Index

How do the examination and grading system at FAU work? (Info valid from WS 24/25)

First of all, it is important for you to understand that the exam system at FAU is probably very different from what you are used to from your home country. Hence, it is not recommended to approach the exams at FAU with your expectations and preparation strategies that you are used to, as they may lead you to failure and consequently, at lot of frustration.

On a positive note, you have a good chance at doing well in your exams if you are aware of the following:

  • You will not be able to pass exams if you just memorize the lecture content and reproduce it in the exam. You can also not expect that the exam questions will cover exactly what has been taught in the lecture and exercises. The teaching philosophy at FAU is that you should understand the course contents on such a deep level that you are able to apply the acquired knowledge to new tasks, even if you have never seen those tasks before. The exam design and questions vary from semester to semester. If you have to take a repeat exam, it is not going to look the same as your previous exam.
  • All exams can only be taken once per semester. They either take place in the first exam period (= first two weeks of the holidays) or in the second one (last four weeks of the holidays – the second exam period partly coincides with the beginning of the new semester). Exams will only be offered in one of those two periods. Please be aware that both examination periods can be slightly extended (regarding their start or end date), if there are public holidays within those periods or major time/room conflicts occur. It is therefore not recommeded to book flights/holiday trips etc. close to the exam periods.
  • You have to register for exams via the Campo system. It is only open for registration for three weeks in the middle of the lecture period. Your lecturers and study advisor will let you know when the exam registration starts. Attending a lecture doesn’t mean that you have to take the corresponding exam or are automatically registered for it. You have to register for every exam you want to take otherwise you cannot participate!
  • You generally have a maximum of four attempts for each exam (exception: you have only two attempts for the master’s thesis). If you fail an exam you can decide if and when you want to register for the repeat exam. For the few mandatory modules in your program (see footnotes in your module catalog), you have to pass the exam at some point during your studies, but you can decide if you want to take the repeat exam(s) in the following semester(s) or later. We strongly recommend that you register for your repeat exams in the semester following your failed attempt, as it is not guaranteed that the repeat exam will be offered for a prolonged period of time. You should avoid postponing exams and tendencies of procrastination, as you will self-sabotage your studies this way (please keep your duration of studies and your study visa in mind!). If you fail a non-mandatory exam, you can choose not to register for the repeat exam but to take another exam from the same module group instead. For this new module, you will start again with your first exam attempt.
  • If you fail a fourth attempt for any exam, you are deregistered from our Medical Engineerig program and cannot return to it.
  • If you have registered for an exam and don’t feel well-prepared you can undo your registration via your Campo account until the end of the third working day (Mon-Fri, public holidays don’t count) before the exam day. After that deadline, you can only cancel your registration with a medical certificate, which you have to send to our examinations officer Mrs. Jahreis (helga.jahreis[at)fau.de).
  • If you have passed an exam you cannot repeat it in order to improve your grade. Failed exam attempts will not be listed in your final transcript of records or Master’s certificate. All passed exams will be listed in your transcript of records.
  • The best grade in the German academic system is 1.0, the worst passing grade is 4.0:
Grades Interpretation
1.0/1.3 Very Good
1.7/2.0/2.3 Good
2.7/3.0/3.3 Satisfactory
3.7/4.0 Sufficient
4.3/4.7/5.0 Unsatisfactory

I have failed an exam attempt for a module. What should I do now? (Info valid from WS 24/25)

If you have failed an examination in the compulsory elective area (=all module groups in the master’s program with the exception of the compulsory modules, see footnotes in your module catalog), you have two options:

  1. You can repeat the same examination in one of the following semesters. Please note that there is no automatic compulsory registration, but you must actively register yourself for the repeat exam in your desired semester via the Campo portal during the official exam registration period.
  2. Alternatively, you can simply not register for the repeat examination and instead register for other examinations from the same module group.

In any case, you must fulfill the ECTS requirement for the module group by the end of your studies, e.g. you must have passed modules worth 10 ECTS or 20 ECTS from the respective module group.

In the elective area (Free Choice Uni/M8 and Flexible Budget Faculty of Engineering and Economics/M7), you can also either repeat your original examination or choose to register for a new examination permitted for this area.

