Students in park (c) Jonas Kron

FAQ

The answers to our frequently asked questions are updated on a regular basis. If you are a prospective student, please also refer to the FAQ page of our Academic Advisory Service.

If you have any questions when using the THWS CampusPortal, please also read the FAQ page of our THWS CampusPortal.

If you have any question that is not answered below, please do not hesitate to contact us using our contact form.

General examination deadlines for studying at THWS

Bachelor’s programmes

Students who started their studies at THWS before WS 2023/24

General examination deadlines
  • Fundamental and orientation exams must be taken for the first time no later than by the end of the second programme semester.
  • Each examination in the first two semesters must be taken for the first time by the end of the third semester (exception: Bachelor's programme in Specialised Translation).
  • Each examination in the third and fourth semesters must be taken for the first time by the end of the sixth semester.
  • All other examinations must be taken for the first time by the end of the standard period of study plus two semesters.
Consequences
  • Failure to complete exams within a given examination period will lead to a first so-called “Fristfünf”, which means “non-sufficient due to not completing the exam within a given examination period”. In this case, the exam needs to be retaken in accordance with §36 of the General Examination Regulations (APO).

Students who started their studies at THWS from WS 2023/2024 onwards

General examination deadlines
  • Fundamental and orientation exams must be taken for the first time no later than by the end of the second programme semester.
  • All other examinations must be taken for the first time by the end of the standard period of study plus two semesters.
Consequences
  • Failure to complete exams within a given examination period will lead to a first so-called “Fristfünf”, which means “non-sufficient due to not completing the exam within a given examination period”. In this case, the exam needs to be retaken in accordance with §36 of the General Examination Regulations (APO).

Besides, please note:

General examination deadlines
  • By the end of the 2nd programme semester, a student needs to have achieved at least 21 ECTS credits from examinations of the first two semesters (cf. Appendix to the Study and Examination Regulations). (exception: Bachelor's programme in Specialised Translation)
  • By the end of the 4th semester, a student needs to have achieved at least 66 ECTS credits from examinations in the first four semesters (cf. Appendix to the Study and Examination Regulations).
Consequences
  • Failure to reach the ECTS threshold will result in immediate de-registration at the end of the respective semester.

Consecutive Master’s programmes

Students who started their studies at THWS before WS 2023/24

General examination deadlines
  • Programme-specific deadlines under §8 of the respective study and examination regulation (e.g. "Each examination in the first semester must be taken for the first time within the first two semesters.")
  • All other examinations must be taken for the first time by the end of the standard period of study plus two semesters.
    Consequences
    • Failure to complete exams within a given examination period will lead to a first so-called “Fristfünf”, which means “non-sufficient due to not completing the exam within a given examination period”. In this case, the exam needs to be retaken in accordance with §36 of the General Examination Regulations (APO).

    Students who started their studies at THWS from WS 2023/2024 onwards

    General examination deadlines
    • All examinations must be taken for the first time by the end of the standard period of study plus two semesters.
    Consequences
    • Failure to complete exams within a given examination period will lead to a first so-called “Fristfünf”, which means “non-sufficient due to not completing the exam within a given examination period”. In this case, the exam needs to be retaken in accordance with §36 of the General Examination Regulations (APO).

    Besides, please note:

    General examination deadlines
    • By the end of the 2nd programme semester, a student needs to achieve at least 21 ECTS credits from examinations of the first two semesters (cf. Appendix of the Study and Examination Regulations).
    Consequences
    • Failure to reach the ECTS threshold will result in immediate de-registration at the end of the respective semester.

    Advanced training Master's degree programme subject to tuition fees

    Students who started their studies at THWS before WS 2023/24

    General examination deadlines
    • Programme-specific deadlines under §8 of the respective study and examination regulation (e.g. "Each examination in the first semester must be taken for the first time within the first two semesters.")
    • All other examinations must be taken for the first time by the end of the standard period of study plus two semesters.
    Consequences
    • Failure to complete exams within a given examination period will lead to a first so-called “Fristfünf”, which means “non-sufficient due to not completing the exam within a given examination period”. In this case, the exam needs to be retaken in accordance with §36 of the General Examination Regulations (APO).

