BAföG - your suitability assessor
What is a suitability assessor?
Suitability assessors are appointed by the respective university. Usually, they are full-time members of the teaching staff, e.g. professors, doctors, lecturers.
What are the tasks of suitability assessors?
Their task is to check the eligibility of BAföG recipients at the interface between the 4th and 5th semesters and to issue Form 05 - Certificate of Academic Achievement (Leistungsbescheinigung) according to Section 48 BAföG - for this purpose.
You can download it here as a PDF file.
The suitability assessment is the responsibility of the competent suitability assessor. It is based on the performances achieved up to the time of the assessment (such as course attendance and tutorial certificates, examinations, etc.). Each suitability assessor decides independently what the suitability assessor wants to be submitted for assessment. However, if a suitability assessor is ever reluctant to confirm the evidence (i.e., positive confirmation of the student's normal academic achievements), he or she does not necessarily mean you any harm personally. What suitability assessor know: Those who at the end of their studies do not complete their studies within the maximum period of support must be able to give an important reason for the delay. Once the certificate of achievement has been issued, it is logically no longer possible to invoke possible reasons for delay prior to the issue.
What are your duties as a student?
Of course, towards the end of the fourth semester you have to contact the responsible suitability assessor yourself. Those who have not achieved the usual performance at that time lose their entitlement to support until they can prove by a positive suitability assessment that they have made up for their performance deficit.
For each main subject (e.g. teaching profession with 2 subjects, Bachelor's programme with 2 main subjects) a suitability assessment must be submitted (certificate of achievement).
Please note the special provisions governing the pandemic semesters (2020 Spring Term, 2020/2021 Fall Term and 2021 Spring Term)!
As a general rule, no student financial aid will be granted after the 5th major-specific semester unless the student has provided evidence attesting to achievement of his/her normal academic proficiency level by that date. The exact provisions are set forth in Section 48 subsection (1) BAföG (German Student Financial Assistance Program). Evidence attesting to normal academic performance is provided by Form 5, which is issued by the BAföG eligibility reviser (a full-time faculty member). Presentation of this FORM IS MANDATORY to be considered eligible for BAföG student assistance beginning in the 5th major-specific semester.
For each pandemic semester (2020 Spring Term, 2020/2021 Fall Term, 2021 Spring Term) which coincided with any of your program's first four semesters, the submission deadline for your academic achievement records will be postponed by one semester (in analogous application of Art. 99 para. (2) of the Bavarian University and College Act (BayHSchG)). However, this provision only applies as long as you were enrolled in a degree program at one of our universities and were not on leave of absence during any of these semesters.
Example: Students for whom the 2020 Spring Term was their fourth major-specific semester are actually required to submit your academic achievement records attesting to having achieved the normal academic proficiency level for four semesters by the end of their 4th semester in order to be considered eligible for BAföG funding in their 5th semester, i.e., the 2020/2021 Fall Term. However, it is now possible to postpone submission of their Certificate of Academic Achievement (Leistungsbescheinigung) by three semesters. Hence, it is sufficient for students to prove that they have achieved their normal academic proficiency level required in four semesters by the end of the 2021/2022 Fall Term, even though in our example case the 2021/2022 Fall Term is already the 7th semester. This means that students are granted an additional three semesters to achieve their normal academic proficiency level expected for four semesters.
So what to do if the certificate of achievement is not issued?
There is also a recipe for this: Apply to the Office for Education and Training Assistance for postponement of the certificate of achievement for a reasonable period of time and state the reason for the delay. If the reason is serious, your application can be granted. Otherwise, you have to make up the performance deficit as quickly as possible, as hard as that may be.
The legal basis and possible reasons for postponing the certificate of achievement are described on the back of Form 5.
Background: BAföG offers students the possibility of postponing submission of their academic achievement records, i.e., in justified exceptional cases students may be granted extra time for submitting evidence of their normal academic proficiency level, Section 48 subsection (2) in conjunction with Section 15 subsection (3) BAföG (German Student Financial Assistance Program). This means that unavoidable interruptions of a student's university studies through no fault of the student may constitute good cause within the meaning of Section 15 subsection (3), number (1) BAföG (German Student Financial Assistance Program). According to Section 48 subsection (2) BAföG (German Student Financial Assistance Program), the submission deadline for academic achievement records may also be postponed accordingly.
