Information for Students

Students who cannot devote at least half of their working time to their studies for an important reason can be granted leave of absence upon application. Important reasons are, for example, illness, childcare or a stay abroad.

Semesters of leave do not count as semesters of study. A leave of absence generally excludes the acquisition of study and examination credits (exceptions are examination repetitions and examinations during study abroad). The application is made via STiNE. Please note the deadlines for the application, which must be submitted in advance: Leave for a summer semester must be applied for by January 31, for a winter semester by June 30.

First-year students (1st semester) can only apply for leave of absence in exceptional cases.

Further information can be found on the pages of the CampusCenter.

In general - and many studies prove it: For a good passing of a module, attendance is the key to success.

In exercises, seminars, practical courses, projects and other courses, with the exception of lectures, attendance is generally compulsory. In such courses, according to Section 9 (2) of the MIN Examination Regulations B.Sc./M.Sc., it is required as a condition for active participation that you have missed no more than 15% of the sessions. In the normal case of a course with 13-14 weekly appointments over the lecture period of the semester, this means that you will be set inactive by the organizers if you have missed more than two appointments. If there are fewer appointments with compulsory attendance (e.g. a block seminar that takes place compressed in the form of two full-day appointments on a weekend), missing even one appointment will usually result in inactivation. Active participation is also not fulfilled if you have not completed the course work defined in the module description (e.g. received 50% of the points from the assignment sheets in an exercise) as part of the course.

The consequence of an inactivation is that the module cannot be completed for the time being and initially no credit points are acquired: For module completion with credit point acquisition, you need to actively participate (at least) once in each course of the module - for which registration is sufficient in "pure" lectures (without integrated exercise or similar), since inactivation is excluded. If you still want to complete the module (which is mandatory in case of a compulsory module), you have to attend the course again in one of the following semesters without being set inactive.

Active participation cannot be "overwritten" in later semesters: For example, if you have actively participated in an exercise, but failed the exam in the same module and participate in the exercise again in the following year for repetition purposes, your active exercise participation will not be revoked even if you are set inactive this time.

To check whether you have actively participated in a course from previous semesters, proceed as follows: After logging into STiNE, click on "Studying" in the navigation bar at the top, then click on "Course Results" in the sidebar (under "Exams"). Select the semester in question from the dropdown box in the main window, then click on the "Exams" link to the right of the respective module. In the pop-up window that appears, there will be a green check mark behind events with active participation. Please note that STiNE initially assumes active participation as "default" after registration for a current or future course and that inactivation normally only occurs "collectively" at the end of the semester, i.e. for courses in the current or next semester, the presence of the green check mark does not yet represent confirmation that you have taken part actively. If you cannot participate in a course with alternative offers in each semester (e.g. proseminar, seminar, internship) and at the same time the deregistration period (which usually runs until Thursday in the second week of lectures of a semester) has started, you can ask the organizers to confirm your inactivity. You can ask the organizers to bring forward your inactivation in order to be able to choose an alternative course in time for the registration phase of the following semester - because as long as you are (still) registered as an active participant, it is not possible to register for an alternative course.

Also note that there is no limit to the number of attempts for active participation in courses (unlike exams), i.e. you can repeat participation in an event in which you have always been placed inactive up to now as often as you like.

If you are not responsible for the violation of the attendance obligation in a course, e.g. in case of illness, the organizers have the possibility according to Section 9 (2) of the MIN Examination Regulations B.Sc./M.Sc. to waive the inactivation in exchange for the fulfillment of a requirement defined by them as a substitute performance (e.g. completion of an additional homework). If this happens, however, it is a voluntary concession on the part of the organizer(s): You have no right to the granting of such a requirement. Please understand that - especially in "large events" - the organizers are not in a position to individually design and assess such requirements due to capacity reasons.

In the case of a disability or chronic illness that makes it a disproportionate hardship for you to meet the terms of normally required attendance or course work, you may be eligible for an adjustment in terms of disadvantage compensation.

The Councelling Centre for Study Financing (BeSt) of the Studierendenwerk Hamburg provides free and independent advice to all prospective students and students on BAföG, scholarships, student loans and educational loans.

For contact options and further information on BAföG, please refer to the Studierendenwerk website on study financing.

If you are enrolled in a Bachelor's degree and receive BAföG, you must submit a Certificate of Academic Achievement ("usual academic achievements") to the BAföG office after the 3rd or 4th semester as a certificate according to §48 BAföG, so that you can continue to receive BAföG. Please contact the Academic Office Informatics for issuance of this certificate.

