Final Documents: Certificate and Diploma

Answers to important questions:

Will I receive a provisional certificate when the results of my passed Bachelor’s and Master’s examinations are available?

You will be issued with a provisional certificate of the results of the Bachelor’s or Master’s examination you have passed as soon as all grades are finally available (this is the so-called confirmation of completion). This applies if the final thesis is the last piece of work you have completed in your degree programme. However, if the final outstanding exam is anything but the thesis, please let us know as the examination management system does not automatically notify us. Only then can we issue you with a provisional certificate and begin further proceeedings.

What is included in the final documents?

The final documents include not only the certificate, but also a diploma and the diploma supplement. These documents are prepared, checked and produced by the Examination Office. They must be signed by the Chair of the Examination Board (certificate and diploma supplements) and by the Dean of the Faculty (diploma). This explains why it takes a while after the documents have been printed to finalise the documents as these signatures have to be obtained and then for the documents to be further processed, sealed, compiled and prepared for dispatch at the Examination Office.

When are the final documents prepared?

The final documents are generally prepared on a regular, approximately fortnightly basis and as soon as the results of the passed Bachelor’s or Master’s examination and all grades are available.

How long does it take until I receive the final documents?

For processing reasons, it usually takes between four and eight weeks to receive the final documents.  Important note: Due to technical problems with the generation of certificates from the database, the process may take longer from October 2023 until further notice. (as of November 2023)

I need a provisional pass certificate before the final documents are created.

If there is a demonstrable legitimate interest (e.g. application/employment at the university), we will issue a “provisional pass certificate” on request, provided that you have submitted your thesis on time and have achieved the total number of 168 (B.A.) or 60 (M.A.) credit points. For this purpose, the examiners will issue provisional assessments which show that your work has been graded with at least 4.0. The provisional pass certificates do not provide any information about the final grade of your BA/MA thesis or the degree itself.

How do I receive my final documents?

The Examination Office will contact you by email when your certificate and diploma is ready. You will then receive the documents by post to the address you have provided. This will be done by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt so that we can be sure that the mail has reached you. Please therefore ensure that we have an address and current email address where you are likely to be available to receive the final documents.

The Examination Office is also offering office hours at our location in the Maximilianstraße. It is therefore also possible to collect your final documents on site by arrangement with the staff member responsible for you.

In which languageare the documents issued?

The certificate is issued in German. Upon request, you can also receive an English translation of the certificate. For graduates of the new examination regulations from 2018, the English translation is now always sent automatically from the outset. This also applies to the diploma supplements. The subject-specific provisions in the examination regulations may provide for the certificate to be issued in several languages in individual degree programmes.

Which content does the certificate contain?

The certificate contains:

• the chosen degree programme;
• all modules from which credit points have been earned;
• the semester in which the credit points were earned;
• the grades achieved in the individual examinations;
• the topic and grade of the Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis;
• if applicable, the profile/focus/subject area/supplementary area of the chosen degree programme, if the degree programme
• programme has something of the kind;
• the date of the last examination;
• the overall grade of the Bachelor’s or Master’s examination and
• the date of issue.

Will I also receive an academic degree certificate?

At the same time as the Bachelor's or Master's examination certificate, you will be issued or sent a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree certificate in German bearing the date of the certificate. The certificate will be accompanied by an English translation for graduates of the new 2018 examination regulations (and the 2020 Psychology examination regulations). The subject-specific regulations may provide for the certificate to be issued in several languages in individual degree programmes.

What is the diploma supplement?

The diploma supplement (DS) is a text with standardised information describing university degrees and the associated qualifications. As supplementary information to the certificate and diploma, it is intended to facilitate and improve the assessment and categorisation of academic qualifications for both study and professional purposes, both internationally and nationally. It is a standardised English and German document in accordance with EU specifications. The final section of the diploma supplement contains a standardised description of the German higher education system (“Information on the higher education system in Germany”). As it is not yet possible to show the relative classification of the overall grade of the Bachelor’s or Master’s examination directly on the diploma supplement for technical reasons, a table of grades is attached to the diploma supplement. As a rule, this refers to the degrees of four semesters, including the last completed summer semester, in the respective degree programme (in the case of particularly small cohorts, the reference framework can be extended to more semesters).

If a voluntary internship was completed during an Erasmus stay that cannot be credited to one of the modules provided for in the curriculum, the following option is available (see also the information provided by the International Office): Erasmus graduates can apply to the Examination Office for the voluntary internship to be noted in the diploma supplement. Proof of the internship must be submitted for this purpose.