Please note the special provisions governing the pandemic semesters (2020 Spring Term, 2020/2021 Fall Term and 2021 Spring Term)!
For students who were enrolled in a degree program at a state or state-recognized higher education institution during the 2020 Spring Term and who were not on leave of absence, the submission deadline for their academic achievement records will be postponed by between one and three semesters (in analogous application of Art. 99 of the Bavarian University and College Act (BayHSchG)) - see previous question.
Example: Students for whom the 2020 Spring Term was their fourth major-specific semester are actually required to submit their academic achievement records attesting to having achieved the normal academic proficiency level for four semesters by the end of their 4th semester in order to be considered eligible for BAföG funding in their 5th semester, i.e., the 2020/2021 Fall Term. However, it is now possible to postpone submission of their Certificate of Academic Achievement (Leistungsbescheinigung) by up to three semesters. Hence, it is sufficient for students to prove that they have achieved their normal academic performance level required in four semesters by the end of the 2021/2022 Fall Term, even though in our example case the 2021/2022 Fall Term is already the 7th semester. This means that students are granted an additional three semesters to achieve their normal academic proficiency level expected in four semesters.
In that case, however, no further reasons of delay arising from the 2020 Spring Term, the 2020/2021 Fall Term or the 2021 Spring Term will be accepted as all delays will be deemed compensated in full by the above postponement option.
However, where delays have already occurred prior to the pandemic, BAföG (German Student Financial Assistance Program) offers the possibility of further postponing the submission of students' academic achievement records in these cases.
The Amt für Ausbildungsförderung will check the causality based on academic progress (overview of the student's academic achievements in the individual semesters - passed and failed examinations) and based on the student's declaration.
Deadlines that you must observe?
As a first step when applying for BAföG after the 5th semester, please take note of the application deadlines for further BAföG funding. They must always be submitted two months before the end of the current approval period. If your approval expires in September of a year and your fifth semester is therefore the winter semester, you must submit your application for further support by 31 July of the year. If your approval expires in March of a year and your fifth semester is therefore the summer semester, you must submit your application for further support by 31 January of the year.
If you submit your certificate of achievement (form 5) to us at the same time as your application for further support within the above deadlines, the suitability assessor must confirm the usual performance status by the end of your third semester. As soon as you submit the certificate of achievement later, e.g. on 15 August of the year, you will be required to confirm your usual performances for four semesters.
Note: Make sure that you submit the certificate of achievement (Form 5) in good time.
Please note the special provisions governing the pandemic semesters (2020 Spring Term, 2020/2021 Fall Term and 2021 Spring Term)!
Example:
| 3rd | 4th semester | 5th semester | 6th | ||||||||||
| Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr |
| Presentation of the certificate of achievement to the Office for Education and Training Assistance by 31 July; Confirmation of performances of 3 semesters achieved until the end of March. | If the certificate of achievement is presented in the period from 1 August to 31 January, the performances of 4 semesters must be confirmed which were achieved by the end of September. | If the certificate of achievement is presented as of 1 February, confirmation of the performances of 5 semesters achieved by March is necessary. | |||||||||||
