: Karsten.Rose(at)hs-gm.de

General study-related questions:
Admissions Office
Tel.: +49 6722 502 700
E-mail: studierendenbuero(at)hs-gm.de 

For questions relating to your exams, please contact the Examinations Office's contact person for your degree program.

Useful Links and Contact Data for the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

Gesetz zur Neuregelung des Mutterschutzrechts, BGBl, Nr. 30 vom 29.5.2017 (Amendment of Maternity Protection Act)

Leitfaden zum neuen Mutterschutzgesetz (Broschüre) (Guidelines for new Maternity Protection Act)

Telephone: 004-30/201 799 130 (Mon–Thu, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.)

In accordance with §8 of Hessen’s University Enrollment Regulation (Immatrikulationsverordnung), dated 24.02.2010, last amended by the Regulation dated 23.04.2013 (GVBI p. 191 dated 17.05.2013), leave of absence can only be granted for serious and compelling reasons, e.g.:

• where illness prevents proper academic study,
• for the completion of a study-related internship which is not part of the degree course,
• for a study-related stay abroad,
• for a period of maternity leave in accordance with the German Maternity Protection Act (Mutterschutzgesetz), for a period of parental leave (Elternzeit) in accordance with §15 of the Federal Child-Raising Allowance Act (Bundeserziehungsgeldgesetz), for periods of medically approved care of dependent relatives,
• membership of a national squad (A, B, C or D/C squad) of one of the central sports associations of the Deutscher Sportbund.
• participation as an appointed or elected representative in an academic or student self-government body.

Applications for leave of absence must be made in writing, stating reasons and, with the exception of cases 1 and 4, submitted by the deadlines specified on the application form. The required supporting documents should be attached.  Students who have been granted leave of absence must still pay the semester fee(s) for the respective semester(s) by the due date.

Further information

PART-TIME STUDY IN ACCORDANCE WITH §9 OF HESSEN’S ENROLMENT REGULATION  (IMMATRIKULATIONSVERORDNUNG)

( §9 ImmaVerordnung des Landes Hessen)

Applicants and students can enroll for part-time study in non restricted-admission Bachelor’s degree courses, provided that this is not excluded by the examination regulations (Prüfungsordnung) and provided they cannot complete the degree course as full-time students due to employment, care of dependent relatives, a disability or chronic illness which affects their studies or other similar compelling reasons.

• As a rule, proof must be provided that the employment relationship comprises a regular weekly working period of a minimum of 14 and maximum of 28 hours.
• As a rule, bringing up a child aged 10 years and under or proven care of close relatives with an assigned care level (Pflegestufe) are classed as ‘care of dependent relatives’.
• A disability or chronic illness must be documented by a medical certificate (ärztliche Bescheinigung).
• An example for a ‘compelling reason’ would be any membership of University bodies, the student body (Studierendenschaft) or student services (Studentenwerk) which involves a considerable time commitment.
• Part-time study may be commenced and repeatedly continued in every semester within the standard prescribed period of study, whereby the maximum extension of the study period must not exceed twice the standard prescribed period of study.

Appropriate documentary evidence must be submitted together with the application.

Important note for BAföG student loan recipients: As part-time study does not normally qualify for funding, we recommend that, before deciding on part-time study, you contact the Amt für Ausbildungsförderung for advice on the possible consequences and on further funding: Studentenwerk Frankfurt

De-registration means ending university membership and occurs when students have successfully completed their studies. If you wish to withdraw from the University during your course of study (in order to continue your studies at a different university, for example, or because you do not wish to continue your studies), you can apply to the Admissions Office (Studierendenbüro) for same-day de-registration (i.e. with immediate effect) or with effect from the end of the current semester. Please note the deadlines for reimbursement of the semester fee. These are April 15 for a summer semester and October 15 for a winter semester. Applications received after these deadlines will not be reimbursed.

In accordance with §59 Hessisches Hochschulgesetz (Hessen Higher Education Act), the University will terminate the student status of students who

• were registered on the basis of an incorrect admission certificate and this certificate was withdrawn,
• have failed to correctly re-register for the next semester,
• have failed to pay their contribution to the relevant health insurance provider (Krankenkasse),
• have failed to pass a preliminary, intermediate or final examination at the final attempt.

You can download the de-registration application form here.

The Student Card must be submitted together with the de-registration application form.

Please note that the Application for Reimbursement of the Semester Fee is a separate form and must be submitted separately (please note the deadlines). You’ll find it here.

Information regarding Articles 13 and 14 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for Students can be accessed here.

You can access the current regulations regarding enrollment, re-registration, leaves of absence, de-registration, attending the university as an auditing student, part-time studies, and the processing of students' and doctoral candidates' personal data at universities in the state of Hesse (Hessische Immatrikulationsverordnung), dated February 24, 2010, here.