Notes on exam withdrawal

or discontinuation or failure to complete an examination on time in accordance with the APO

According to the General Examination Regulations for Bachelor's and Master's degree programs at Osnabrück University (APO), you have the option of withdrawing in writing to the Examinations Office or the examiner up to one week before the examination date without giving reasons. After this deadline, withdrawal or termination is only possible if there are valid reasons.

If you have not deregistered from an examination by the deadline and

  1. do not appear on the examination date without good reason OR
  2. withdraw from the examination after it has started without good reason OR
  3. fail to complete an examination within the specified time limit without good reason OR
  4. fail to meet the submission deadline for a written examination without good reason,

the examination will be graded as "insufficient" (5.0).

If valid reasons are claimed for the failure or withdrawal, this must be reported to the responsible Examination Board immediately and as soon as possible in written form and made credible. The decision as to whether a valid reason exists (e.g. in the form of inability to take the examination) is the responsibility of the responsible Examination Board. This committee also decides whether the submission deadline for an examination should be postponed accordingly, whether the postponed submission should be taken into account in the assessment or whether a new assignment should be set if a submission deadline cannot be met for a valid reason.

In addition to your own health reasons, a valid reason may be, for example, the illness of your own child or a relative you are caring for. As a family-friendly university, the University endeavors to make decisions in the interests of students with family commitments. The provisions of the Maternity Protection Act and the Federal Parental Allowance and Parental Leave Act will be taken into account.

If you have a valid reason for being unable to take an examination for your own health reasons, please fill in the personal details (point 1) on the  form for determining inability to take an examination due to illness (PDF, 184 kB). Furthermore, the inability to take the examination must be evidenced by a medical certificate. The certificate must contain the following information:

  • Confirmation that there are symptoms of illness relevant to the examination that significantly restrict mental and/or physical performance.
  • Confirmation that it is not a matter of fluctuations in daily form, examination stress or examination anxiety, which only insignificantly restrict the inability to perform. (Note: Examination anxiety and examination stress are generally part of the examinee's risk area and therefore do not constitute a significant impairment of performance in the sense of an inability to take an examination, unless they reach the level of a mental illness).
  • Duration

Your doctor can fill in the above-mentioned form under point 2; alternatively, a certificate from your doctor can be attached to the form, stating the information required under point 2.

Please note that a simple certificate of incapacity for work cannot be used to determine incapacity for examinations!