| This means that if you submit your application for further support for the 5th semester in good time by 31 July, the performance level of 3 semesters is sufficient. | If you submit your application during this period, payment may be interrupted between the 4th and 5th semester. If the application is received by the end of October, for example, but the certificate of achievement is not submitted until January, for example, retroactive approval can be granted from October. | Even if the application was already submitted in October, support can only be awarded from the time of submission of the certificate of achievement. | |||||||||||
Suitability assessors, structured according to universities and fields of education
Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (THD)
| All faculties | Prof. Dr. Berg (Substitute: Ms. Dr. von Randow) - Please submit form 5 at the study centre. |
European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkichern (Site of Technische Hochschule Deggendorf (THD))
| All faculties | Prof. Dr. Georg Steckenbauer |
Hochschule Landshut
| Betriebswirtschaft Internationale Betriebswirtschaft (International Business) | Prof. Dr. Strunz (Chairman of the examination committee) |
| Elektro- und Informationstechnik, Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen Internationaes Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen Automobilwirtschaft und -technik Biomedizinische Technik (Engeriewirtschaft und -technik) | Prof. Dr. Tippmann-Krayer (Dean) Prof. Dr. Jaud (Vice Dean) |
| Informatik Automobilinformatik Wirtschaftsinformatik | Prof. Dr. Nazareth (Dean) |
| Maschinenbau Automobil- und Nutzfahrzeugtechnik (Energie- und Leichtbautechnik) | Prof. Dr. Klaus (Chairman of the examination committee) |
| Soziale Arbeit Kinder- und Jugendhilfe | Prof. Dr. C. Dannenbeck (Chairman of the examination committee) |
| Ingenieurpädagogik Ingenieurpsychologie Hebamme weiterqualifizierend Gebärdensprachdolmetschen | Prof. Dr. Benner (Dean) |
Universität Passau
| Wirtschaftswissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Totzek |
| Rechtswissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Würdinger |
| Informatik / Mathematik | Dr. Röder |
| Lehramt Grundschule, Mittelschule, Realschule und Gymnasium auch Lehramt Katholische Religionslehrer (as of Winter semester 2011/2012) | Prof. Dr. Bernert Substitute: Ms. Karasek, M. Fuchs |
| Modellstudiengang zum Erwerb von Bildungsvoraussetzungen für das Lehramt an Realschulen (Bachelor of Education - B.Ed.) | Prof. Dr. Mägdefrau Substitute: Ms. Karasek, M. Fuchs |
| Bildungs- und Erziehungsprozesse (Master of Education - M.Ed.) | Prof. Dr. Mägdefrau Substitute: Ms. Karasek, M. Fuchs |
| B.A. / M.A. European Studies (Major) | Dorothea Will represented by Susanne Schlatterer from 01.09.2021 til 31.03.2022 |
| B.A. / M.A. Governance and Public Policy - Staatswissenschaften | Dorothea Will represented by Susanne Schlatterer from 01.09.2021 til 31.03.2022 |
| B.A. Sprach- und Textwissenschaft | Dorothea Will represented by Susanne Schlatterer from 01.09.2021 til 31.03.2022 |
| B.A. / M.A. Medien und Kommunikation | Dr. Christian Dölle |
| B.A. Journalismus und Strategische Kommunikation | Prof. Dr. Ralf Hohlfeld, from 01.10.2021 Prof. Dr. Michael Harnischmacher |
| B.A. / M.A. Kulturwirtschaft / International Cultural and Buisness Studies | Dr. Christian Dölle |
| Diplomstudiengang "Sprachen, Wirtschafts- und Kulturraumstudien" | Prof. Dr. Kamm |
| B.A. Historische Kulturwissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Trempler |
| M.A. Geschichte | Prof. Dr. Kraus |
| M.A. Text und Kultursemiotik | Prof. Dr. Decker |
| M.A. North and Latin American Studies | Prof. Dr. Fitz |
| M.A. Geographie | Prof. Dr. Struck |
| M.A. Russian and East Central European Studies | Prof. Dr. Uffelmann |
| M.A. South East Asian Studies | Prof. Dr. Korff |
