FAQ Relating to the Corona Virus
Last Updates: Recent amendments of the relevant acts and laws / Exams in the 2021/22 winter semester / Masks (As of April 14, 2022)
In order to manage the Corona crisis in the best possible way, the Executive Board of KIT has established the Corona Coordination Office as a successor to the Crisis Unit. The Corona Coordination Office ensures that measures taken at KIT in connection with the spread of the Corona virus are coordinated in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity. The KIT provides information on imminent measures and recommendations on the KIT homepage, the “Studying” website, the intranet (employees portal), the students portal, and other channels, if applicable.
General Questions
General Questions
- What do the recent amendments of the relevant acts and laws mean for KIT? (As of April 14, 2022)
- Under which conditions may events take place at KIT? (As of April 19, 2022)
- Which regulations apply to antigen rapid tests at KIT? (As of March 25, 2022)
- Which certificates are accepted for proof of 3G or 2G and how are they controlled? (As of December 8, 2021)
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Where are vaccinations offered? (As of February 25, 2022)
- What do I have to consider when entering from foreign risk areas? (As of January 18, 2021)
- Which requirements have to be fulfilled when visiting the bistro and canteen on Campus North and the Mensa and cafeterias on Campus South? (As of March 25, 2022)
- The Corona App shows me a warning, how should I react? (As of February 2, 2021)
- I am an employee of an external company and work on the campus of KIT. Which rules do I have to observe? (As of March 25, 2022)
- Why is access to the buildings on Campus South, Campus West, and Campus East restricted? (As of October 13, 2021)
Face Masks
- Where are employees and students obliged to wear a face mask at the KIT? (As of April 4, 2022)
- I have a medical certificate exempting me from wearing a mouth-nose cover, what do I have to consider? (As of October 20, 2020)
Corona virus
- What is recommended from the medical point of view? (As of October 29, 2021)
- I have a positive test result, I have symptoms, or I am a contact person. What do I have to do? (As of February 9, 2022)
- Where and how is the risk of contracting the novel Corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) highest? How rather not? (As of March 16, 2020)
- Where can I find information about the Corona pandemic in other languages? (As of February 2, 2021)
General Questions
What do the recent amendments of the relevant acts and laws mean for KIT?
The KIT Corona Regulation, which has been in force at KIT up to now, will cease to apply on 15 April 2022; from this date, the responsibility for any further infection protection measures that may be required on site in connection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus will be entirely in the hands of the OU managements. As in the past, corresponding risk assessments must be carried out for the activities carried out at KIT, protective measures derived and implemented. With regard to the additional hazards caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a "Corona risk assessment handbook" was created and placed online on the KIT intranet. This is intended to help supervisors update existing risk assessments.
As early as April 1, 2022, the Baden-Württemberg State Government adopted a new Corona Ordinance that became effective on April 3, 2022. As a result, some infection protection requirements have been dropped and the Corona Ordinance on Academic Education Operations of the Baden-Württemberg Science Ministry has ceased to be in force.
After the amendment of legal framework conditions, the obligation to work from home expired on March 20, 2022. In addition, it is no longer necessary to provide proof of 3G (vaccination, recovery, or negative test) at the workplace. More information can be found here:
Under which conditions may events take place at KIT?
Events at KIT are subject to the Corona Ordinance of the State of Baden-Württemberg. The following restriction applies to events that are not part of academic education:
- Availability of a risk assessment or hygiene concept
For academic education regulations at KIT, click here.
Which regulations apply to antigen rapid tests at KIT?
With the recent changes of the laws and ordinances relevant to KIT, the obligation to provide 3G proof at KIT has been dropped. Nevertheless, KIT continues to provide two self-tests per week to all employees working on campus. Please click here for further information:
Information about rapid tests for students can be found here:
Since COVID testing stations from external providers are currently located at both Campus South and Campus North, rapid tests through MED are presently being provided in exceptional situations only.
There are two COVID-19 test stations operated by external providers on the KIT campuses.
Campus South, Building No. 30.96: Dr. Kaiser Schnelltest Service
Campus North, FTU parking south of the main entrance: Schnelltestzentrum Nordbaden (Drive-Through). Here, rapid tests are offered as well as PCR tests.
