FAQ - Frequently asked questions

1) Which Examinations Office should I contact?

Friedrich Schiller University is a large university with several independently operating Examinations Offices. This can be confusing, especially for students on multi-subject degree programmes. In single-subject degree programmes (e.g. B. Sc., 180LP), only one Examinations Office is responsible for you; in multi-subject degree programmes (e.g. teaching degree), up to three Examinations Offices may be responsible for you.

Please use the following overview as a guide for our degree programmes:

Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences

• B.Sc. Biogeosciences
• B.Sc. Chemistry
• B.Sc. Geography
• B.Sc. Geosciences
• M.Sc. Biogeosciences
• M.Sc. Chemistry
• M.Sc. Chemical Biology
• M.Sc. Chemistry-Energy-Environment
• M.Sc. Chemistry of Materials
• M.Sc. Geography
• M.Sc. Geoinformatics
• M.Sc. Geosciences
• M.Sc. Environmental and Georesource Management

Academic Office for Student Affairs and Examinations (ASPA)

• B.A. Geology (EF)
• B.A. Human Geography (EF)

State examination in teacher training Chemistry and Geography (and extension subject)

• Examinations in Chemistry and Geography (incl. specialised didactics): Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of Chemistry and Earth Sciences
• Examinations in the second subject (incl. subject didactics): depending on the second subject 
• Examinations in Educational Sciences: Academic Office for Student Affairs and Examinations (ASPA)

2) Can I still contact the Academic Office for Student Affairs and Examinations (ASPA) with my concerns?

No. The ASPA is only responsible for degree programmes leading to the Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees. This mainly concerns degree programmes in the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences. The ASPA cannot answer enquiries from students for whom other Examinations Offices are responsible, as there is no access to the respective student accounts or examination files for data protection reasons.

Documents, full) proposals and final year projects received by the ASPA must therefore be forwarded from there to the relevant Examinations Office. As a result, your documents may not be received by the relevant Office for Student Affairs and Examinations in time, which may cause further difficulties.

Therefore, please make sure that you contact the Examinations Office responsible for you directly with your concerns.

3) Can I also use the ASPA application forms for my full proposals?

No. The application forms and documents provided by the ASPA are tailored to the degree programmes, the internal work processes, the sometimes differing Examination Regulations and the decisions|ruling|judgements of the relevant Examinations Committees.

The same applies to the application forms and documents that we make available to you.

As the ASPA and the decentralised Examinations Offices are different facilities|institution|(structural) units that work independently of each other, different application forms are used accordingly.

1) Where can I find application forms?

On the Faculty and University websites you can download

• Forms specifically for the Faculty's degree programmes (e.g. application for admission to Bachelor's/Master's thesis, module registration).
• Forms and materials from the Student Service Centre de (e.g. application for deregistration|removal from the register of students, application for leave of absence, application for change of subject).

2) When will my full proposal be processed? Will I receive re-registration?

(Full) proposals for the Examinations Committees are processed at regular intervals in the Examinations Committee meetings. You will receive written re-registration from the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations.

1) What should an informal (full) proposal look like?

An informal proposal must be written in letter form and must contain the following information:

• Personal details: Surname, first name, student ID number, email address, address and telephone number
• Examination details: degree programme, module name, examination number, examination date, examiner's name, examination attempt (1st, 2nd, 3rd attempt of the examination)

Corresponding proof|evidence must be attached to the full) proposal. The full) proposal is only valid with a signature!

You can also use this formzip, 1 mb · de for your informal full) proposal: Please tick the "Special application" box on the form.

2) Where should the full proposal be submitted?

The signed (full) proposal can be scanned and sent by email, sent by post to the Examinations Office or submitted in person as an original to the Examinations Office. The postal address is: Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Humboldtstr. 11, 07743 Jena. The e-mail address is: studienamt.chemgeo@uni-jena.de

1) I am ill and cannot take part in an examination, seminar or internship. What should I do?

The notification of illness or written proof|evidence of inability to take an examination must be submitted to the Examinations Office within three working days of falling ill - either in person, by post or by email. Notification of illness CANNOT be submitted by fax or telephone.

