Most of the modules in the modularized study programmes are completed with an exam. As soon as you have registered for a module, you have registered for the exam as well. Here you find some advice concerning the examination procedures. Make sure that you acquaint yourselves with the specific regulations for your department or institute!

Decision on examination dates

Examination dates must be decided on and communicated to students in due time. Oral communication about these dates in class is useful, but not sufficient. Written information on an information board or the web page of the department / institute is indispensable. It is the students’ obligation to check these information sources on a regular basis.

Obligatory examination dates

The examination board may decide that examination dates are obligatory (“bindende Prüfungstermine”). “Obligatory” means that you have to withdraw before the deadline if you have the intention not to take the exam. When an examination date is declared as obligatory this has to be communicated together with the date itself. As long as such a decision has not been taken, examination dates are not obligatory.

If you have taken leave of absence for a given semester, examination dates are considered as “not obligatory” for you.

Withdrawal from an examination

Whenever an examination date has been declared as obligatory, a deadline must be fixed and communicated until which you may withdraw without stating a reason. This deadline shall end not earlier than two weeks before the examination date. A withdrawal deadline of, for example, 14 days means that the deadline is 14 days before the examination date and for a withdrawal in due time, you have to declare your withdrawal on that day at the latest (please check with the examiner or the examination office what the formal procedure is in your department).

After the deadline you may withdraw from an examination with obligatory dates only when you have a good reason for doing so such as illness or the death of a close relative. You must provide evidence for this, in case of illness a doctor’s statement must be handed to the examination office three working days after the examination days at the latest.

Withdrawal from non-obligatory examination dates is not necessary but both examiners and the administrative staff will be grateful for any communication!

Until further notice, withdrawal cannot be executed via Campus Management. Please contact the examiner or the examination office!

Failure to turn up

If you fail to turn up at an obligatory examination date without having withdrawn (and no medical statement is filed subsequently), the examination will be graded as “insufficient (5,0)” or “fail” and considered as an attempt which is counted against the maximum number of attempts!

Seminar papers / Essays

As soon as you have been assigned the topic for a seminar paper or essay, the examination is considered as having started. This means that you have to hand in your work before the deadline you have been given, otherwise you will be graded “insufficient (5,0)” or “fail” and the attempt will be counted against the maximum number of attempts!

If you have a good reason for not handing in your work before the deadline (see above), please contact the examiner and / or the examination board immediately. Depending on the duration of your illness compared to the overall handling time of your paper, either the deadline will be adjusted or the examination will be cancelled and postponed.

Retaking examinations

In most programmes, examinations can be retaken three times after a Fail. For some programmes, the examination regulations stipulate that examinations can be retaken only twice. Students must register for the final attempt at an examination at the appropriate Prüfungsbüro (examinations office). The examination will then be administered by two examiners. In addition, the examinations office will inform students of counselling options available both in their department and at the Center for Academic Advising and Psychological Counseling.

The regulations on retaking examinations came into effect on 1 October, 2015. Any attempts made before that date will not be counted.

Finally failing at an examination

If you fail at the final attempt for a module examination, the module itself is considered as failed. If that module is a compulsory requirement for your programme, you cannot continue in your studies.

In such cases you will be informed separately by the examination board.

Further information

The overall procedures for examinations are laid out in the “Rahmenstudien- und prüfungsordnung” (General study and examination regulations) of FU Berlin, which can be downloaded here (in German).

In most programmes, examinations can be retaken three times after a Fail. For some programmes, the examination regulations stipulate that examinations can be retaken only twice. Students must register for the final attempt at an examination at the appropriate Prüfungsbüro (examinations office). The examination will then be administered by two examiners. In addition, the examinations office will inform students of counselling options available both in their department and at the Center for Academic Advising and Psychological Counseling.

The regulations on retaking examinations came into effect on 1 October, 2015. Any attempts made before that date will not be counted.