Academic Progress Certificate

 

Your residence permit can be extended if you have not yet completed the purpose for your stay. This is reviewed in some cases and after a certain length of study.

Please apply for an extension of your residence permit six weeks before your valid residence permit expires – it may take some time before you get hold of all the necessary documents the Immigration Office wishes you to submit.

Thus, for example, if you wish to extend your residence permit because

• you have not completed your degree course within the nominal duration and thus need to extend your stay or
• you have transferred into another degree program or to another university after your third semester of study

you will have to submit specific certificates to get your visa extended:

• Certificate of progress of studies of your study advisor
• and/or a certificate of the International Office
• and/or a certificate of your supervising professor

Issuance of the Academic Progress Certificate

If you have to produce an academic progress certificate (the so-called "Studienverlaufsbescheinigung") when applying for your visa extension, please take the necessary steps:

1. Provide all certificates for qualifications obtained at RWTH Aachen University, such as:
   • your preliminary diploma or a certificate on your intermediate examination (Vordiplom / Zwischenprüfung)
   • transcript of records (via RWTHOnline or obtained from the Central Examinations Office - ZPA)
   • certificates of participation (if applicable: with grades earned) for all seminars, lectures, and courses attended, as your study advisor usually does not have access on your academic records.
2. Please ask your faculty's study advisor for an appointment. Present the documents listed above and ask him or her to provide you with a filled in certificate form (Bescheinigung der Fachstudienberatung zum Studienverlauf / Certificate of progress of studies) summarizing your academic performance. Please hand in the Certificate of progress of studies to the immigration office.
3. An additional Study Progress Assessment (SPA) issued by the International Office is required only if your study advisor answered "yes" to point 4.5 on page 4 of the certificate form. At the time of your appointment, you will need to present the certificates of qualification as listed above as well as the academic record as issued by your study advisor.