In the case of missed internship or seminar dates or semester-accompanying services, written proof|evidence of inability to take an examination must not be submitted to the Examinations Office, but to the teaching staff.

You have the following options (since 1 January 2023) to provide proof|evidence of inability to take an examination due to illness:

• Form for determining inability to take an examination: Have this form completed by your doctor and then submit it to the Examinations Office within the period stipulated |on time|in due time: Form for determining inability to take an examinationpdf, 243 kb · de or
• Informal confirmation of inability to take an examination by medical certificate: have your doctor informally confirm your inability to take an examination. Such a certificate should contain the information stated in the form above. Label the certificate on the back with the student ID number, degree programme, examination number, examination name and examination date.

Certificates from internet companies will not be accepted! Online certificates issued by online telemedicine providers will not be accepted.

Sick notes following a video office hours|consultations should be the exception; one requirement for this is that you as a student have already received treatment from this doctor before.

2) Where do I submit my sick note?

You can submit the proof|evidence of your inability to take an examination (completed form/medical certificate)

• in the letterbox in the corridor of the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations,
• by post: Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Humboldtstr. 11, 07743 Jena or
• send by e-mail to: studienamt.chemgeo@uni-jena.de. Please scan the original document and then send it as a PDF.

3) Why is there no longer a "yellow sickness certificate"?

The electronic certificate of incapacity to work|sick note (e-AU) was introduced on 1 January 2023. The previous paper certificate of incapacity for work (the "yellow sickness certificate") is therefore no longer required, with a few exceptions (for example, if your child is ill). Employers must now retrieve the sickness absence data electronically from the health insurance funds.

However, the university does not fulfil the function of an employer towards its students. It is therefore not possible to retrieve this data electronically. Proof|evidence of your inability to take an examination will therefore be provided from 1 January 2023 using one of the options mentioned under 1.).

1) I am pregnant, what do I have to consider?

Please inform the Student Service Centre (SSZ) about your pregnancy.
An official pregnancy notification to the SSZ is necessary in order to be able to take comprehensive protective measures for you and your (unborn) child. Please use the forms provided for this purpose (see https://www.uni-jena.de /mutterschutz) de.

Compilation of an individual risk assessment by the faculty.
Please contact the relevant CGF counselling centre: Dr Rainer Kilian (e-mail: rainer.kilian@uni-jena.de, phone: (03641) 9-48103). In the individual risk assessment, you record which course|classes/modules you (can) continue to complete and, if necessary, determine compensation options with the module leaders.

Forwarding to the Student Service Centre (SSZ)
The completed and signed individual risk assessment (in the original) including any accompanying documents (in copy) will be forwarded to the SSZ.

Further information for pregnant studentspdf, 260 kb · de

1) Where can I find important information on examination regulations?

You can find this information in the Study and Examination Regulations de, in the module catalogueExternal link, in FriedolinExternal link, in the university gazettes de and on the website of the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations.

2) Taking examinations

By taking an examination, you automatically confirm your eligibility to take examinations.

3) How often can I repeat a module examination?

This is regulated in the respective Examination Regulations.

An examination may be repeated a maximum of two times.

1) In what form are the examinations to be taken?

The form of the module examination and its combination can be found in the module descriptions.

Please also note the information on coursework during the semesterpdf, 212 kb · de.

2) Can I change the assessment method?

A change of assessment method can be requested from the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations, stating the reasons. The full proposal must include the examination date and the examiner's confirmation (signature).

1) How do I register for an examination?

Registration must be made no later than ten weeks after the beginning of lecture period. Up to this point, it is possible to cancel a registration directly via FriedolinExternal link without giving reasons, after which the registration is binding. For assessed coursework and examinations scheduled within these 10 weeks, binding registration must be submitted no later than one week before the first examination date. The faculty may make different arrangements for block courses, field trips|study trips or courses that require early advance planning.

Subsequent registration and deregistration for examinations by the Examinations Office is not regulated in the regulations and is not legally binding.

Registrations including registration for examinations for the career-oriented/research-oriented internships must be submitted in good time before the start of the internship via this formzip, 894 kb · de (in the degree programmes B.Sc. Geography, M.Sc. Geography and M.Sc. Geoinformatics 4 weeks in advance, in all other degree programmes 2 weeks in advance).