At the CampusCenter, potential students, applicants and students can find all important information under one roof. Here you will find the Services for Students (SfS), the Central Student Advisory Service and Psychological Counseling (ZSPB), the Quality and Law Department, the Office for the Interests of Students with Disabilities or Chronic Illness, RRZ Services, and the International Affairs Department with its "Studying Abroad" and "International Doctoral Studies" advisory services. Short general concerns can be quickly clarified at the ServicePoint and ServiceTelephone. Common topics in the course of studies are:

• Change of address
• Applications for part-time study, semester of academic leave
• Semester fee, semester ticket, student ID – also loss notification!
• Graduation, withdrawing from the University

Information about the handicapped accessibility of the buildings: www.uni-hamburg.de/campus-zugaenglichkeit

Please notify the University of your change of address so that we always have your current contact information.

For the address change that you cannot make yourself in STiNE, please contact the CampusCenter.

Each and every student at the university has a student e-mail address. This video shows why it is so important to use it, what advantages it offers and how you can integrate it into various mail programs:

The local ethics commission of the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences of the University of Hamburg comments on the ethical justifiability of research projects involving human subjects as well as research projects with personal data upon request.

Applications can be submitted by all students and members of the Department of Informatics of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences of the University of Hamburg. Applications are especially recommended for experiments that expose subjects to risks, or for studies in which subjects are not fully informed about the aims and procedures of the study. Applications can be submitted at any time. However, please note the deadlines by which applications must be received in order to be considered at the next meeting.

If you are unable to attend a module exam due to illness, please complete the following form and submit it immediately by mail to the Academic Office for Informatics:

• "Examination Incapacity-Sickness Notification for Module Examinations" form (PDF).

Students of the teaching degree please inform yourself on the following website:

http://www.uni-hamburg.de/zpla/formulare.html

Current information about exams can be found in the Corona-FAQ of the UHH and at the current information of the Academic Office.

All Bachelor's and Master's modules have been subject to an attempt-regulation since the 2012/13 study start years:

• For each module you have a maximum of four examination attempts. There is no deadline for this, but we strongly recommend that you take the exams after taking the courses in the respective modules.
  Exception: For the final thesis you have only one retake attempt.
• You have to register explicitly for all exams (regardless whether written or oral exam)! Without registration no participation in the exam!
  The registration for exams is normally done by the students themselves in STiNE, dates for oral exams are assigned in the Academic Office (or in individual cases directly by the organizers).
  In case of technical problems with the registration, please contact the Academic Office Informatics (or the Academic Office Mathematics, Business Administration...) during the registration phase for the exam.
• If you do not want to take the exam, cancel your registration in due time! Otherwise the exam counts as one failed attempt!
• In case of illness, please immediately submit a medical certificate (proof of inability to take the exam) by e-mail to the Academic Office Informatics!
  Otherwise the examination will be counted as a failed attempt, see last point! The chairperson of the examination board decides on the validity of the certificate.
• You must also register explicitly for the second, third and fourth examination attempt! If you fail an exam or are absent due to illness (proof!), you will not automatically be registered for a retake!

Deadlines for registration and deregistration of examination appointments:

• Modules of informatics:
  • Registration phase for exams via STiNE until 23:59 at the latest 3 days before the exam:
    The deadline also applies to deregistering from an exam!
  • Registration for oral exams: online tool
    (own registration phases in the Academic Office)
  • Examination dates see  https://www.inf.uni-hamburg.de/studies/orga/dates.html
• Other departments:
  • Pay attention to the registration and re-registration times before the examination period!

Attention: Previously, students - within the valid registration deadlines - could change the registration via the button "Change". I.e. the action of deregistering and re-registering could be done in one single step. Since a STiNE update, the button is called "Unregister" and must be actively executed via the action of re-registering on the desired date.

The location of examinations of the Department of Informatics is indicated in the respective module in Stine. In addition, you can find an overview of all examinations of the Department of Informatics  on the website of the Academic Office. For oral examinations the following applies: Unless the examiner has announced otherwise, the location of the examination is the office of the examiner, see list of all members of the department.

You will find information on compensation for disadvantages in a separate section of these notes.

Notifications of illness/incapacity to take exams must be submitted to the Academic Office for Informatics by e-mail using the appropriate form (PDF) immediately, no later than 5 days after the illness. If you are "excused" from an examination date (e.g. by reporting sick), this date does not count towards your examination attempts. The chairperson of the examination committee decides on the validity of the certificate. Even if you have reported sick, you must register yourself for the next examination date.

