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Relief for students: the Saxon State Parliament has decided to extend the standard period of study (“Regelstudienzeit”), and the faculties will ease the burden on students with regard to examinations in the winter semester.

The members passed a new act to improve the education system and also amended a key point of the Saxon Freedom of Higher Education Act (SächsHSFG). In concrete terms, this will let students adversely affected by the pandemic have the summer semester 2020, and the current winter semester, not count towards their standard period of study – although the State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism is still to pass the rule for the winter semester. More information can be found in the ministry’s press release.

Leipzig University will also relax certain rules for students in the winter semester 2020/21, especially with regard to examinations. The two main arrangements designed to help students are:

  • Extension of the deadline for submitting written coursework, generally by four weeks (period during which the University Library is closed)
  • Cancellation of failed examinations.

The faculties – which conduct and are responsible for examinations – will provide students with more detailed information about this in early January 2021.

Professor Thomas Hofsäss, Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs, will answer students’ questions on examinations, but also more generally about studying in the winter semester, during an online talk this Monday, 21 December 2020 (from 2pm until 3.30pm) . If you would like to attend, please send an email to prorektor.bildung(at)uni-leipzig.de.