    Students who started their studies at THWS from WS 2023/2024 onwards

    General examination deadlines
    • All examinations must be taken for the first time by the end of the standard period of study plus two semesters.
    Consequences
    • Failure to complete exams within a given examination period will lead to a first so-called “Fristfünf”, which means “non-sufficient due to not completing the exam within a given examination period”. In this case, the exam needs to be retaken in accordance with §36 of the General Examination Regulations (APO).

    Concluding remarks

    The above is a simplified representation of the examination deadlines at THWS. The examination deadlines that apply specifically to your degree programme can be found in §8 (for Master's degree programmes) or §9 (for Bachelor's degree programmes) of your Study and Examination Regulations (SPO) in the section "Standard deadlines and time limits".

    If you have any further questions, please contact our Student Services via the contact form.

    Application & Enrolment

    1 Do you accept certificates from other higher education institutions (grade certificates, mandatory consultations etc.)?

    Yes, in general we do accept those certificates if they are recognised as being equal. Please upload them during the application process. We will contact you directly in case of questions.

    2 I still don’t have my average grade. By when do I have to have it?

    In principle, we need your average grade by the following dates: for bachelor’s programmes by 15 January or 27 July, for master’s programmes by 15 January or 15 August of the respective year of application. There may be different provisions for degree programmes with open admission. In this case, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

    3 Do I have to do a pre-study internship? By when do I have to do it and what are the requirements?

    Each degree programme has its own provisions concerning the pre-study internship and its content requirements. For more information, please check the overview of FHWS degree programme profiles.

    4 I applied for the VPD. By when do I have to upload it?

    Your VPD (preliminary review documentation) has to be made available by 15 January or 27 July of the respective year of application. There may be exceptions for degree programmes with open admission. In this case, please contact us directly at helpdesk.hsst[at]fhws.de.

    5 Can I apply for several degree programmes?

    Yes, you can apply for multiple degree programmes at a time. If you are admitted to more than one, you can choose freely. Enrolment, however, is possible for only one degree programme. Please note: In case of degree programmes with restricted admission at hochschulstart.de, the number of applications is limited to twelve.

    6 How can I upload more than 8 documents?

    If you want to upload many documents, please put together multiple documents to one meaningful PDF file and choose an explicit name for it.

    7 The section on previous studies is supposedly missing information and has been refused. What can I do?

    Please take care to enter all periods of previous study not only at German higher education institutions, but also higher education institutions abroad. Make sure to also enter existing study periods at FHWS. After that, submit your application again.

    8 Will the enrolment procedure require my personal attendance?

    When you have been admitted, the procedure for accepting the place as well as enrolling and providing all required information/documents takes place digitally via our online application portal APPLY.

    The exact procedure is available from our page Information for 1st year students.

    9 My status in APPLY doesn’t change. Is there an error?

    We get numerous applications during the application period and all of them have to be reviewed. This may lead to extended processing times during the application period. If your status doesn’t change for more than two weeks, please contact us by e-mail to helpdesk.hsst[at]fhws.de and tell us the programme you applied for as well as your applicant number.

    10 When will I receive the letter of admission?

    After you submitted all necessary documents, you will receive the letter of admission in the application portal, in the case of programmes with restricted admission you will receive it via hochschulstart.de. When you accepted the offered study place, the letter of admission will be made available as a PDF file in the online application portal APPLY. There will be no postal delivery.

    11 I can’t find the degree programme I studied previously in the list of programmes in the CV section of the online application portal.

    If you can’t find the exact degree programme you studied previously, please select the one that is closely related to it. With the help of your transcript of records, we should be able to identify the exact degree programme.

    12 Should I apply even though I do not yet have my school leaving certificate/diploma?

    Absolutely! Please apply even if you do not yet have your school leaving certificate/diploma, otherwise the application deadline may expire. You can submit your certificate/diploma at a later date (by uploading it to the application portal).

    13 How do I apply for admission as guest student?

    Please submit a completely signed registration form for guest students (available in German only).
    Please be sure to consult the Department of Student Affairs (HSST) first, as there are special conditions for guest students (e.g. no participation in exams etc.).

    14 Do I need to provide language certificates for my degree programme and if so, which ones?

    For detailed information, please check the provided information about language requirements.

    15 I'd like to study two degree programmes at the same time, is this possible?

    In principle, studying more than one programme is only possible for exceptional cases. In addition, the responsible faculty (or faculties) have to approve each individual case. For more information, please check the provided information about parallel studies (available only in German).