Psychological counseling for students

Many students experience difficult personal life phases or acute stress and crisis situations during their studies, which they cannot always overcome on their own. Students can turn to the Psychological Counseling Service with all study-related difficulties and personal concerns that affect their studies, such as learning and work disorders, writing, speaking and exam anxiety, feelings of loneliness and contact difficulties, depression and anxiety, and more.

• To the offers of the psychological counseling

Office for the concerns of students with disabilities or chronic illnesses

The office is the central point of contact at the University of Hamburg for prospective students, applicants and students with long-term health impairments (e.g. hearing, vision, speech, postural and locomotor impairments, chronic-somatic and mental illnesses as well as partial performance disorders) or disabilities.

We advise and support you in all impairment-related matters concerning study orientation, application and studies.

Contact: Dr. Maike Gattermann-Kasper
CampusCenter, Room 301
Tel: 040 42838-3764, e-mail: maike.gattermann-kasper"AT"uni-hamburg.de
https://www.uni-hamburg.de/behinderung

(There you will also find the current personal and telephone consultation hours).

HOPES - Help and orientation for mentally ill students

HOPES is aimed at students who are looking for help in coping with their studies after a serious mental crisis, often also after inpatient or day-care treatment. The service is intended as a supplement to student counseling and outpatient psychotherapeutic or psychiatric treatment.

Tel: 040 42838-6282

https://www.uni-hamburg.de/hopes

Contact and Counseling Center for Sexual Discrimination and Violence

The Contact and Counseling Center against Sexual Discrimination and Violence advises and supports students who have been victims of sexual harassment at Universität Hamburg. Those affected can talk to us about their experiences with a neutral person, e.g. in order to gain greater certainty in their own assessment and to experience initial relief. They also receive information about possible further courses of action and, if desired, are supported in taking further steps (extended assistance from the university, contacting the police, finding a therapist, etc.).

Further information and contact: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/belaestigung

Your general right to recognition of courses is described in Section 8 of the MIN Examination Regulations, which are identical for bachelor's and master's degree programs:

This is how a request for recognition of courses is made:

• At the beginning there is your personal decision which modules should be recognized. The basis for this is, in the sense of the legal bases cited above, that comparable competencies exist between modules of your old studies or studies abroad or your training content and the modules or areas of your current studies. If necessary, your course councellor will advise you during office hours or at an individually arranged appointment.
  Note: In the B.Sc./M.Sc. Information Systems programs, according to the decision of the examination boards, applications for recognition of achievements would also have to be made for language courses of the University of Hamburg (as so-called "extracurricular achievements") if they are to be included in the elective area. In the other study programs with a free elective area, language courses can be accredited by the Academic Office for Informatics by sending the proof of course completion to the Academic Office(studienbuero.inf"AT"uni-hamburg.de) by e-mail without submitting an application.
• You fill out the recognition application in STiNE. Detailed information including a step-by-step guide of the STiNE application process can be found in these slides. Do not forget the virtual "submit" after the application is deposited in STiNE.
• Notify the course councellor via email to the Academic Office(studienbuero.inf"AT"uni-hamburg.de) or via office hours that your application has been submitted. State your application number and your (new) degree program. You will receive a summary of your application as a PDF file, which you would have to print and sign; a signature "painted" directly into the document (if you have a suitable tool for this) is also possible. This document serves as a decision proposal for the audit committee chair.
• The documents listed below must be submitted digitally (scan/readable photo, if not already available digitally).
  1. Signed summary of your application that you have received from us
  2. Transcript of Records, certificate or other evidence of the courses to be credited. This is not necessary for achievements at the University of Hamburg that are already recorded in STiNE.
  3. Module Descriptions
     Exception: No module descriptions are necessary for modules that occur identically in the new degree program, or if a learning agreement has already confirmed the recognizability of a module in advance (then send the learning agreement instead).
• Special case: In the B.Sc./M.Sc. Information Systems programs, according to the decision of the examination boards for language courses, a copy of the German secondary school leaving certificate – Abitur – (or other university entrance qualification) is also required. This also applies to language courses of the University of Hamburg, for which an application for recognition of a so-called extracurricular course is necessary in these study programs, if they are to be included in the free elective area.
• You will receive written notice of the decision of the chairperson of the examination board.

There is no specific deadline for submitting an application; however, please note that a module or a partial module examination can no longer be recognized if you have already entered the examination procedure with binding effect (i.e. examinations have already been taken or a future examination has been registered and the deadline for deregistration has expired). Apart from this, we recommend a prompt application after the start of studies or directly after the acquisition of credits (e.g. directly after returning from a semester abroad).