Please use these opportunities to get tested if needed.
Which certificates are accepted for proof of 3G or 2G and how are they controlled?
Vaccination certificate: A vaccination certificate must be presented in digitally readable form (QR code, e.g. in the Corona Warning App or in the CovPass-App), a yellow vaccination booklet is not accepted for proof. Control must take place using the CovPassCheckApp together with a check of the original official passport or identity document. A QR code verified with the Cov-Pass-Check app and certified as valid can be accepted.
Certificate of recovery or a negative test: A certificate of recovery or a negative test is available in the German, English, French, Italian, or Spanish language either in paper form or in digitally readable form (QR code as a digital EU COVID Certificate in the Corona Warning App or in the CovPass-App) and must be controlled with an additional check of the official identity document. In case of a digital EU COVID Certificate, a check is possible using the CovPassCheckApp.
Please note: Tested persons are requested to scan the QR code found on test certificates showing the symbol of the COVID-19 warning app. The warning app will generate another QR code that can be checked using the CovPassCheckApp. If the tested person fails to do so, information saying that the certificate is not valid is received when the QR code printed on the test certificate is scanned with the CovPassCheckApp.
Where are vaccinations offered?
The vaccination campaign of the Medical Services has ended.
Click here for vaccination campaigns in Baden-Württemberg.
Click here for vaccination campaigns in Karlsruhe.
A vaccination against Covid-19 protects yourself and those around you. Click here for more information about the Corona vaccination.
For more information, click the website of the Medical Services Unit.
What do I have to consider when entering from foreign risk areas?
Generally, persons entering or returning from abroad from a risk area where they have stayed within the last ten days before entering are now obliged to immediately after entry quarantine themselves for ten days. The quarantine can be terminated prematurely after five days, provided that a negative test result has been obtained. Some groups of persons (e.g. commuters) are exempt from the test obligation.
Since January 11, 2021, there is also a mandatory test upon entry. The test required for this must have been carried out either a maximum of 48 hours before or immediately after entry.
After a stay in a risk area, before entering the country, travelers must, as before, complete a digital entry declaration. No later than 48 hours after entry, they must have proof that they are not infected with SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus upon entry and present it to the appropriate authority upon request.
Those entering from a risk area where there are particularly high incidences* or belong to the so-called virus variant areas** must have the proof with them upon entry and present it upon request of the carrier upon departure, the competent authority upon entry or upon police control.
*High incidence areas: Incidence several times higher than that of Germany, but at least 200.
**Areas with a particularly high risk of infection due to widespread occurrence of certain SARS-CoV-2 virus variants.
If, in exceptional cases, it is not possible to make a digital entry declaration, a replacement declaration on paper must be filled out instead.
Please read more at our FAQ "What should be considered when returning or entering from foreign risk areas?" and "I expect guests from a designated international risk area. What should I consider?" (see "Employees" - "Travel / External Visits") and at https://www.med.kit.edu/254.php.
Further information can be found here in German, English and French.
Since October 1, 2020, differentiated travel instructions have again been in effect for all countries worldwide. For details, please refer to: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/covid-19/2296762
Which requirements have to be fulfilled when visiting the bistro and canteen on Campus North and the Mensa and cafeterias on Campus South?
Operation of the canteen on KIT’s Campus North is subject to the currently valid Corona Ordinance.
The canteen is open from 11.30 to 14.00 hrs. The tables are arranged such that the minimum distance of 1.5 meters required can be observed. Please respect this arrangement and do not change it on your own. As presently only third of the usual number of seats can be offered, we kindly ask you to increasingly use the off-peak hours and to limit the time spent at the canteen to half an hour. If necessary, admission to the canteen is restricted at peak hours.
Please observe the distancing requirements on the walkways, in front of the food counters, at the cashiers’, and dish returns. All persons are obliged to wear an FFP2 (or equivalent, e.g. KN95/N95/KF94/KF95) mask in the entire building. The mask may only be removed at the table and for taking the meal.