You are obliged to check your exam registrations and cancellations yourself. To do this, use the menu item "My examinations" in FriedolinExternal link.

Please read the separate FAQ entry for block courses outside the examination registration and deregistration period.

2) I have problems with online registration.

Please send a ticket to the Friedolin team.

3) Will I be automatically registered for the repeat exam?

Yes, you will be automatically registered for your 2nd attempt if it takes place in the current semester.

Please note that you must take the examination on the next possible date.

1) Is exam withdrawal possible?

Exam de-registration is possible within the first ten weeks of lectures directly via Friedolin, provided that no assessed coursework and examinations have yet been completed.

After the 10-week period has expired, withdrawal is only possible in cases of hardship|hardship cases or for other valid reasons.

An exception applies to block courses that fall outside the examination registration and cancellation period. Please read the separate FAQ entry.

2) Exam withdrawal for health reasons

In the event of exam withdrawal, notification of illness must be submitted to the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the faculty (not to the module leader!) without undue delay (within three working days) after falling ill. A parallel cancellation (verbally or by e-mail) to the module leader is recommended.

In the event of notification of illness, the student may not take part in an invigilated) written examination|exam. If they do take part, they automatically declare that they are fit to take the examination. A certificate that is submitted after participation in an examination and before the examination result is announced can generally no longer be recognised|to credit, unless there are special circumstances.

For block courses that are outside the examination registration and deregistration phase (in the winter semester, for example, in February/March, in the summer semester, for example, in September), please also register for the corresponding courses via Friedolin during the regular examination registration phase.

If you realise halfway through the block course that it does not meet your expectations and you do not wish to complete the module with an examination, you can deregister from the examination by sending an email to the Examinations Office , stating:

• Your name and student ID number,
• Module code,
• Module title,
• Examination number and
• Examination date

The Examinations Office cancels your exam registration.

This is an exception, otherwise no subsequent exam registrations or cancellations can be made.

Step-by-step instructions for carrying out the GEO 407 professional internship (for students on the M.Sc. Geoinformatics degree programme):

1. check requirements

• In accordance with the Examination Regulations, the professional internship can be completed once 60 credit points (ECTS)|ECTS credits have been achieved in the first year of study|academic year. Exceptions to this rule are possible.
• If you have already completed a relevant occupation or internship before the programme start|start of studies, you can obtain recognition upon formal request. To do so, you will need a written) confirmation|certificate from your employer and a report on the activity.

2. look for an internship

• The internship must be related to your degree programme and your intended future career. It serves to gain practical professional experience and expand your qualifications.
• There is no entitlement to remuneration, but a fee can be agreed directly with the internship organisation.

3. have the internship approved

• Applyfor approval of the internship to the Chair of the Examinations Committee at least 4 weeks before the start of the internship. The application formzip, 894 kb · de can be found on the Examinations Office website.
• Approval may be refused if the internship does not serve to promote the Geoinformatics degree programme.
• Please note that late application or failure to apply may result in the loss of accident insurance cover.

4. complete an internship

• The internship has a duration of at least 7 weeks for full-time work (approx. 280 hours). In the case of part-time employment, the duration is extended accordingly.
• The internship is part of the university programme and is therefore a compulsory part of the curriculum (module GEO 407).

5. prepare an internship report

• Within one month of completing the internship, you must prepare an internship report.
• In this report, you must present your activities in a comprehensible manner and reflect on them.
• The factual accuracy of the report must be confirmed by the internship provider, who will sign off on the report.

6. submit the report for recognition

• Submit the internship report (including confirmation of factual accuracy by the internship provider) together with the internship authorisation to the chair of the examination board.

7. recogn|to credit of the internship

• The report is assessed as passed / failed within two weeks. If successfully completed, 10 CP are awarded.

8 After the internship is (usually) before the master's dissertation!

• Most students have achieved 90 CP after the internship has been recognised. According to the Examination Regulations, they are therefore obliged to register their Master's thesis within four weeks.
• You should therefore look for a supervisor and a topic early on!

Please clarify with your teacher whether you should provide written work (seminar papers, essays, protocols, etc.) with a declaration of independence signed by you.