In both cases, if you register for a new examination, the failed attempts of the old module will not be transferred. You therefore start each newly registered exam again with a first attempt.

Life in Germany is expensive and my buget is really tight – how can I save money in my daily life?

  • Grocery shopping: The communally organized food cooperative Teilerei in Erlangen sells food that doesn’t look “pretty” enough to be sold in regular supermarkets or produce from the gardens of local citizens etc. There is no fixed price for the goods but everybody can pay what they can afford at the moment.
  • Transportation: Make sure to get the student discount ticket for public transport.
  • Furniture and household items: You can get very affordable second hand items in good condition at Erlanger Trödelhalle. The facebook group “Erlangen verschenkt” (i.e. Erlangen donates) is an online space where people post anything from matrasses to smaller items which they either donate or sell for a very low price.
  • Smaller household items and clothes: You can make great bargains at the outdoor second hand market which takes place on Bohlenplatz in Erlangen on every first Saturday of the month (open from the early morning until the afternoon). It is also a good idea to get your own sales stand there at the end of your studies if you have any items you would like to sell before you leave Erlangen.
  • Clothes: The second hand shop KleiderKaffee close to the Faculty of Engineering sells mainly clothes but also smaller household items. ALDI supermarket sells affordable new clothes and shoes from time to time; those offers are announced in the weekly info leaflet you can pick up at Aldi or you can look them up online. Since these products are extremely sought-after, you have to be there early in the morning on the day they are are introduced to make your bargain.
  • Notebook/tablet, books or other study materials: Students in need can apply for the Oskar Karl Forster scholarship to receive financial support to buy necessary study materials.

What do I have to do if I want to stay in Germany after graduation?

Graduates of German universities can apply for a job seeker visa of 18 months and use this time to find employment in Germany. Please find further information here: https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types/job-search-opportunity-card

Once you receive a job offer, you have to apply for a work visa at the immigrations office.

Do you have any tips for international students coming to Germany for the first time?

Yes, of course!

We highly recommend that you start with this short video, which introduces you to a few main characteristics of German culture.

In order to get an realistic idea of what university life will look like for you, this introduction to the German academic system by Prof. Andreas Maier (Head of our Pattern Recognition Lab at FAU) is a must-read! Alternatively, you can watch a video version of it here.

You can find more detailed information about housing, health insurance, etc. in our Welcome Brochure.

Moreover, we recommend that you watch this video series by the international student association DEGIS. It prepares you for all important aspects of your student life in Germany (studying, working, saving money, making friends) and gives peer-to-peer advice.

When it comes to the German academic system, it is crucial for your study success to understand that your study experience at FAU will differ in many aspects from your studies in your home country and that you will need to adjust to these differences, such as:

  • how the university and its infrastructure are organized
  • how students and teachers interact in class, how students communicate with lecturers, staff and other students
  • what exams look like and how you prepare for them
  • which services the university offers (and which it doesn’t offer)
  • which activities students engage in in their free time
  • etc.

But don’t be scared! If you have an open mind and are willing to learn about these differences, you will find that they broaden your horizon and enrich your life. If you are unsure whether the intercultural experience is for you or want to prepare for your time at FAU, you can take this online course offered by the Virtual University of Bavaria (VHB). You have to create a user account, but it is free of cost!

This general introduction to German culture and etiquette on Reddit will enable you to manage social life in Germany. If you want to learn about life in Germany in a broader sense (society, politics, tips and tricks for expats), we recommend this informative and entertaining podcast by The local.

Is it possible to work part-time and finish the master’s degree in four semesters?

Experience shows that it is close to impossible to graduate from our master’s program within the standard period of studies of 4 semesters if you need to work a significant amount of hours (~20 hours per week) alongside your studies. This is due to the fact that study programs in Germany are designed to be a “full-time job”, meaning that you will only be able to pass your exams and fulfill the standard workload of 30 credits per semester if you actually make your studies your main priority and dedicate most of your time to them. A regular full-time job is defined as a time commitment of 35 to 40 hours per week, which you spend attending classes and preparing/revising your course material at home.