Before taking out the cutlery, please disinfect your hands. A disinfection dispenser is available in front of the cutlery counter.
At the moment, external guests are also admitted to the canteen, the terrace, and the bistro. Immunized external guests are obliged to present proof of their immunization.
Non-immunized external persons are requested to present a current negative test certificate (not older than 24 hours) from an official testing station.
When employees come to the canteen to have their lunch there, their employee status will be checked via the KIT KONKIT system (without data collection) or by a visual inspection of the company pass by the campus security staff.
As before, food for take-away can be obtained at the food counters in appropriate packaging. For the take-away of beverages and food, no data processing is required.
The bistro on Campus North and the terrace are open from 7.00 to 15.00 hrs. Restricted operation is subject to the Corona Ordinance of the State of Baden-Württemberg.
The guest canteen on Campus North has opened again. For more information and the current menu, click here.
Access to the vending machines in the canteen on Campus North is always possible for KIT staff with a company pass.
Information on the operation of the Mensa Am Adenauerring can be found here: https://www.sw-ka.de/en/essen/.
The Corona App shows me a warning. What am I supposed to do?
Risk encounters are defined by the app as encounters with a person tested positive for the coronavirus. The threshold values of various measured values are being exceeded. Hence, the persons using the app are informed of their risk statuses as a function of these values. There are three status stages:
Low risk:
- You will be informed that the risk encounter check has not detected any encounters with corona-positive persons or that the defined threshold value has not been exceeded during any of your encounters.
- You will be informed of the general distancing rules and hygiene recommendations. Further measures are not necessary as long as no typical symptoms of corona virus infection occur.
Increased risk:
- You will be informed that the risk encounter check has detected an increased risk of infection because encounters with at least one corona-positive person have taken place within the past 14 days.
- You will be instructed to go home or to stay at home if possible and to reduce encounters, as well as to observe behavioral instructions when symptoms occur. You will also be instructed to contact your family doctor, the medical hotline 116117, or the Health Office to agree on further action.
- The decision on whether to issue a sick note or order home isolation (quarantine) is made after assessment by the attending physician or the responsible public health department. The mere warning "increased risk" by the app is not sufficient to be used as a certificate of incapacity to work.
Unknown risk:
- In case that your risk encounter check was not activated long enough, no risk of infection could be calculated at the time of warning, and your display will show "unknown risk".
Read more:
https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/WarnApp/Warn_App.html
I am an employee of an external company and work on the campus of KIT. Which rules do I have to observe?
To protect the health of all persons concerned, please observe the recommendations given by Robert Koch Institute and the health authorities, the valid Occupational Safety Ordinance, the Infection Protection Act, and the Corona Ordinance of the State of Baden-Württemberg:
Employees of external companies must not have any disease symptoms, such as fever, cough, sneeze, or a sore throat, when taking up their work at the institutions of KIT. Persons obliged to self-isolate are forbidden to enter the premises according to the Corona Ordinance. In case a contact to an infected person becomes known after starting work at KIT only, the contact person of KIT must be informed immediately. Your contact person at KIT will inform you, if your contact persons at KIT will be tested positively (tracing of contact persons by the health authority after a confirmed Covid infection).
One of the basic standards in times of the pandemic is the observation of infection protection requirements (distancing, small groups only, washing hands, cough and sneeze etiquette) in accordance with the Corona Ordinance of the State of Baden-Württemberg. Depending on the workplaces, protection measures might be required and must be taken in agreement with your contact person (or the operations commissioner). Please note: KIT is not in a position to provide external companies with personal protection equipment.
Why is access to the buildings on Campus South, Campus West, and Campus East restricted?
Public access to buildings on Campus South, Campus West, and Campus East is largely restricted to comply with the requirements specified in the State Corona Ordinance. In the 2021/22 winter semester, however, courses will take place on campus again and most of the buildings on Campus South will be reopened. It is outlined in the Corona Ordinance on Academic Education Operations that university buildings shall be opened for university members and staff and for the purposes of the university exclusively. To guarantee this in the best way, the main entrances only are open. Side entrances equipped with Siport systems can be entered with the KIT card upon activation of access. Unlocked doors will be provided with posters listing major infection protection rules in the university buildings. If necessary, access permits may be applied for with the Facility Management Business Unit (gm3-ses-cs∂fm.kit.edu).
