FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

The most frequently asked questions about final exams

Our answers are based on general regulations from all study and examination regulations for undergraduate and graduate programmes at the University of Konstanz. Please also refer to the subject-specific regulations for the final phase of your study programme.

When and where should I register for final written or oral exams?

You can find all registration dates for final written and oral exams on our web page dates and deadlines.

In most study programmes, you can request the corresponding forms by emailing your contact person at the Central Examination Office. In the study programmes of the Department of Psychology as well as Computer and Information Science, you can download the registration forms from the departmental homepages.

You can register for the final examination (written thesis or oral exam) only via email to the Central Examination Office. Information about whether an oral final examination is required in your study programme is stated in the corresponding study and examination regulations.

Exceptions:

In the following study programmes, the corresponding department is responsible for registration and admission to final examinations, not the Central Examination Office:

  • BSc Chemistry
  • BSc Mathematical Finance
  • BSc Life Science
  • BSc Mathematics
  • BSc Nanoscience
  • BA Politics and Public Administrations
  • BSc Economics
  • Bachelor of Education Chemistry
  • Bachelor of Education Mathematics
  • MSc Chemistry
  • MSc Economics
  • MSc Mathematical Finance
  • MSc Life Science
  • MSc Mathematics
  • MSc Nanoscience
  • MSc Political Economy
  • MA Politics and Public Administrations
  • MSc Social and Economic Data Science
  • MSc Economics and Business Education
  • Master of Education Chemistry
  • Master of Education Mathematics

You can find the corresponding contact persons in the departments on the website departmental student advisory service and examination offices.

When and where can I submit my thesis?

The deadline for submission as well as instructions are included in your letter of admission, which was sent to you by postal mail (in some programmes also via email to your university email address).

Since the specific regulations for submitting theses may change at short notice, please ask your contact person at the Central Examination Office for the latest information before submitting your thesis.

What formalities do I have to observe when submitting my thesis?

The number of copies you have to submit (printed and, if applicable, digital) and the appendix to be included (e.g. declarations of independent work) is stated in the letter of admission sent to you by postal mail (in some programmes also via email to your university email address).

In all study programmes, you have to also submit a certificate of enrolment for the semester you are submitting your thesis. Please enclose the hand-signed declaration and the certificate of enrolment separately (do not staple or bind!).

Furthermore, only USB sticks are accepted in all study programmes for the submission of digital copies of your thesis - no CD-ROMs.

Important:Theses will be accepted with glue binding only. Spiral binding is not permitted.

Important: Before submitting your thesis, please check the title of your thesis and make sure that it exactly matches the title you used in your application and that was approved (see letter of admission, or approved title change request). Even the smallest changes to the title (e.g. adding or omitting a period or dash, or changing a single character) require a title change request.

How do I design the cover page of my thesis?

The Central Examination Office provides a sample title page with a university logo for theses, which you can download here:

Please follow the instructions for using the University of Konstanz logo in theses (in German).

What do I do if I get sick during my final exam period?

During the final exam period, you are required to immediately (i.e. on the first day of illness) inform your contact person in the Central Examination Office by email or phone and go to the doctor if you want to request the following because of your illness:

  • extension of the allotted time for writing your thesis
  • return of the topic of your written thesis or
  • postponement of the date of your final oral exam.

To document your illness, it is mandatory that you use the University's form for withdrawal from an exam and extension of the thesis deadline. The original medical certificate has to be sent to the Central Examination Office as soon as possible via postal mail. You can send it via email attachment (pdf) in advance.

Important: The extension period will only start on the day you communicate your illness to your contact person in the Central Examination Office. Days before will not be recognized even though they are certified by the doctor. The inability to take the exam due to illness cannot be recognized in retrospect. Please also note the information included with the medical certificate.

Exceptions:In the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics as well as the subjects in the Department of Economics, you have to submit the medical certificate and, if applicable, the extension request, to the department. Please contact your department directly for more information.

Important: The provisions stated above apply exclusively to registering as ill during the final exam period. To register as ill during course-related performance assessments, different provisions may apply. Please contact your department directly for more information.

Where can I get certified copies of my exam documents?

For the certification of exam documents that you have acquired at the University of Konstanz, please contact the Student Service Centre (SSZ). If you are no longer in the Konstanz area, please use the SSZ contact form after receiving the original documents.

You can also have your exam documents notarized at a Bürgerbüro (citizens services), a notary's office or a municipal administration.

How do I receive my examination certificate?

In most study programmes, your certificate will be issued as soon as the overall grade has been generated in ZEuS. In the teacher education programmes (MEd and BEd) and the bachelor's programme Linguistics, however, you have to actively request a certificate from your contact person in the Central Examination Office.

Important: Generating your certificates is a multi-step process that takes a certain amount of time. Please do not inquire about the duration, as this will only delay the process. All staff at the Central Examination Office make every effort to issue your certificates as promptly as possible.

How can I help to ensure that the content is correct and my certificate is sent to the correct address?

All examination certificates are created automatically via ZEuS. Please make sure, by the end of your studies at the latest, that the personal data in ZEuS match the information on your ID documents and your student data sheet. This concerns in particular your first and last name (also international spellings, e.g. accent marks), any middle or third names, your date of birth and your place of birth.

Your postal mailing address also has to be up to date. If your address changes while the certificate is being generated, please immediately inform your contact person in the Central Examination Office of your new address.

Important: Please report any errors or changes to your personal data to the Student Service Centre (SSZ) using the contact form.

What is the earliest date that I may exmatriculate and who do I contact to do so?

Students in all study programmes have to remain enrolled at the University of Konstanz at least up to and including the day on which they take or submit their final mandatory exam part. This also applies if you have to retake an exam, and also if this exam relates to a past semester.

You can find all details on exmatriculation as well as the relevant contact persons on the website of the Student Service Centre (SSZ).

I have lost my exam documents or they have been destroyed by some misfortune. How do I get a replacement?

The Central Examination Office will be happy to issue a duplicate of your lost exam documents, provided you completed your degree at the University of Konstanz. The University of Konstanz charges a fee of 15 euros per document according to the the university statutes on administrative fees (Verwaltungsgebührensatzung, in German). Please contact the person in the Central Examination Office responsible for your study programme.

Important: The Central Examination Office is responsible only for duplicate copies of final examination documents. If you need a replacement of documents that do not relate to your final examination (e.g. intermediate examination certificate etc.), please contact the relevant department.

Important: In some cases, certified copies of your old examination documents are sufficient as proof of your degree. Please check this option before requesting a duplicate. The Student Service Centre (SSZ) can issue and send you certified copies up to a reasonable extent free of charge.