FAQ - Frequently asked questions
Naturally, questions arise during your studies. Here we provide a small collection of answers to frequently asked questions
Questions about the semester ticket, finances and the office
If you move to Siegen for the first time to start studying here, you will be reimbursed the amount currently spent on the Deutschlandticket on presentation of your registration certificate (which you receive when you register your first place of residence with the city) and your current student ID. Bring the documents to the AStA office and we will transfer the amount to you as soon as we have clarified the bureaucratic issues with the city, which is between three and six months. This is only possible up to a maximum of one year after registering as a resident.
No. Our conditions are based on the principle of solidarity, in which all students pay their contribution so that everyone has the opportunity to use the ticket. We get the semester ticket at such favorable conditions 60% of the normal price because we as students are all in the same boat: The majority of students depend on it. If the semester ticket were voluntary, it would be more expensive for everyone else.
However, it is possible to get a refund of the mobility fee (the part of the semester fee that relates to the semester ticket). To do this, you must submit an application for reimbursement of the mobility fee, i.e. a hardship application. This is possible every semester. You can find it on our homepage or printed out in our office. Please note the respective deadline (usually the Friday before the start of the respective semester). Decisions are made on the basis of your income and expenses. If your income is too high, i.e. you are not a "hardship case", your application will be rejected. The refund is financed by the so-called "Soli contribution", which is part of the semester fee. You can find more information in the hardship regulations.
In addition to the information on the application itself, we need a certificate of enrollment for the semester in question, proof of your health insurance contribution, proof of your monthly rent and (very important!) proof of your income for the last 6 months. This can be in the form of payslips, BAföG notices, financial declarations from parents/relatives, bank statements, etc. - the main thing is that we can verify everything. If any of this is missing, the application will be rejected due to incompleteness. It is therefore best to submit the application in person so that we can look over it again and check that it is complete.
No. The contracts with the transport companies are based on the principle of solidarity: we get the semester ticket at such favorable conditions because everyone is on board. The majority of students are dependent on it. If the semester ticket were voluntary, it would be much more expensive for everyone else. The only way to get the money back is to apply for a refund of the mobility fee (see above)
Initial application:
- Form 1
- Annex to Form 1 (school background)
- Form 2 (certificate of enrolment from unisono)
- Form 3 2x (one form for each parent)
Follow-up application up to the 4th semester or from the 6th semester:
- Form 1
- Form 2 (certificate of enrolment from unisono)
- Form 3 2x (one form for each parent)
Follow-up application in the 5th semester:
- Form 1
- Form 2 (certificate of study from unisono)
- Form 3 2x (one form for each parent)
- Form 5 (certificate of achievement/overview from unisono)!
No. This is not possible, as you sign a waiver from the statutory health insurance companies at the beginning of your studies. This means that you must remain privately insured until the end(!) of your studies (Bachelor's and Master's), even if you are 25 years old.
Important: If you change your health insurance provider, you must inform the university immediately, otherwise there may be consequences such as de-registration.
In principle, all documents that have been created in the context of the University of Siegen or have to be submitted for it and are also in German can be certified by us. You can also have official translations (i.e. from state-recognized translation agencies) certified by us. It is important to note that we cannot certify personal documents (identity card, passport, etc.).
Questions about the constituted student body
Step 1: Write a constitution.
Step 2: Convene an Autonomous Student Council Coordination (AFsK). This is a committee that is independent of the AStA and can be convened by student councils and existing student initiatives. The best way to do this is to simply contact your student council.
Step 3: After examining your initiative, the AFsK will propose it to the student parliament (StuPa), where your initiative will be voted on and recognized as part of the student body in the final step.
There are several fraternities and student associations in Siegen. If you don't want to rely on the one-sided portrayal of the fraternities themselves, we recommend you take a look at our Burschi-Reader, which we will be publishing soon. This will take a critical and scientific approach to the topic.
As student initiatives, autonomous departments or student groups, you always have the option of booking seminar rooms for specific events. You can use the building management's online form to do this.
Another option is the VS room. To book this room, you just need to drop by the AStA office and we will check together whether the room is still available on your date.
"Who do I turn to if...?"
In addition to the AStA, you also have the opportunity to get rid of your worries at the Quality Center Siegen (QZS). The QZS is an institution that takes care of things that are not going as they should at the university. You can either enter your e-mail address here and receive feedback or you can do it anonymously. The matter will then be dealt with without anyone being able to let you know how things turned out. We are in contact with the QZS so that we can be sure that your concerns will be taken seriously and dealt with.
First, you should see if your student council can help you. You can find a list of all FSRe here.
If no one there can help you, come to our office and we will try to find a solution together.
It is possible to appeal against the failing grade. However, as this is linked to a number of legal facts, we would advise you to come to our office as soon as possible and make an appointment with the academic affairs officer to discuss how to approach the appeal. However, after a long struggle, our student senators have succeeded in the (University) Senate in ensuring that you have three free attempts in your studies, which you can use whenever you want.
You have to make the change yourself at the Student Service Center in Sandstraße. Depending on which subject you are changing to, you can have credit points you have already earned credited to you. To get an overview, you can go to your student council or come to us if no one can help you there. However, the final crediting is done by the respective academic advisor.
There are various ways to get money or rooms for events. The important thing is that they should have a university context. This means that they should be a scientific examination of a topic or be organized by members of the university. How to get rooms is described above. To get money for an event, you can, for example, collect donations (through the famous waffle sale) or cooperate with initiatives, organizations or other groups and get money through advertising.