Face Masks
Where are employees and students obliged to wear a face mask at the KIT?
There no longer is any general obligation to wear masks. If superiors make a risk assessment and find that the wearing of a surgical or FFP2 mask is required for protection against infections, however, this requirement is binding in the environment assessed. In this case, masks must be made available to the persons affected. In case FFP2 masks will be required, the staff must also be given instructions relating to their correct use, the associated hazards, and the possibility of undergoing a preventive medical examination. As for the rest, every person, of course, is free to decide to wear a mask for her/his personal protection.
If I have a medical certificate exempting me from wearing a face mask. What do I have to consider?
According to the Corona Ordinance of the Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg (MWK), face masks must be worn on all walkways and in all aisles within buildings and at events at KIT.
A medical certificate from your attending physician is required to be exempt from the obligation to wear a face mask. Such certificate must clearly state the personal restrictions and consequences of your wearing a face mask.
General impairments are not medical reasons for exemption from the obligation, because, after long mask wearing periods, anybody might feel impaired or uncomfortable. In accordance with the pandemic rules applying at the KIT, exemptions can be granted only in the case of individual physical and/or psychological impairments that go beyond general impairments.
Please present the certificate to your superior who will weigh up and consider both your situation as an applicant and the situation of your colleagues who, due to such exemption, may be exposed to an increased risk of infection.
Please do not hesitate to contact the KIT Medical Services if you have further medical questions.
Corona virus
What is recommended from the medical point of view?
The Corona virus has arrived in Germany. Prevention and Attention are required, please follow the advice of the experts:
- The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) answers the most important questions relating to the current situation at:
https://www.rki.de/EN/Home/homepage_node.html - Information from the Federal Ministry of Health: https://www.zusammengegencorona.de/
- Information on prevention measures, such as cough and sneeze etiquette and a good hand hygiene, is given by the authorities on the following websites, for instance:
https://www.infektionsschutz.de/hygienetipps.html (in German) - The Medical Services of KIT also provide information:
https://www.med.kit.edu/246.php
In general:
- Please reduce your contacts to as few persons as possible.
- Please observe the hygiene rules.
- Please avoid touching your face, as pathogens enter the body through the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, or eyes.
- Please maintain a distance of 1.5 meters to conversation partners.
- Wear a face mask.
- Please ensure regular and thorough ventilation. The Technical Regulations for Workplaces ASR A 3.6 recommend pulse ventilation of meeting rooms every 20 minutes for over 3 minutes to allow maximum air exchange through wide-open windows. Offices should be ventilated every 60 minutes. The minimum duration of pulse ventilation depends on the temperature difference between inside and outside (in summer up to 10 minutes, in winter up to 3 minutes).
- Please resort to telephone or video conferences (e.g. using Microsoft teams or the DFNconf services of DFN-Verein)
If you have questions or need advice, please do not hesitate to contact the hotline of the State Health Office at 0711-904-39555 (on working days between 9 am and 4 pm).
I have a positive test result, I have symptoms, or I am a contact person. What do I have to do?
I have symptoms
If you have symptoms typical of Covid infections – this may already be a runny nose; for further information, click here - stay at home. If these symptoms develop at your workplace, go home immediately. To find out whether you have been infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, contact your family physician or an official test office (for further information on testing regulations at KIT, click here. Until March 31, 2022, employees suffering from slight respiratory diseases may get a sick leave for up to seven calendar days from registered physicians by a telephone call.
I have a positive test result
The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs provides information on what to do in these cases:
Please inform your superior, if you have contracted COVID-19 or have been tested positively and tell him or her whether you had close contact persons at work on the last two days before you fell ill, so that these persons can be informed in order to interrupt potential chains of infection.
I had contact with a positively tested person
As regards the obligation to isolate in connection with the vaccination or recovery status, various combinations are possible. For this reason, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Social Affairs has compiled a survey:
More information for infected persons and contact persons can be found on the website of the Medical Services of KIT: https://www.med.kit.edu/294.php.