Please note: The declaration of independence is mandatory for a final thesis.

The declaration of independence for academic work initially excludes the use of generating AI. However, in consultation with the teacher, the use of AI can be authorised to a precise extent and with the corresponding documentation requirements in an additional declaration of release . The release declaration can be customised by the teacher.

• Download the declaration of independence / academic integritypdf, 143 kb
• Download declaration of releaseExternal link
• Further information on the declaration of independence de

1) How do I register my final year project||dissertation and what do I need to bear in mind?

Final year projects (Bachelor's/Master's dissertations) are usually registered at the end of your degree programme using an application form at the Examinations Office of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences:

• Application for admission to bachelor's dissertationzip, 968 kb · de
• Application for admission to master's dissertationzip, 989 kb · de

You can find an overview of all legal information about your final year project|thesis|dissertation here: Information on writing final year projects|thesis|dissertationzip, 862 kb · de

Please note: The PDFs of the full) proposals must first be downloaded to your PC and can then only be processed correctly by opening the downloaded documents. Opening them in your browser will display incomplete documents.

2) What do I need to consider when submitting my final year project|thesis|dissertation?

The thesis must be submitted as follows:

Date:

• by the deadline (latest possible date: date of submission deadline)
• The final year thesis must be submitted/ sent no later than the day of the submission deadline. The date of the postmark applies to the dispatch of the thesis. Make absolutely sure that the final year thesis is correctly addressed (see below).

Form:

• in three bound (hard)copies
• The thesis must be bound with adhesive binding. Ring or staple binding is not permitted (see question 6).

Place:

You have three different options:

• Personal submission: only by appointment at the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences or
• Deadline mailbox of the Friedrich Schiller University: University Main Building entrance Schlossgasse or
• Postal delivery by registered mail: Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Humboldtstr. 11, 07743 Jena

If you submit the three copies of your final year project|thesis|dissertation via the deadline letterbox or by post, it is essential that you provide the following information:

• your current private address,
• your email address,
• your complete name,
• your degree programme and
• your student ID number

Further requirements are:

For English papers:
The thesis must contain a German summary (mandatory!).

Signed declaration of independence:
The thesis must contain a declaration of independence signed by you. This must state in writing that the work was written independently and that no sources and resources other than those referred to have been used and that quotations and intellectual takeovers have been identified.

The declaration of independence for academic work initially excludes the use of generating AI. However, in consultation with your supervisor|thesis|dissertation or assessment|assessment report|review, the use of AI can be permitted in an additional release declaration to the exact extent and with the corresponding documentation requirements. The declaration of release can be customised by the teacher.

• Download the declaration of independence / academic integritypdf, 143 kb
• Download declaration of releaseExternal link
• Further information on the declaration of independence de

3) Can I hand in my work in person?

Personal submission is possible at the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences and only by appointment. Alternatively, you can use the Friedrich Schiller University Jena's deadline mailbox or send all three copies of your final year project|thesis|dissertation by post. Please also note the information in question 2.

4) May I submit my final year project|thesis|dissertation directly to my assessment|assessment report|review?

No. All three copies of your final year project|thesis|dissertation must be submitted directly to the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations for examination purposes. The Office for Student Affairs and Examinations then forwards the final year project|thesis|dissertation to the assessors by post or internal mail.

5) What should the cover sheet look like?

The Examinations Office is often asked which formal design criteria the cover sheet must contain. There are no specifications for this. Nevertheless, we provide you with design options from previous final year projects|thesis|dissertations:

• Template
• cover sheet final year project|thesis|dissertation Bachelordocx, 4 mb · de
• Template
• cover sheet final year project|thesis|dissertation Masterdocx, 5 mb · de

6) Perfect binding, clamp binding or ring binding: What is allowed?

The final year project|thesis|dissertation must be firmly bound. These types of binding may not be used, as pages can be detached from the thesis at a later date in the case of perfect binding and ring binding. The thesis must be bound with perfect binding. Whether you opt for a hardcover or a paperback version is up to you.

7) How can I extend the processing time for my final year project|thesis|dissertation?