| M.A. Caritaswissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Fonk |
| M.A. Development Studies | Prof. Dr. Padmanabhan |
Universität Regensburg
| Katholische Theologie | Prof. Dr. Merkt Substitute: Prof. Dr. Demel |
| Rechtswissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Müller Substitute: Prof. Dr. Walter |
| Wirtschaftswissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Kindermann Substitute: Prof. Dr. Röder Form 5 and the study certificates must be submitted to the Examination Office beforehand. |
| Fakultät für Philosophie, Kunst-, Geschichts- und Gesellschaftswissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Fricke (Dean) Substitute: Prof. Dr. Walter-Rogg (Vice Dean) Form 5 and the study certificates must be submitted to the respective institutes. |
| Institut für Evangelische Theologie | Apl. Prof. Dr. Kothmann |
| Institut für Geschichte (Südosteuropastudien) | Dr. Köglmeier Martin Götz M.A. |
| Institut für Geographie | Prof. Dr. Klein |
| Institut für Klassische Archäologie | Dr. Bergmann |
| Institut für Kunsterziehung | Dr. Starzinger Substitute: Prof. Dr. Eiglsperger |
| Institut für Kunstgeschichte | PD Dr. Robin Rehm |
| Institut für Musikwissenschaften | Dr. Katelijne Schiltz (Musikwissenschaften) Prof. Dr. Gaul (Musikpädagogik) |
| Institut für Philosophie | Prof. Dr. Rott Prof. Dr. Schönberger |
| Institut für Politikwissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Macków |
| Institut für Soziologie | Dr. Herdegen |
| Fakultät für Psychologie, Pädagogik und Sportwissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Kudielka (Dean) Substitute: Prof. Dr. Munser-Kiefer (Vice Dean) Form 5 and the study certificates must be submitted to the respective institutes. |
| Institut für Psychologie | Prof. Dr. Wüst |
| Institut für Pädagogik | Agnes Cichy (Allgemeine Pädagogik) PD Dr. Suggate (Schulpädagogik) Dr. Hitzler (Grundschulpädagogik) |
| Institut für Sportwissenschaften | Dr. Stefanie Pietsch |
| Fakultät für Sprach- und Literatur- und Kulturwissenschaften | Prof. Dr. Rössler (Dean) Substitute: Prof. Dr. Nekula (Vice Dean) Form 5 and the study certificates must be submitted to the respective institutes. |
| Institut für Romanistik | PD Dr. Endruschat Laura Cano |
| Bohemicum | Prof. Dr. Nekula |
| Institut für Information und Medien, Sprache und Kultur (IMSK) | Dr. Konnerth (allg. und vergl. Sprachwissenschaft) Dr. Trummer (vergl. Kulturwissenschaft) PD. Dr. Reischer (Informationswissenschaft) Dr. Wimmer (Medieninformatik) Dr. Ottmann (Medienwissenschaft) |
| Institut für klassische Philologie (Latein) | Prof. Dr. Jan-Wilhelm Beck (Latein) Dr. Andreas Hagmaier Dr. Rainer Held |
| Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik | Dr. Hebel-Bauridl (Amerikanistik) Dr. Decker (Anglistik) represented by Dr. Herold from 01.10.21 til 28.02.2022 Dr. Schleburg (engl. Sprachwissenschaft) |
| Institut für Deutsche Philologie (Germanistik) | Prof. Dr. Thurmair (DaF) Prof. Dr. Schulz (ÄdL) Andreas Legner (Sprachwissenschaft) Dr. Steltz (NdL) Prof. Rohmer (NdL) |
| Institut für Slavische Philologie (Slavistik) | Dr. Natalie Brüggemann |
| Institiut für Klassische Philologie (Griechisch) | Prof. Dr. Rechenauer Dr. Gruber |
| Mathematik | Prof. Dr. Gubler Substitute: Prof. Dr. Finster |
| Physik | Prof. Dr. Braun Substitute: Prof. Dr. Schüller |
| Chemie | Prof. Dr. Matysik Substitute: Prof. Dr. Schlossmann |
| Pharmazie | Prof. Dr. Schlossmann Stubstitute: Prof. Dr. Matysik/Prof. Dr. Sigurd Elz |
| Biologie u. Vorklinikum Medizin | Prof. Dr. Dresselhaus (Biologie) Prof. Dr. Witzgall (Medizin) |
| Medizin (Humanmedizin) | Prof. Dr. Jägele Substitute: Prof. Dr. Hohenleutner |
| Zahnmedizin | Prof. Dr. Handel Substitute: Prof. Dr. Hohenleutner |
Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg (OTH)
| All faculties | Prof. Dr. Birgit Rösel Substitute: Prof. Dr. Klaudia Winkler Please submit Form 5 and the study certificates to the Service Office of the Department of Studies (Prüfeninger Str. 58). |