Where and how is the risk of contracting the novel Corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) highest? How rather not?
The most important route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is considered to be a so-called droplet infection, in which the viruses are released into the air by infected people via droplets, e.g. when sneezing or coughing, and inhaled by bystanders. In special situations, transmission via aerosols (droplet nuclei, smaller than five micrometers) - for example when speaking - also seems possible. Furthermore, transmission via contact or smear infections cannot be ruled out. In this case, pathogens that are on the hands reach the mucous membranes of the nose or eye, where they can lead to infection.
Therefore, social distancing, observance of coughing and sneezing rules, wearing of protective masks and good hand hygiene are still the most important part of prevention.
The RKI continuously updates latest information on the Corona virus: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Steckbrief.html
https://www.infektionsschutz.de/coronavirus-sars-cov-2.html
Where can I find information about the Corona pandemic in other languages?
The Federal Government's Integration Officer provides up-to-date information in various languages on the following website:
https://www.integrationsbeauftragte.de/ib-de/amt-und-person/informationen-zum-coronavirus
Questions from Employees
Work
- What is the current practice at KIT as regards mobile work from home or presence at workplace? (As of April 14, 2022)
- What does the obligation to present proof of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test (3G) at the workplace mean? (As of February 25, 2022)
- I work on the KIT campus. Where do I get a self-test kit? (As of March 25, 2022)
- I have requested vacation. Can I cancel? (As of October 27, 2020)
- I live abroad and commute to KIT. What do I have to consider? (As of October 19, 2020)
- How can job interviews be made at the moment? (As of March 25, 2022)
- Who can advise me on technical, organizational, health and psychological matters while working from home? (As of April 3, 2020)
- I am at work at home and take part in flexitime. How do I get my times credited? (As of March 25, 2020)
- Information concerning LBV (State Office for Salary). (As of March 19, 2020)
- My user certificate for secure digital communication is expiring. How do I get a new one? (As of March 27, 2020)
Relatives
- Special paid leave or leave of absence for childcare due to current developments regarding the Corona virus (COVID 19). (As of February 17, 2022)
- I have relatives in need of care. Now their nursing staff is not available. What can I do? (As of June 9, 2020)
Travel / External Visit
- What should be noted when returning to or entering Germany from abroad? (As of September 2, 2021)
- How can business trips be conducted with the current developments and general conditions in mind? (As of September 23, 2021)
- I expect guests from a designated international risk area. What should I consider? (As of September 2, 2021)
General
- I have been put in quarantine. What do I need to know? (As of October 5, 2021
- What has to be considered during face-to-face meetings and other gatherings at KIT? (As of March 25, 2022)
- May the Corona App be installed on mobile work phones? (As of June 16, 2020)
- I am in a risk group. What are my possibilities regarding my work at KIT? (As of April 29, 2020)
- What am I supposed to do, if I or members of my household have been put in quarantine by order of authority? (As of March 25, 2020)
- I would like to wash my hands, but there is no soap in the next lavatory or paper tissues are lacking. What can I do? (As of March 10, 2020)
Work
What is the current practice at KIT as regards mobile work from home or presence at workplace?
In principle, the service agreement on mobile work and telework applies. However, within the framework of the risk assessment for a specific activity, in order to reduce or avoid the joint use of rooms by several employees, the tool of "extended mobile work" can continue to be used beyond the time limit of 40% of working time specified in the service agreement. The legal basis for this is the Corona Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance, which applies until 25 May 2022.
Expiry of the 3G rule at the workplace
On March 20, 2022, the obligation to provide proof of 3G (vaccination, recovery, or a negative test) at the workplace expired. This means that 3G proof is no longer required and must no longer be controlled by the employer.
Documentations of controls of proofs have to be disposed of promptly in accordance with data protection regulations. Proofs deposited with superiors have to be destroyed or returned. Further controls, documentations, and keeping of proofs will no longer be permitted.
Workplace of student assistants after the end of the obligation to work from home
The obligation to work from home also ends for student assistants. Consequently, new employment contracts can now be concluded with student assistants, provided that work on campus of KIT can be guaranteed. As before the obligation to work from home, you as supervisor or superior must ensure for all contracts or further employments that part of the contractual work can also be carried out by mobile work.
