Part-time study in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences

“Part-time study” is an individually requested way of studying in which a maximum of 18 ECTS credits can be earned per semester. While studying part-time, you attend the regular courses listed in the course catalog. This means that there is no separate schedule and no courses at special times for students who are studying part-time.

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The faculty recommends that students who wish to take advantage of the part-time study option make extensive use of the university’s internal advisory services and the relevant advice centers outside the university in order to plan the commencement and structure of their part-time studies in the best possible way.
For individual phases of the course, a certain time commitment cannot be avoided (e.g. thesis, research project, internships), so part-time study is not possible during these phases.
You can apply to study part-time more than once. Please note that you cannot apply for part-time study retroactively for semesters that have already been completed.
If the reason for allowing you to study part-time no longer applies, you must inform the university immediately.

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Studying part-time offers you two main advantages:

1. While studying part-time, only one subject-related semester will be counted for two part-time semesters. This way, at the end of your studies, the total duration of studies in subject-related semesters better reflects the time you were able to invest in your studies.
2. Part-time study gives you greater flexibility in terms of time for other commitments, e.g. work or family. This allows you to complete your studies over a longer period with a reduced workload, as the deadlines are extended. 

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Depending on your individual situation, the status of studying part-time may entail the following disadvantages (among others). Therefore, we strongly recommend that you clarify your situation with the relevant bodies outside the university in advance:

1. Loss of entitlement to BAföG
2. Impact on social benefits (e.g. orphan’s pension)
3. Impact on residence status (for foreign students)
4. Impact on health insurance
5. Loss of the opportunity to work as a student trainee
6. Tax disadvantages (for parents) and possible loss of entitlement to child benefit
7. Impact on scholarships

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• Part-time study is possible only in the Agricultural Sciences and Biobased Products and Bioenergy Bachelor’s programs as well as in the Agribusiness and Organic Agriculture and Food Systems (Single Degree) Master’s programs.

• You must demonstrate one of the following reasons for studying part-time:

- Employment or self-employment (at least 14 hours of regular weekly working hours)
- Caring for a child up to the age of 10
- Caring for a relative
- Disability or chronic illness which prevents you from studying full-time
- Involvement in high-performance sport
- You are a representative in the university’s academic and student self-administration or the Studierendenwerk
- Other comparable reasons

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It will likely not be possible to apply for the 2025/2026 winter semester until mid-August!

Applications for part-time study must be submitted by 31 Oct for the winter semester and by 30 April for the summer semester .

Please submit your application for Part-time study in HohCampus and upload your supporting documents there as well (Service > Applications > Notification of Change).

Note: Your application cannot be processed until you are re-registered/enrolled in the semester you have applied for.

Required supporting documents

Suitable supporting documents must be submitted with your application to study part-time:

• Proof of employment usually takes the form of an employment relationship subject to social insurance contributions with regular weekly working hours of at least 14 hours.
• Proof of self-employment can take the form of an entry in the commercial register, a business registration with the city/municipality, a (redacted) income tax assessment notice, a certificate from an accountant, or similar.  
• Birth certificate of the child you are caring for. (Usually, caring for a child means any child up to the age of 10 as defined in Section 25 (5) of the Federal Student Financing Act (BAföG).) 
• Evidence of registration as a caregiver. (Caring for a relative usually means a person who is assigned to a care level according to Section 15 (1) of the German Social Code – Book XI.)
• Medical certificate confirming that you have a disability or chronic illness which prevents you from studying full-time.
• Certificate from the club or team in which you participate in high-performance sport.
• Certificate from the university’s committee unit, Fachschaft or Studierendenwerk.
• Other suitable supporting documents.

Note: The university may request supporting documents throughout the duration of your part-time study.

Decision on the application

The examination board decides whether to allow a student to study part-time. A decision on whether to allow part-time study cannot be made until all required supporting documentation is received.

Permission to study part-time is always granted for the semester applied for, and then remains valid for the following semesters. Retroactive permission will not be granted.

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• While you are studying part-time, you may earn a maximum of 18 ECTS credits per semester.
• The time allowed for completing the Bachelor’s thesis and the deadlines for completing work within modules are not extended when you study part-time.
• If the Master’s thesis or other modules/projects comprise more than 18 ECTS credits, these can only be completed in a full-time semester.
• If the reason for allowing you to study part-time no longer applies, you must inform the university immediately.
• You may not study for another degree at the same time as you are studying part-time.

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When do I have to switch to full-time study?

• As soon as the reasons for studying part-time cease to apply, you must notify the university without delay. Your part-time study will then end from the following semester.

• If you plan to earn more than 18 ECTS credits in one semester, you must stop studying part-time and switch to studying full-time.

• If the university finds that the reasons for studying part-time no longer apply and this has not been reported, or you have earned more than 18 ECTS while studying part-time, your permission to study part-time will be revoked. This means that it will no longer be possible for you to study part-time for the remainder of your studies.

Returning to full-time study

Applications for returning to full-time study must be submitted by 31 Oct for the winter semester and by 30 April for the summer semester . 
Please submit your application to return to full-time study in HohCampus (Service > Applications > Notification of Change). 

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