Examinations can usually be deregistered up to two days before the examination date without giving reasons in the PAUL web portal under "My Examinations".

You are ill and cannot take part in an examination:

A medical certificate from the day of the examination at the latest is sufficient proof. This must confirm the inability to take the examination or contain an assessment by the doctor of the inability to take the examination. In addition, the certificate must state the period of time during which you are unable to take the examination and the date of the examination.

Alternatively, please use our form for the certificate of examination incapacity. The necessary information is requested there.

It is not possible to backdate the beginning of the examination incapacity! (Unlike, for example, in the case of incapacity for work).

I am ill and my family doctor or the substitute has no office hours. What now?
The following applies: 24-hour information about the medical on-call service can be reached under the toll-free telephone number 116 117. Here you will be forwarded to the responsible doctor. Further information is also available at https://www.kvwl.de/notfalldienst.

The withdrawal must be proven and credibly presented to the Central Examination Office immediately, but no later than 5 working days after the examination date.

You have fallen ill and have taken part in an examination:

The requirements for the evidence are higher in this case. In these cases, the doctor must state when the illness began and you were able to recognise that you were ill (see form field "Only relevant in the case of participation in or discontinuation of the examination"). It must be recognisable whether you took part in the examination with knowledge of the illness.

A medical certificate from the day of the examination at the latest is sufficient proof. This must confirm the inability to take the examination or contain an assessment by the doctor of the inability to take the examination. In addition, the certificate must state the period during which the candidate is unable to take the examination and the date of the examination.

Alternatively, please use our form for the certificate of examination incapacity. The necessary information is requested there.

It is not possible to backdate the beginning of the examination incapacity! (Unlike, for example, in the case of incapacity for work).

I am ill and my family doctor or the substitute has no office hours. What now?
The following applies: 24-hour information about the medical on-call service can be reached under the toll-free telephone number 116 117. Here you will be forwarded to the responsible doctor. Further information is also available at https://www.kvwl.de/notfalldienst.

The withdrawal must be proven and credibly presented to the Central Examination Office immediately, but no later than 5 working days after the examination date.

Examination incapacity and work incapacity are two different concepts in Germany.

Incapacity to work means that a person is unable to perform their work due to illness or injury. In this case, the person concerned is entitled to receive a certificate of incapacity for work (also called a "yellow slip") from their doctor, which exempts them from work and entitles them to sickness benefits from a health insurance fund.

Examination incapacity, on the other hand, refers to a person's inability to take an examination. This may be due to illness, mental stress or other circumstances. Unlike incapacity for work, examination incapacity does not automatically entitle a person to sick leave.

Current note: In contrast to incapacity for work, no sick note can be issued by telephone in the case of incapacity for examinations. A physical examination at the doctor's surgery is required!

For example, you cannot take part in an examination for reasons of demonstrable force majeure:

The requirements for proof are different depending on the situation. If, for example, a train on which you depend is cancelled or delayed, you must have the cancellation/delay confirmed in writing by the transport company. Please understand that, in principle, only the address stored in PAUL and thus the connection between this location and Paderborn University can be taken into consideration. In this case, please make sure that the date, the time and the specific connection (with train number) are listed.

The withdrawal has to be proven and credible at the Central Examination Office immediately, but no later than 5 working days after the examination date.

If you fall ill during the time you are working on your thesis, this may mean that the time you have to work on your thesis is extended by the period of illness.

Several conditions must be fulfilled for this:

The ZPS must be informed immediately of the "inability" to work on the thesis and a credible case must be made. For this purpose, a certificate of incapacity for examination (see above) with the corresponding period of time must be submitted.

The maximum extension according to the examination regulations must not have been exhausted.

Important notice:

► If it is found that a candidate whose processing time has been extended due to illness continues to work on the paper during the time of certified illness (or also attends internal departmental consultation appointments), this may be seen as cheating.

In the PAUL web portal under "Studium > Prüfungsverwaltung > Anträge > ZPS:Prüfungsrücktritt aus triftigem Grund" [please use as a matter of priority!]

► The original must be kept by you according to the information in the online application.

or

► Submission of the original to the Central Examination Secretariat in person or by post [alternatively].

Example for the calculation of the deadline 5 working days after the examination date:
The examination takes place on Wednesday (22.03.2023). The deadline begins on Thursday (23.03.2023) and ends 5 working days later on Tuesday (28.03.2023, 23:59). The Saturday in between is included in the calculation of the deadline as a working day, the Sunday is not (basis §187ff BGB in conjunction with §3 para. 2 BUrlG).

Under "Examination results" you can see whether your request to withdraw from an examination has been granted. It may be that the entry can only be viewed when the remaining examination results are announced. If your request to withdraw from an examination has been rejected, you will be informed in any case. The same applies if evidence is missing or incomplete.