I work on the KIT campus. Where do I get a self-test kit?
KIT continues to provide two self-tests per week to employees who work on campus. In addition, employees are of course free to have themselves tested regularly at a test station.
All employees working on the KIT Campus are provided with antigen rapid test kits according to the valid Corona Occupational Safety Ordinance. These self-test kits are made available by the heads of the organizational units who can order the tests via the supplier relationship management system. If you work on the KIT Campus, contact the head of your organizational unit.
In the case of a positive test result, self-isolate immediately and inform your family physician or make an appointment for a PCR test via the central phone number 116 117.
Please note in any case: Also negatively tested employees must comply with the requirements specified in the “Guidelines on the Course of Business at KIT in Times of the SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) Pandemic” (no test bonus). This guarantees the safety of all.
I have requested vacation. Can I cancel?
Already granted vacation can only be cancelled for valid reasons. Restricted possibilities for leisure activities or vacations due to the current situation are not reasons for cancellation.
I live abroad and commute to KIT. What do I have to consider?
According to the Corona Ordinance Relating to Quarantine upon Entry and Testing (Corona Verordnung Einreise-Quarantäne und Testung, in German Only) of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Baden-Württemberg, persons who enter Baden-Württemberg from abroad and have stayed in a risk area during 14 days prior to entry are subject to quarantine. However, this does not apply to entries from a risk area that are necessary for professional reasons (as, for example, in the case of commuters). A commuter certificate is also not required.
How can job interviews be made at the moment?
To the extent possible, job interviews should be made online. Click https://intranet.kit.edu/6042.php to find important information given by the Human Resources Service Unit and the Data Protection Staff Unit.
As outlined in the “Guidelines on the Course of Business at KIT in Times of the SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) Pandemic,” it is also possible to make job interviews in person. In this case, infection protection requirements and hygiene rules have to be observed: Minimum distance 1.5 meters, cough and sneeze etiquette, regular and thorough washing of hands, well-aired and sufficiently large rooms. Please use the rooms administrated decentrally by you for this purpose.
Who can advise me on technical, organizational, health and psychological matters while working from home?
Technical questions on the setup of work from home and mobile work are answered by SCC, the Information Technology Center at KIT. SCC websites on access, programs, video conferences, e-mails, cyber security, etc.: https://www.scc.kit.edu/en/services/homeoffice.php
Not only for companies, the "First Aid Kit for Successful Distributed Working" of KIT‘s Institute for Information Systems and Marketing provides numerous practical tips and recommendations concerning, for example, communication rules, work from home mission statement, the proper attitude or the right team spirit:
https://www.kompetenzzentrum-usability.digital/angebote/demonstratoren/social-distancing-social-awareness/erste-hilfe-kit-fuer-erfolgreiches-verteiltes-arbeiten
The KIT Health Network provides ergonomic tips and assistance for healthy working (not only) at home:
http://gesundheit.net.kit.edu/296.php
The KIT Health Network provides ergonomic tips and assistance for healthy working (not only) at home:
http://www.kmb.kit.edu
I am at work from home and take part in flexitime. How do I get my times credited?
If you share data with ESS/MSS, enter your times using the clock-in/out corrections and have them approved by your supervisor using the system
If you do not participate in ESS/MSS, and are still on campus occasionally, please note down your daily working hours for one working week and have the list signed by your supervisor. Then scan and email the weekly total of your working hours to the time management staff at PSE-Zeitwirtschaft, stating your personnel number. Time reports can also be sent to PSE-Zeitwirtschaft as collective Business Unit or Staff Unit lists via the relevant secretariat.
If you do not participate in ESS/MSS and will not be coming to campus for the foreseeable future, please note your daily working hours for one working week in a list (Word/Excel) and email it to PSE-Zeitwirtschaft with your supervisor in CC. Time reports can also be sent to PSE-Zeitwirtschaft as collective Business Unit or Staff Unit lists via the relevant secretariat.
Information concerning LBV (State Office for Salary).