In case of uncertainties: The course counsellor will advise you on all questions concerning the recognition of course credits.

STiNE offers numerous functions from which students benefit from the very first semester.

Data protection is, of course, a top priority.

• Registration for courses and exams
• Personal timetable
• Information about room and schedule changes
• Study certificates for self-printing
• Access to seminar materials provided
• Overview of examinations taken so far
• Support request

If your STiNE identification does not work or you cannot find your access data anymore, you can get new access data at the Regional Computer Center (German: Regionales Rechenzentrum), Schlüterstraße 70, Room 121, from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm upon presentation of your ID card.

If you have any further questions about your access data, you can also contact STiNEline by E-mail: stineline"AT"rrz.uni-hamburg.de

The team "Informatics International" is your central contact point for all international questions within the department of informatics.

Study or internship abroad

The International Affairs Department provides information on questions regarding a study-related stay abroad at its monthly information events at the CampusCenter, during its office hours, and on its Internet pages.

Information is available at https://www.uni-hamburg.de/outgoing  or in the newsletter at https://www.uni-hamburg.de/newsletter-auslandsstudium.

Hamburglobal - the outgoing scholarship of the University of Hamburg

For a study semester or an internship abroad, that is not funded by ERASMUS, the International Office awards partial scholarships.

Information and advising times at: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/hamburglobal

Central exchange

With the University of Hamburg's Central Exchange Program, students can spend one or two semesters abroad at one of the 18 partner universities.

The program is organized centrally by the Department of International Affairs for the entire UHH. List of partner universities, further information and consultation times at: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/zentralaustausch

ERASMUS+

The ERASMUS+ program of the European Union offers students the opportunity to spend one or two semesters abroad at a European partner university. ERASMUS+ stands for many advantages: tuition waiver at the host university, financial support through a monthly grant, and administrative support. Every year, over 500 students at the University of Hamburg take advantage of this opportunity to broaden their horizon and gain international experience. In addition to the study visits program line, internships in the EU area are also supported. Each institute or department has its own network of ERASMUS partners, which is supervised by program officers. Contact persons for interested students are the ERASMUS offices at the faculties and in the departments.

Learning Agreement

The conclusion of a learning agreement is recommended for every study-related stay abroad. It contains a study plan, i.e. a list of which modules are to be taken at the host university, and ensures - provided approval has been granted by the relevant examination board - that the modules taken will be recognized in advance. In this way, the student can reliably plan that modules successfully completed abroad can be used for the study program. For an exchange via ERASMUS+, a completed learning agreement is mandatory and thus part of the application documents. For stays abroad that are organized outside of formal exchange programs, a learning agreement can be concluded voluntarily, for which the Department of Informatics provides a form.

Scholarships for international students

The International Office awards merit scholarships to international students with outstanding academic achievements who have already been enrolled at the University of Hamburg for two semesters and are at least in the third semester of their studies. For further information and consultation hours, please visit: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/leistungsstipendien

Furthermore, the Department of International Affairs awards exam scholarships to needy international students of the University of Hamburg. More information and consultation hours at: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/examensstipendien

DAAD Award for International Students

Each year, the DAAD Prize, endowed with €1,000, is awarded for outstanding achievements by foreign students at the University of Hamburg.

Contact: Otilia Dias, Department of International Affairs,
https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/internationales/kontakt

PIASTA Intercultural Living and Studying

PIASTA is committed to intercultural living and studying at the University of Hamburg and is aimed at German and international students and doctoral candidates.

The program stands for the internationalization of the campus, for exchange and joint learning with the aim of enabling all students to study actively, internationally and successfully.

An intercultural team of tutors helps students to successfully master their studies and to make their free time interesting. The "Welcome & Culture Program" offers an intercultural evening program and excursions in and around Hamburg every week during the semester.

In the "Training & Coaching Program" competencies in the area of important basic skills and soft-skill knowledge can be acquired in intercultural groups. Internationally oriented students can acquire the Certificate Intercultural Competence.

Current dates and registration: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/piasta

Family Office of the University of Hamburg

The university engages in attempts to strengthen the compatibility of study and family or work and family as an integral part of the university culture. The Family Office coordinates all information and is the first point of contact and mediation for employees and students as well as dean’s officies and central institutions of the university on the topic of compatibility of studies or work and family.