    16 Does FHWS offer a semester ticket for public transport?

    Yes, we do. For detailed information about the semester ticket for public transport, please check the web page on the FHWS Card.

    17 When will I receive my personal login data for the FHWS IT systems so I know the enrolment process was successfully completed?

    Even if you have arranged for the semester fee to be transferred well in advance, the incoming payment is only checked shortly before the semester begins. This is why you will receive your personal login data not before this checking process is completed. You will find the login data in your account of the online application portal APPLY.

    Therefore, please be patient until September (start in a winter semester) or March (start in a summer semester) and refrain from enquiring about the receipt of payment before that time.

    18 When will I know if my application for a Bachelor's programme with a numerus clausus (NC) is successful?

    Hochschulstart determines admission offers in a highly dynamic process in which prioritisation by applicants plays a major role. Since the chance for admission depends to a large extent on the acceptance behaviour of the other applicants, FHWS cannot make a statement on this and applicants must be patient.

    Even if you receive a letter of rejection at the end of the coordination phase because your ranking is too low, there is still the possibility of receiving an admission offer via an FHWS-internal move-up procedure from mid-September to mid-October at the latest, if there are still places available.

    Exams & Course of Study

    1 What examination deadlines are relevant to me for my studies?

    For a simplified presentation of relevant examination deadlines, please see General examination deadlines for studying at THWS

    2 I am ill during the examination period, what can I do?

    If you have to meet a deadline for taking an exam, please submit the form Application for deadline extension / de-registration from examination(s) as well as a medical certificate immediately (within 1 or 2 days) to the Department of Student Affairs (HSST). Make sure that the medical certificates meets the requirements; see the application form for more information.

    3 There is a grade missing or another error in my transcript of records, what can I do?

    In case of errors in your transcript of records, please contact the Department of Student Affairs (HSST).

    4 My personal data (address, name, etc.) has changed, where can I correct them?

    You can change your contact information yourself anytime in the FHWS CampusPortal. If your name has changed, please contact the Department of Student Affairs (HSST) providing relevant proof.

    5 I changed health insurance companies, where do I have to report this?

    If you change your health insurance company, please contact your new health insurance company and ask them to send us a new digital insurance certificate.

    6 I forgot to register for exams or haven’t fully completed the registration for exams.

    Please contact the Department of Student Affairs (HSST) in due time. Your examination committee will decide upon late registrations.

    7 When are my exam results published?

    The publication date of exam results is specified in the academic calendar issued by the examination board. Delays for singular exams may happen as an exception.

    8 I have to take the third attempt of an exam, what can I do in case of de-registration?

     If you face de-registration, please make sure to apply for another degree programme already before the exam (if you want to continue studying at FHWS). It is important that you have a plan B, as it is not possible to apply after the exam results have been published.

    9 How do I learn about the decision on my application for deadline extension / de-registration from examination(s)?

    You can recognise successful de-registrations from examinations in the THWS CampusPortal by the deletion of the registration through HSST. In any other case you receive a notice in the area “Student Service” in the CampusPortal. In the case your application for deadline extension / de-registration from an examination is declined, you will also receive a notice via post to the address communicated to us.

    10 I want to enter the practical semester / internship semester, what do I have to do?

    Please check your study and examination regulations (SPO) to find out about the requirements. We only need a copy of your internship contract before the internship begins.

    11 How can I apply for a semester of leave?

    Please fill out and submit the application for leave of absence (for family or other reasons) to the Department of Student Affairs (HSST).

    12 I want to improve my grade in a course I already passed, how can I apply for this?

    You have to apply for grade improvement by completing the application form for grade improvement.

    Please note that the Department of Student Affairs (HSST) will perform the exam registration in the FHWS CampusPortal for you once your application for grade improvement was accepted by HSST.

    Please note: As a rule, the claim for grade improvement expires 6 months after the first attempt at the examination, i.e. the application must be submitted in the following examination period. An extension of the deadline is excluded in this context.

    13 I had an accident at FHWS or on the way to/from it, what can I do?

    If you had an accident (at FHWS, at an FHWS event, or on the way to FHWS or home), please complete the accident report for students (available only in German) and submit it to the Department of Student Affairs (HSST). In case of an accident on the way to/from FHWS, please also submit the questionnaire for commuting accidents (available only in German).

