At the universities in the state of Hesse, undergraduate programs can be completed on a part-time basis. The requirement for this is that there are no admission restrictions for the corresponding semester and that the study and examination regulations of the chosen degree program do not exclude part-time studies. To find out whether or not this is the case for your degree program, please refer to the "
Satzung für die Festsetzung von Zulassungszahlen in zulassungsbeschränkten Studiengängen" (Statutes for Determining Admission Numbers in Degree Programs with Restricted Admission) for the current semester.
Part-time students must apply to the Registrar's Office using the appropriate form.
Please note: The application is preceded by an obligatory interview with the student advisor regarding the organization and planning of the degree program. The advisor's signature on the application is confirmation that the interview has taken place. Without this signature, the application cannot be processed. You can find the advisor responsible for you in your program description under "Beratung im Fachbereich" (advising in the faculty).
Reasons for part-time study may include:
- employment (including self-employment) with an average weekly working time of 14-28 hours for a minimum of 2 semesters from the date of application (please attach current proof such as employment certificates, employment contracts, etc.)
- care of a child under 10 years of age living in the same household (proof: birth certificate)
- care of a close relative (proof: certificate of care needs assessment with assignment to a care level, as well as an official proof of appointment as a caregiver).
- disability or chronic illness
- membership in an A, B, or C squad or comparable support structures of a national elite sports association in Olympic or Paralympic sports.
- for any other important reason (please provide reasons and supporting documents on a separate sheet if necessary)
Procedure: The application for part-time study is available for download on this page or can be obtained from the Registrar's Office. Prior to submitting the application, you need to consult with academic advising. Please send the completed and signed application along with the relevant documents by regular mail to the Registrar's Office.
Deadlines: Applications for the summer semester must be submitted by May 1, and for the winter semester by November 1.
Application address: Goethe University, Studium Lehre Internationales, Registrar's Office, 60629 Frankfurt
Important: Please note that part-time study can only be pursued within the standard period of study for the respective program and for a maximum of double the standard period of study (in terms of semesters).
Part-time study is not possible in a double-degree program.
Please also consider the potential implications of part-time study on student financial aid (BAföG), child benefits, and part-time jobs. Relevant institutions can provide further information.
Procedural note: Approval for part-time study is granted for two semesters. A re-registration hold is imposed for the semester following the approved period. This means that despite having paid the semester fees, you will not be automatically re-registered for that semester. You must either submit a re-application (see below) to the Registrar's Office or inform them in writing about continuing your studies full-time. Retroactive approval of part-time study is excluded according to legal provisions.
Re-application: A re-application must demonstrate reasonable progress in your studies (certificate from the examination office). For modularized degree programs, an additional certificate (from the examination office) is required, stating that during the previous part-time study, no more than 50% of the credit points or proof of academic achievement prescribed for full-time study were acquired. If such a certificate cannot be issued yet for reasons relating to organizing the examination, please contact the Registrar's Office to request an extension of the deadline for submitting the corresponding certificate.
