# Certificate of deregistration

**Source**: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/consultation-and-service/student-registry/certificate-of-deregistration
**Parent**: https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/application-admission-and-enrollment/enrollment

This page contains information about deregistering from your current or most recent university. You\
can find out about deregistering from the University of Bonn on the [Deregistration web page](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/consultation-and-service/student-registry/deregistration?set_language=en)1.\
As there are only a few exceptions allowing people to study at multiple universities in Germany at\
the same time, you will require proof that you have deregistered from your current or most recent\
university in order to enroll at the University of Bonn.\
This proof will take the form of a certificate of deregistration, which your current or most recent\
university will need to issue.

## Why do I need a certificate of deregistration?

Your certificate of deregistration proves that you have finished your studies at your current university or will have done so by the time you begin studying at the University of Bonn. The certificate also contains information required for enrollment, such as the number of study-related and university semesters that you have already completed and details of any semesters that you\
have spent on leave.

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### Frequently asked questions concerning the dreregistration

Can I submit my certificate of deregistration retrospectively?

No. The certificate of deregistration is a prerequisite to enrollment and must be submitted by the\
enrollment deadline together with the other [documents necessary for enrollment](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/application-admission-and-enrollment/enrollment?set_language=en)2.

Will my university degree certificate be sufficient proof?

No. Your degree certificate is no proof of deregistration, because we have to make sure that you are not already enrolled on another degree program.

Can I request deregistration even though the semester is still ongoing?

Deregistration only (usually) takes effect at the end of the relevant semester, meaning that it can\
also be requested and granted before that semester has ended without this having an impact on\
your studies during the ongoing semester.

Can I still study and take examinations at my current university despite having deregistered?

Deregistration usually takes effect at the end of a semester. Until then, you are allowed to continue\
studying and taking examinations at your current university even if you have already requested and\
been granted deregistration. If you are in any doubt, please direct any questions in this regard to the student registry at your current university.

I’ve been told that I can’t deregister until all my course work and examinations have been assessed and logged.

You will need to be enrolled in order to do course work and sit examinations. In other words, you will be able to continue studying and taking examinations for as long as you are a student at your\
university. By contrast, simply having your examinations assessed does not usually require you to be enrolled any more. Nevertheless, you must be aware that you will lose your entitlement to your\
current study place when you deregister, which can present difficulties if you perform poorly in your examinations and thus have to continue your studies. If you are in any doubt, direct any questions in this regard to the student registry at your current university.

What should I do if my university doesn’t want to give me a certificate of deregistration or insists that this can’t be done until later?

You can always request deregistration yourself. Your university has an obligation to process your\
request and issue a corresponding certificate. In this case, we would advise you ideally to contact the student registry at your current or most recent university rather than the individual departments or examination offices, because it is usually the student registries that are responsible for the relevant procedures.

What happens if I don’t submit my certificate of deregistration on time?

You will not be able to enroll without a certificate of deregistration. If you do not submit it on time,\
you will lose your entitlement to a study place at the University of Bonn. You should therefore start\
thinking carefully about your certificate at an early stage and, if necessary, highlight the applicable\
enrollment deadlines that you need to meet.\
Deadline extensions can be granted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the person or office\
mentioned in your letter of admission before the enrollment deadline in order to request one. To\
ensure that enrollment and admission procedures run smoothly and swiftly, however, the enrollment deadline will only be extended due to a failure to deregister if the student registry at your current university can justify why it is currently denying you the opportunity to do so.

I’ve been studying at a foreign university. Will I also need to submit a certificate of deregistration from there?

No. A certificate of deregistration is only required if you were previously enrolled at a German\
university. If you studied at a German university before going abroad to study, you will need to\
submit a certificate of deregistration from the German university at which you were enrolled most\
recently.

The last place I studied was the University of Bonn. Will I need a certificate of deregistration in this case?

If you are currently studying at the University of Bonn and would like to change degree program, you should [ask to switch](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/consultation-and-service/student-registry/switching-to-another-subject-or-degree-program?set_language=en)3. You will not need to deregister first.\
Neither will you need a certificate of deregistration if you are not enrolled at the University of Bonn\
at the moment but were enrolled there most recently. We will already have the relevant details to\
hand.\
If you enrolled at another German university after you were last enrolled at the University of Bonn,\
we will need a certificate of deregistration from the German university that you attended most\
recently.

## Links

1. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/consultation-and-service/student-registry/deregistration?set\_language=en
2. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/application-admission-and-enrollment/enrollment?set\_language=en
3. https://www.uni-bonn.de/en/studying/consultation-and-service/student-registry/switching-to-another-subject-or-degree-program?set\_language=en