FAQ on the Senate resolutions and amendment of the Saxon Higher Education Freedom Act (SächsHSFG) due to the Corona pandemic offered by the Department of Study Affairs

FAQ on the Senate resolution of 25 November 2020, 27 January 2021 and 14 April 2021 on the reduction of disadvantages in studies and examination procedures due to the Corona pandemic and the corresponding measures of the WHZ in the winter semester 2020/2021 and summer semester 2021 as well as on the amendment of the Saxon Higher Education Freedom Act due to the Corona pandemic

This translated content is based on the information available at the time of its publication. Due to changes in regulations and measures, its completeness and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Binding is always the most current documentation and information in German.
It can be found here: FAQ on the Senate resolutions and amendment of the SächsHSFG (German)

Postponing the examination deadlines

No. 5 of the Senate resolution of 25 November 2020.
The winter semester 2020/2021 is not included in the calculation of examination deadlines. All examination/re-sit deadlines are interrupted for one semester and do not continue. They are automatically extended by the current semester. Students can choose whether to take the examinations offered (also as a repeat examination) or wait for the next regularly offered examination.

No. 1 of the Senate resolution of 14 April 2021.
The summer semester 2021 is not included in the calculation of examination deadlines. All examination/re-sit deadlines will be interrupted for another semester and will not continue. They are automatically extended by the current semester. Students can choose whether to take the examinations offered (also as a repeat examination) or wait for the next regularly offered examination.


The postponement of examination deadlines was also legally regulated for the winter semester 2020/2021 with the amendment of the Saxon Higher Education Freedom Act on 17 December 2020 in paragraph 1 sentence 4 of the newly inserted "Section 114a Extension of the standard period of study due to the COVID 19 pandemic".

If you do not take an examination within the retake period specified in the examination regulations, this examination is usually assessed with a grade of 5 (failed). The following applies for the winter semester 2020/2021 and the summer semester 2021: If you would have had to take a 1st retake or a 2nd retake in the winter semester or in the summer semester in a regular manner because you are at the end of the permitted repeat period (annual deadline or next possible point in time), this period is automatically extended by the winter semester and/or summer semester.

No, you do not have to take a retake exam in the summer semester 2021. You will not be disadvantaged in terms of examination law.

No, the extension is automatic. There is no deadline check and no notices are issued in this regard. 

  1. You failed exam X in the 1st attempt in the winter semester 2019/2020. According to the examination regulations, you would have to take the 1st retake for this examination in the winter semester 2020/2021, as otherwise you would ex officio receive a grade of 5 on examination X due to the failure to meet the one-year deadline. This deadline is extended until the winter semester 2021/2022. You must now take the exam by 28 February 2022 (end of semester) at the latest
  2. You have failed an examination Y in the 2nd attempt (1st retake) in the examination period of the summer semester 2020.
    1. You have not had the grade 5 cancelled by 28 February 2021. According to the examination regulations, you would have to repeat the examination at the next possible date in the winter semester 2020/2021. The decision now means for you that you have to take the 3rd attempt (2nd retake) at the next possible date in the winter semester 2021/2022.
    2. You have had the grade 5 cancelled. You must take the examination again in the 2nd attempt (1st retake) by the end of the winter semester 2021/2022, i.e. by 28 February 2022 at the latest.
  3. You have failed an examination in the 3rd attempt (2nd retake) in the examination period of the summer semester 2020.       
    1. You have not had the grade 5 annulled by 28 February 2021. You have definitively failed the examination and will be exmatriculated after the grade has been announced.
    2.   You have had the grade 5 cancelled. The decision now means for you that you must take the 3rd attempt (2nd retake) at the next possible date in the winter semester 2021/2022.

The deadline for taking an examination for the first time before reaching the standard period of study + 4 semesters, as it is otherwise deemed to have been failed, will also be postponed by the summer semester 2020, the winter semester 2020/2021 and the summer semester 2021. There will be no deadline check in the summer semester 2021.

The Examination Office of the Department of Student Affairs is responsible for this. Please send your question to pruefungsamt[at]fh-zwickau.de .

Possibility of repeating the examinations

No. 5 of the Senate resolution of 25 November 2020
All students have the option of repeating an examination taken in the winter semester 2020/2021 in the same examination attempt, regardless of the examination grade. In the event of a retake, this assessment counts, regardless of the examination grade. The statutory repetition deadlines applying No. 5 are still valid. The application to retake the examination must be submitted to the Department of Student Affairs/Examination Office by the end of the summer semester 2021 at the latest. Examinations that have been assessed as "failed" due to cheating cannot be repeated in the same examination attempt.


No. 2 of the Senate resolution of 14 April 2021
All students have the option of repeating an examination taken in the summer semester 2021 in the same examination attempt, regardless of the examination grade. In the event of a resit, this assessment counts, regardless of the examination grade. The statutory repetition deadlines applying No. 1 are still valid. The application to retake the examination must be submitted to the Department of Student Affairs/ Examinations Office by the end of the winter semester 2021/2022 at the latest. Examinations that have been assessed as "failed" due to cheating cannot be repeated in the same examination attempt.

