Information about Long-term Study Fees
 

1. When are Long-term Study Fees due?

Long-term study fees of the following sums are due as soon as students exceed the prescribed length of study plus 4 tolerance semesters: 600 Euros from the following 1st semester, 700 Euros from the following 3rd semester and 800 Euros from the following 5th semester.

2. Rules governing Exemption from Long-term Study Fees

The following students are exempt from paying the long-term study fees,

• Students who have been granted an academic leave of absence
• Students who are actually responsible for the care of a child who is under the age of 14 at the beginning of the semester within the meaning of § 25 Par. 5 BAföG (Federal Training Assistance Act). (This is proven by the birth certificate as well as a certificate of residence for the current calendar year. Exemption can then be made for two semesters; the supporting documents must then be re-submitted. Changes in situation during the exemption period must be reported to the registration office without delay)
• Students who, according to a certificate from a health insurance company’s medical services department, care for a dependent in need of medical care. This refers to actual care within a shared residence. Dependents are married partners, direct relations i.e. children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents sharing a residence, as well as adoptive and foster children. A current medical evaluation must be provided for every semester
• Students who already study at another university on a shared course and have to pay study fees there
• Students who are completing a period of study abroad, stipulated by the course guidelines
• Students who are completing a practical semester which has been stipulated by the course guidelines
• Students that are older than 60 years of age and owe study fees according to § 13 Par.4 NHG.

3. Waiver of the Long-term Study Fees

A waiver or a partial waiver of the study fees is possible if the payment of this fee would lead to unreasonable hardships. "As a rule", an unreasonable hardship exists when

• A handicap or severe illness has prolonged the duration of study: evidence of this must be provided by an official doctor's certificate (The application deadline is one month after the end of lectures for the semester.)
• The duration of study is prolonged due to the student being the victim of a criminal offence (the application deadline is one month after the end of lectures for the semester).
• A financial emergency during the final semester (Resolution of the Presidium of Leibniz Universität Hannover dated 28th August 2009). This reason for exemption only applies to the final examination semester and can only be applied once. This waiver is only for students who are not eligible loan § 11a Par. 2 NHG. Evidence is provided by means of a declaration of income (statements from the last semester) and a certificate from the responsible examination office. Income should, as a rule, be under the highest qualifying level for a student loan (for single people 670 Euros and for married couples 1,340 Euros).The application deadline ends one month after the end of lectures for the semester.

Applications for exemption can be made up until the deadline for renewal.
Subject to the payment of the study fees, applications may be submitted up one month after the end of the lectures for the semester (= approximately middle/end of August or middle/end of March).

4. Procedure

Students that need to pay the long-term study fees for the coming semester will be given an early opportunity in the shape of a written hearing to make a statement about their study data and claim exceptional circumstances (see No. 2) if appropriate evidence is submitted. The final course data is set based on this. If it is established that, according to the procedure in § 11 Par. 1 Clause 2 in conjunction with period defined in Par. 2 Clause 3, study fees no longer need to be paid, fee notifications are sent. After the fee notification has been received, an application can be submitted together with an application for exemption from the long-term study fees - this is sent enclosed with the fee notification - (see no. 4). The long-term study fees must be paid together with the semester fees for the following semester. Anyone who has not paid these fees on time will be de-registered.

Excerpt from the Lower Saxony University and College Act (NHG):

• Excerpt from the NHG (German) (276 kB)

The Requests are available in the ServiceCenter as well as in the Internet:

• Applications Forms