According to Section 13 of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG), in Lower Saxony long-term tuition fees of €500 must be paid when a student has used up their study credit balance. The study credit balance is the length of time a student may study without having to pay long-term tuition fees.
Study credit balance
Undergraduate degree programmes (bachelor’s / state examination)
The study credit balance is calculated from the number of semesters of the standard period of study for the undergraduate programme in which the student is currently enrolled plus six additional so-called tolerance semesters.
Most undergraduate degree programmes (bachelor’s) have a standard period of study of six semesters*. The study credit balance is therefore usually 12 semesters*.
Postgraduate degree programmes (master’s)
If a student is enrolled on a consecutive master’s study programme, the study credit balance increases by the number of semesters of the standard period of study for the consecutive master’s study programme. Most consecutive master’s study programmes have a standard period of study of four semesters*. The study credit balance is therefore usually 16 (12 + 4) semesters*.
A special arrangement applies to master’s students who completed their previous bachelor’s degree or another equivalent qualification
- at a higher education institution abroad,
- at a private higher education institution in Germany or
- at a domestic higher education institution that does not receive state funding.
For this group, the study credit balance is calculated from the number of semesters of the double standard period of study for the master’s degree programme.*
The study credit balance for this group of people is usually 8 semesters.*
* Additional individual standard period of study: the individual standard period of study is based on Section 72, Paragraph 16 of the NHG (Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz) and is specific to each person.
Use of credit
Study credit is used in accordance with the number of semesters that a student has already spent studying at a state-run higher education institution (HEI) in Germany. Consequently, the total number of semesters spent at university are decisive, not the number of degree semesters.
Study credit is not used up when the student
- is on leave of absence,
- is actually caringfor a child (up to the age of 14),
- is caring for a close relative,
- is actingas an elected representativeof an executive body of the university, the student body or Studentenwerk (Student Services Organisation) or
- holds the office of Equal Opportunities Officer.