    14 Where do I get the proof of my achievements (Leistungsbescheinigung) for the BAföG office?

    The BAföG office will provide all necessary forms and informs about the required periods to be proven. We are happy to assist you in filling out the forms and giving the required information. The form is also available as download in our form centre.

    15 How can I give someone a proxy authorisation (to pick up documents or obtain information)?

    By providing an informal written authorization, you can send your proxy to pick up documents for you.

    16 I am pregnant, does anyone have to know?

    Information as well as the form to notify us of your pregnancy and explanations in English on how to complete it, are available in our form centre.

    17 How can I register my bachelor’s thesis?

    In order to register your bachelor’s thesis, you will first need a professor supervising your thesis. Together with this supervisor, you can complete the form to register your thesis which is provided by your faculty. It has to be signed by your supervisor as well as yourself. The requirements have to be met in accordance with your study and examination regulations (SPO). The registration form has to be submitted generally before you start work on your thesis (about 2 weeks before).

    18 Where do I find information about courses and contact hours of my lecturers?

    Comprehensive information about all courses as well as contact information of your lecturers is available on the pages of your faculty. The Department of Student Affairs (HSST) does not have any information about that.

    19 When will I receive the enrolment certificate for the upcoming semester?

    You can download the enrolment certificate from the FHWS CampusPortal.

    At the commencement of studies and after successful enrolment, we will provide the enrolment certificate for the first semester in the CampusPortal no later than 14 days before the start of the upcoming semester.

    In the course of your studies, we will provide the enrolment certificate after successful re-enrolment for the upcoming semester after debit of the semester fee.

    Graduation, De-registration & Fees

    1 I will graduate this semester, do I have to re-enrol?

    If you can foresee that you finish your studies at the end of the semester, please do not re-enrol. In case of unforeseen delay, you can re-enrol by bank transfer immediately at the start of the next semester.

    2 After the end of my studies, how long do I stay enrolled?

    You will stay enrolled until the end of the semester, even if you graduated already at the start of the semester.
    However, you may submit a special request form to be de-registered earlier. Usually, it is no problem to stay enrolled until the end of the semester, even if you are already employed.

    3 By when does the last grade have to be published so I can finish my studies by the end of the semester?

    You have successfully completed your studies when the degree grade is published in the online FHWS CampusPortal with legal effect. Please take into account that until the publication of your degree grade, there will also be time needed for assessing your thesis, determining the grade of your thesis by the examination committee and calculating your degree grade.
    Generally speaking, your degree grade should be available at the Department of Student Affairs (HSST) about three weeks before the end of the semester to enable graduation by the end of the semester. In case your bachelor’s thesis is the last piece of coursework you have to deliver for your graduation, please discuss this with your supervising professor.

    4 When and how will I get my degree certificate?

    When your degree grade is published in the FHWS CampusPortal, we start finalising your degree certificate and related documents. As it takes some time to create the documents and especially to get them signed, we must ask you to bear with us. 

    Upon completion of the documents we will contact you again. You can then collect the documents in person at HSST during office hours, or have a person authorised by procura collect them).

    5 How is the degree grade calculated?

    Your degree grade is calculated in accordance with the appendix to your study and examination regulations taking into account the specified weighting factors.

    6 I applied for master’s studies at another higher education institution, where can I get a certificate of my preliminary degree grade?

    In this case, please contact your HSST contact person.

    7 How can I get a confirmation of my studies for the German pension insurance fund (Rentenversicherung)?

    Please complete the form provided by the German Rentenversicherung including your degree programme and submit it to the Department of Student Affairs (HSST).

    8 How can I de-register from FHWS?

    The de-registration form is available in our form centre. Please note that de-registering retroactively is not possible.

    9 Where can I get an overview of my payments to the Studentenwerk?

    An overview of your payments to the Studentenwerk is available on request from the Department of Student Affairs (HSST).

    10 When do I get a refund of my payments to the Studentenwerk?

    If a refund of already paid semester fees can be made in accordance with the statutes of the Studentenwerk, this will officially be initiated by us. A special application for this is not required.

    11 What can I do after de-registration?

    You can contact the Academic Advisory Service. They will advise you and inform you about your opportunities after finishing your studies.