Contact: Family Office of Universität Hamburg
Mittelweg 177, Room N 0063, 20148 Hamburg, Germany
Tel: 040 42838-9322, e-mail: familienbuero"AT"uni-hamburg.de
https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en/familienbuero.html

Anna-Rebecca-Day Care Center

The Hamburg Student Homes Foundation runs a day care center in the student dormitory at Ölmühlenweg 33 in Wandsbek. Children between the ages of one month to fourteen years are cared for for a maximum of ten hours a day.

Registration and advice: Beate Gutzmann, Head of Anna-Rebecca-Kinderstuben
Tel: 040 6959868, e-mail: leitung"AT"stiftung-hs.de

 Student Services Hamburg

Studierendenwerk Hamburg operates five daycare centers. The daycare centers Bornstraße, Hallerstraße and KinderCampus are located near the Von-Melle-Park campus and offer around 180 places for the children of students, who are given priority when places are allocated.

Since 2010, Studierendenwerk Hamburg has also taken over the daycare center on the grounds of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). The UKE continues to run the facility. Around 140 children are cared for here.

In addition, the Studierendenwerk offers flexible care services, especially for short-term care for younger children. On the main campus with Casper-Campus playgroups and the family room at the Department of Informatics in Stellingen.

More information: https://www.stwhh.de  (under "Family Service")

Social & International Counseling Center - BeSI (Studierendenwerk Hamburg)
Grindelallee 9, 3rd floor, 20146 Hamburg
Tel: 040 41902-155, e-mail: besi"AT"studierendenwerk-hamburg.de

Personal counseling hours without appointment:
Mon. + Fri. 9.30am-12pm, Tue. + Thur. 9.30am-12pm and 2pm-4pm.

Cross-reference: See also "Maternity protection" section, if applicable.

If there is an important reason (e.g. gainful employment of at least 15 hours/week, childcare, disability, chronic illness), which does not allow you the full, but at least half of the working time to be devoted to studies, an application for part-time status may be submitted.

Part-time study is approved upon request for two consecutive semesters; repeated requests are permitted. In the case of part-time study, the dates and deadlines of the university examination regulations are usually extended in such a way that one subject semester corresponds to two university semesters. The semester fee must be paid in full.

The application is made via STiNE. Please note the deadlines for submitting the application, which must be done in advance: Part-time for a summer semester must be applied for by January 31, for a winter semester by June 30.

Further information can be found on the pages of the CampusCenter.

In the Department of Informatics, a teaching evaluation with a survey of students is carried out every semester to ensure and improve the quality of teaching. The individual courses are evaluated, not modules.

The surveys are carried out by means of online questionnaires, the access links of which are distributed in the courses after about two thirds of the lecture period. After completion by the students, the online questionnaires are technically processed by TEAM Evaluation. The evaluation results are sent to the respective lecturer by e-mail as soon as possible so that a discussion of the feedback with the students can take place during the current lecture period.

The survey is carried out with different types of questionnaires (one questionnaire for lectures and exercises, one questionnaire for seminars/proseminars, one questionnaire for projects, one questionnaire for practical courses).

The questionnaires can be filled out in German or English to enable international students to participate in the teaching evaluation.

The Transcript of Records (also abbreviated to "Transcript" or "ToR") is a certificate of achievement issued by the university listing your course of study, the modules you have completed so far including grades and credit points earned, and your current average grade. Such a document may be requested, for example, when applying to employers or other universities.

If you are a student of the Department of Informatics and need a Transcript of Records, please contact the Academic Office for Informatics by e-mail(studienbuero.inf"AT"uni-hamburg.de). Please indicate the following in this mail:

• Your full name, your program of study, your matriculation number.
• Form of the Transcript of Records: Digital (i.e. PDF file with link to validation) or paper
• Language of the Transcript of Records: German, English, both

We will provide you with the Transcript of Records as a digital document in your STiNE account or inform you as soon as the Transcript of Records in paper form can be picked up at the Academic Office for Informatics at the Examination Management during opening hours or by appointment.

Please note that you do not need a Transcript of Records if you are applying for a Master's program at the Department of Informatics as a student of the University of Hamburg. Here you can alternatively submit a printout of your STiNE performance account and the confirmation of the registration of the Bachelor thesis, if already done.

Those who have successfully completed their studies will be withdrawn without the need for an application. Only those who drop out of their studies prematurely or change universities must apply for de-enrollment at the Service for Students (SfS).

In case of withdrawing during the current semester, the value of the semester ticket can be paid out proportionally. The S-Bahn Hamburg fare office is responsible for this: https://www.s-bahn-hamburg.de/ (menu item "Service").

https://www.uni-hamburg.de/exmatrikulation