If you need to extend your Bachelor's or Master's dissertation, please submit an application for an extension of the final year project|thesis|dissertationzip, 954 kb · de to the Examinations Office at least two weeks before the deadline. The full proposal must be accompanied by a written statement from the supervisor|mentor. The time of the extension should be appropriate to the reason for the extension; multiple extensions until the maximum possible time has been exhausted are desired.

An extension may be granted for the following reasons:

• changes for which the student is not responsible (e.g. proof|evidence of failure of a central measuring device over a longer period of time, unavailable workplace due to remodelling, move|relocation, etc.),
• significant, unforeseeable changes in the work schedule (these must be proven),
• change of supervisor (e.g. in the event of departure, in the event of a change of supervisor) e.g. departure, illness or conflict situations, etc.) and
• private reasons recognised as a case of hardship|hardship case (cases of hardship are: e.g. death in the family, care of family members, unforeseeable life circumstances, illness of a child, etc.).

Please note: The PDF of the full) proposal must first be downloaded to your PC and can then only be processed correctly by opening the downloaded document. Opening it in your browser will display incomplete documents.

1) I have irrevocably failed an examination. Can I or do I still have to take examinations for other modules after I have been notified of this status?

Examinations can still be taken until deregistration|removal from the register of students. From the day of deregistration|removal from the register of students, the right to take an examination automatically expires. Registered examinations that you no longer wish to take must be cancelled in writing at the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations.

1) Regulation of a hardship application for Geography - Secondary School Teacher Training (Regelschule)

The Teacher Examination Board announces that a case of hardship is defined as an unforeseeable event that is directly (temporally) related to the examination and in which it can be assumed that the applicant could not or only to a limited extent access their performance as a result. The following criteria are used for the examination of hardship applications:

1. the submission of the hardship application within the period stipulated,
2. the conformity of the circumstances presented with the above definition of a case of hardship,
3. the proof of the hardship application with official documents (e.g. sickness certificate).

If the assessment of at least one criterion is negative, a hardship application cannot be granted.

Have you been having doubts about your degree programme for some time and these doubts are not getting any less from semester to semester? Are you thinking about changing subject or university or wondering whether studying is the right thing for you? Here you will find extensive information and tips on the topic "Doubts in your studies - Finding the right path and rethinking your own situation" de.

We also recommend a personal counselling session: Depending on your concerns, there are different contact persons, such as the Central Student Advisory Service de, the Academic Advisory Service de or various counselling centres within the Thuringia student services organisationExternal link. The staff at the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations will also be happy to help you. Here you will find an overview of important central contact points and counselling services for students at the university.

1) Can I de-register|remove from the register of students if I have a resit exam after the end of the semester?

If it is a repeat examination, you do not need to re-register for the following semester.

2) Can I de-register|remove from the register of students if I am still writing my final year project|thesis|dissertation?

When you register your final year project|thesis|dissertation, you must be enrolled|to matriculate. However, you can de-register|remove from the register of students if you are still working on your final year project|thesis|dissertation.

3) Can I de-register|remove from the register of students if I have submitted my final year project|thesis|dissertation but have not yet received an assessment|assessment report|review?

Yes, deregistration|removal from the register of students is possible.

4) Where can I de-register|remove from the register of students?

You can obtain the "Application for deregistration" form and further information from the Student Service Centre (SSZ) de.

Among other things, the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations requires you to deregister upon formal request. Please send the completed form, preferably as a PDF, by email to studienamt.chemgeo@uni-jena.de.

Alternatively, you can also deregister in person at the Office for Student Affairs and Examinations (please make an appointment in advance!) or send the completed form by post to: Office for Student Affairs and Examinations, Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Humboldtstr. 11, 07743 Jena.

You will receive a confirmation of cancellation from us. For a complete deregistration|removal from the register of students, please submit the form to the SSZExternal linkde via the Service DeskExternal linkde.

5) Special feature for students of Biosciences and Geosciences

In this case, a routing slip from the institute (IGW) must be submitted in order to obtain the signature of the Examinations de Office on the de-registration form de.

This is required by the institute to ensure that no outstanding balances/liabilities are left open by students when they leave the university.

You can obtain the withdrawal forms from the Institute Secretariat, Burgweg 11.