Why should I "re-enroll"?

For those who want to continue their studies at the same university, re-enrollment for the upcoming semester is mandatory. Students must handle this themselves because the study plan is different for each student. Some might go abroad for an exchange semester and others might move to another German city for a six-month internship. Therefore, to ensure they remain enrolled at the university, students are asked to re-enroll before the next semester.

In case you don't re-enroll within the deadline, the university will have the right to cancel your university enrollment. As a result, you'll have to wait a semester to continue your studies.

How to re-enroll for the next semester?

Starting your next semester isn't complicated at all. Generally, students receive an email from the Student Center at the end of each semester reminding them to re-enroll. Your re-enrollment will be automatically approved after all fees are transferred to the university's bank account. You can use your German current account (Girokonto) to transfer the semester fees. But make sure to:

• Check if you entered the IBAN correctly (International Bank Account Number) or you can compare the BIC (Bank Identification Code) that you received from the university.
• When transferring, don't forget to specify the "purpose of transfer," which is called "Verwendungszweck" in German. Normally, you need to provide your full name and student number found on your student ID card. But EDUBAO suggests checking the emails received from your university.

But sometimes, you can also make a cash payment at the Student Center. The total price for each semester depends entirely on the universities, but the average amount is around 300 euros.

Once you've made your payment, some universities will confirm by sending your enrollment certificate or a semester ticket for your student ID card by email. If your university doesn't respond, you should check their website to verify your status. It generally takes 3 to 5 business days for the payment to be transferred to the university's account.

When do you need to pay the re-enrollment fees?

You need to re-enroll within the deadline specified by the university, even if you don't receive any reminder in your account or email. Usually, you might have 1 to 2 months to make all payments. Here's the normal re-enrollment period:

• Winter semester: from July to August.
• Summer semester: often from early January to the end of February (dates vary by university).

In order not to miss the dates, you need to pay the re-enrollment fees for the next semester at least 5 days before the deadline. It may take a few days before the system approves and confirms your payment. If you don't re-enroll before the deadline, you'll have to pay an additional amount of about 10 to 30 euros when paying your semester contribution.

What to keep in mind?

Most German universities no longer require their students to fill out a re-enrollment form. The "Rückmeldung" now only requires payment of fees and contributions. So, don't forget to prepare the fees before re-enrollment for the next semester.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact EDUBAO. We're always here to help you!