Studying with a low time commitment (due to work obligations etc.) will either result in your eventual deregistration from the program (due to failed last exam attempts) or in the need to extend your study period to 5, 6 (or, in justified cases, even more) semesters. Please be aware that this extension will affect your planned financial budget significantly! Unfortunately, we have seen many, especially international, students drop out of our study program because they were unable to handle the double burden of work and our highly demanding study system. Please take care of yourself and assess your financial possibilities as well as your mental and physical health before you take on this challenge.

What is a semester leave/leave from studies/”vacation”semester and under which circumstances can I take one?

A leave from studies is a semester in which you stay an enrolled student (i.e. you re-register and pay the semester fee) but which doesn’t count as a regular semester (i.e. it counts as zero). It can/should be taken if you cannot study in a regular fashion in a given semester because:

  • you are seriously ill for a prolonged period of time and a medical doctor in Germany (not a psychologist!) certifies that you will be unfit to study for the whole semester
  • you are pregnant or on parental leave
  • you are doing a voluntary internship at a company which covers at least 7 weeks of the lecture period
  • you are studying abroad in the framework of an exchange program
  • you provide care for a sick family member who resides with you in Germany and can provide proof of the same.

You cannot get a leave from studies because

  • you want to visit your family in your home country
  • you need more time to work in order to finance your life in Germany
  • you are overwhelmed with your studies and need a time buffer to finish them
  • you want to extend your study visa.

Please note that you are not allowed to register any  first attempts for exams while you are on a leave from studies. You cannot register or submit your master’s thesis or give the thesis presentation either. You are allowed to take repeat exams, however.

In order to take a leave from studies, you need to re-register for the upcoming semester (in the first week of July or in the first week of February) and submit the respective form together with the relevant certificates to our Students Records Office before the lecture period of the new semester starts. Only exception: If the reason for the leave (severe illness, pregnany, care for a sick family member) occurs afte the lecture period has already begun, you can still apply for the leave from studies until two months after the beginning of the lecture period. You cannot take a leave from studies after this deadline or for semesters that have already passed.

The official legal guidelines for the leave from studies can be found here (in English).

I was admitted with the condition to submit my bachelor’s certificate within one year. To whom do I have to submit my bachelor’s certificate?

You need to submit your bachelor’s certificate to our Student Records Office (not your study coordinator). Only if you submit your bachelor’s certficate in time (i.e. until the end of your second semester at the very latest), you can be re-registerd for your third semester.

Can I stay enrolled for 1 or 2 more semesters after I graduate to keep my residence permit?

You will stay an enrolled student of our Medical Engineering program until the end of the semester in which you graduate, but you cannot extend your enrollment beyond that deadline.

Since your residence permit for study purposes expires at the end of the semester in which you graduate, you need to apply for a job seeker visa in due time in order to be able to stay in Germany after that. The job seeker visa is valid for 18 months, starting from your graduation date. Please inform yourself about this option at your responsible immigrations office in time.

If you receive a job offer you have to apply for a work visa at the immigrations office.

If you want to enroll in another English-taught master’s program at FAU in the subsequent semester after your graduation you need to officially apply for this program and receive admission for it. In addition, you must obtain the permission by the immigration authorities to start another study program (even if you plan is not to finish it and just to buy some time this way, e.g. to take German courses or look for a job).

Are all people who teach at FAU professors (and should I address them as such)?

In Germany, “professor” is not only a job description but an academic title that is obtained after a doctorate/PhD. A person who teaches at university is not automatically a professor, therefore you should only call them “Prof.” in emails or in direct communication if they actually hold the respective title.

In the 20th century, after their doctorate, German scholars who wished to go into academia usually worked towards a Habilitation by writing a second thesis, known as the Habilitationsschrift. Once the scholar passes their Habilitation, they are eligible for a call to a chair. Only if their application for a university chair (e.g. Chair for Pattern Recognition etc.) is successful they are now considered a professor and can bear the respective title.

Since 2002 alternative paths can also lead to a full professorship. One can reach a professorship at a university by habilitation, a successful evaluation as a junior professorship (after 5 years), a tenure track period (6 years) or equivalent performance. In engineering this is often attained through expert knowledge in the industry.

It is important for you to know who of your university teachers have a PhD and who are professors in the German understanding of the word, as only the “real” professors are authorized to assign you a thesis topic or supervise a PhD project.