All examinations (regardless of whether they have been passed or failed) that you take or have taken at WHZ in the winter semester 2020/2021 or summer semester 2021 can be repeated in the next semester(s) upon application to the Examinations Office of the Department of Student Affairs and taking into account the deadlines.

For such examinations, the Senate decided on 27 January 2021 that these examinations can be repeated in the winter semester 2020/2021 under the same conditions as examinations that have taken place regularly.

No, participation is only possible on one date and only the first-time participation in one of the two examinations can be cancelled. Please note the instructions of your faculty, especially with regard to regular retake examinations, which can also take place during the summer semester.

The application must be submitted via the online form by 31 August 2021 at the latest (end of summer semester 2021).

The application must be submitted via the online form by 28 February 2022 at the latest (end of winter semester 2021/2022).

If you submit the application to the examination office, your examination grade, which you achieved in the winter semester 2020/2021 or summer semester 2021 at WHZ, will be deleted from your examination file and you can take this examination again (please note the repetition deadlines according to the examination regulations, see also explanation on postponement of examination deadlines). It is expressly pointed out that the new, later result counts.

No, you do not have the option to choose between the two grades. The grade achieved in the re-taken examination counts.

Yes, this regulation explicitly applies to all examinations, including retake examinations taken in the winter semester 2020/2021 or summer semester 2021.

For all related topics such as BAföG, child benefit, KfW loan, etc., especially with regard to effects on benefits after filing and approval of the above-mentioned application, please contact the relevant institutions.

The Examination Office of the Department of Student Affairs is responsible for this. Please send your question to pruefungsamt[at]fh-zwickau.de.

Non-credit Winter Semester 2020/2021

No. 4 of the Senate resolution

Subject to a legal regulation, all students who are enrolled in the winter semester 2020/21 and are not on leave of absence have the opportunity to apply for a period of study of one semester not to be counted towards the standard period of study of their respective degree programme due to the currently restricted study programme. The application must be submitted to the Department of Student Affairs in the last regular semester of the standard period of study or, if the standard period of study has already been exceeded, by the end of the summer semester 2021. Non-credit is only granted in the case of exceeding the standard period of study, i.e. for the semester following the end of the standard period of study. It does not apply in the case of a change of degree programme, unless the previous duration of study is credited in the new degree programme.

The Senate resolution was passed subject to a legal regulation. This legal regulation is now in force. Paragraph "§ 114a Extension of the standard period of study due to the COVID 19 pandemic" was added to the Saxon Higher Education Freedom Act and reads as follows:

  1. In the context of coping with the COVID 19 pandemic, students who are enrolled in the summer semester 2020 and are not on leave of absence will have their individual standard period of study extended by one semester, which deviates from the standard period of study. Upon application by the student, a pandemic-related non-credit for the summer semester 2020 already granted by a higher education institution can be cancelled for the respective standard period of study. A pandemic-related non-credit of the summer semester 2020 to the standard period of study cannot be additionally claimed in this respect. The obligation to pay fees pursuant to § 12, section 2, sentence 1 and section 4, sentence 2 as well as the deadlines pursuant to § 18, section 2, number 7 and § 35, section 4 shall be postponed accordingly.
  2. Section 1 shall apply accordingly for the winter semester 2020/21.

The consequence of this is that No. 4 of the Senate resolution is no longer applicable, as the Saxon Higher Education Freedom Act (SächsHSFG) has established a different regulation that takes precedence and is binding for the WHZ. This has no disadvantages for you.

If you were enrolled in the winter semester 2020/2021 and were not on leave of absence, you will receive an individual extension of the standard period of study by one semester. 

If you were enrolled in the summer semester 2020, were not on leave of absence and have not already received a non-credit for the summer semester 2020, your individual standard period of study will be extended by one semester.

Additional non-credit for the summer semester is excluded by law.

No, please do not apply, the extension is granted automatically.

The individual extension of the standard period of study has been implemented in the system for all students. Your matriculation and BAföG certificates have been updated accordingly in the study and exam portal. In addition to your current number of semesters and the regular standard period of study, your individual standard period of study is now shown.

Example: You are studying a Bachelor's degree programme with a standard period of study of 6 semesters.

  1. You were enrolled in the summer semester 2020 and in the winter semester 2020/2021, were not on leave of absence and are therefore not entitled to non-credit for the summer semester 2020. Your individual standard period of study is 8 semesters.
  2. You were enrolled in the summer semester 2020 and winter semester 2020/2021 and were on leave of absence in the summer semester 2020 (or winter semester 2020/2021). Your individual standard period of study is 7 semesters.
  3. You were enrolled in the summer semester 2020 and in the winter semester 2020/2021, have not been granted leave of absence and have received non-credit for the summer semester 2020. Your individual standard period of study is 7 semesters.

On the updated matriculation and BAföG certificates, the designation of the individual standard period of study has been marked with an "*" and § 114a SächsHSFG has been cited at the end of the document as the justification for an individual standard period of study. For your records or for explanation at other institutions, you can download the legal text here in pdf format (German).

The Student Secretariat of the Department of Student Affairs is responsible for this. Please send your question to studieren[at]fh-zwickau.de.