Due to the dynamic development in connection with the coronavirus, LBV has been closed for visitors since Wednesday, March 18, 2020, until further notice. KIT Employees who wish to contact LBV are requested to make inquiries via the customer portal. In particular, aid applications should be submitted via "Aid Online", since these digital applications can be processed more easily in telework. You will find the link to "Beihilfeantrag-Online" (Aid Online) in the customer portal under the menu item "Service".
My user certificate for secure digital communication is expiring. How do I get a new one?
The certification authority of SCC has adapted its procedures to minimizing the risk of infection. It provides information on the current process at: https://www.ca.kit.edu/english/index.php
Relatives
Special paid leave or leave of absence for childcare due to current developments regarding the Corona virus (COVID 19).
If, despite opening of the daycare facility, there are serious problems with the compatibility of work and family life, please contact your supervisor or your superior to find out whether it is possible to extend working from home. Before contacting us, please check whether you have used up your remaining leave from 2020 or 2021 and your flexitime.
2) Core time
In order to enable flexible work, the core time regulation will be suspended until March 31, 2022 inclusive for the employees concerned.
3) How can I continue to stay at home for childcare purposes (without extending work from home)?
a) Unpaid leave of absence with compensation claim according to § 56 para. 1a IfSG in the amount of 67 % of the loss of payment (net pay).
Employees who have to look after their children due to the closure of schools or childcare facilities and who suffer loss of payment due to the resulting absence from work have a statutory right to compensation in accordance with § 56 (1a) IfSG. Please note the requirements for an exemption according to §56 paragraph 1 a IfSG.
This compensation currently amounts to 67% of the loss of earnings incurred, up to a maximum of € 2016 per month for a maximum of 10 weeks per parent. Based on a regular weekly working time of five days, ten weeks correspond to 50 working days. For single parents, it is 20 weeks.
With the Act Amending the Infection Protection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz - IfSG) on the Occasion of the Repeal of the Determination of the Epidemic Situation of National Significance, which entered into force on November 24, 2021, the legislature codified a transitional provision in Section 56 (1a) sentence 5 IfSG. According to this provision, the entitlement to compensation under Section 56 (1a) IfSG due to COVID-19-specific measures continues to exist for a limited period of time until March 19, 2022.
The period of entitlement begins anew on March 28, 2021, and ends on March 19, 2022, due to the above-mentioned transitional provision. It is not possible to carry over days from the old period of entitlement.
If you need unpaid leave, please fill out the form provided and send it to PSE Zeitwirtschaft through your supervisor. Compensation payments will be made to your payroll account. The application for compensation is initiated via the employer. For this application it is necessary to provide the name and location of the closed care facility.
Before the claim for compensation can be asserted, working time credits and remaining leave from 2021 must be claimed.
Please note that no statutory compensation shall be provided for in times when schools and childcare facilities are closed anyway (e.g. during the vacations).
Contrary to expectations, the planned vacation care for my child is not available: A claim for compensation according to the Infection Protection Act is not provided for vacation care - even if the planned vacation care fails to take place.
You should discuss with your supervisor wether or not from home is an alternative.
Mandatory prerequisites for compensation claims pursuant to § 56 (1a) IfSG are as follows.
- A community facility, such as a daycare center, major daycare center, parent-child initiative (or similar), or school, has actually been closed in response to the spread of COVID-19, or access to such care facilities is limited.
- The children affected by the closure are under 12 years of age.
- An alternative care of the child or children cannot otherwise be guaranteed.
- There are no official reasons against granting such leave. In this case, coordination with the supervisor is required.
- Positive working time balances (extra work, overtime, and flexitime credits) must be settled and the leave remaining from 2021 must be taken primarily. (§ 29 (3) clause 2 TV-L/ TVöD).
Please use this form for applications for unpaid leave of absence with entitlement to compensation.
4) If, after having exhausted these possibilities further days off are required for childcare, a short-term leave of absence from work with a waiver of payment can be granted, § 29, subsection 3, sentence 2 TVöD, or special leave can be taken according to § 28 TVöD.
Neither for civil servants nor for employees covered by collective bargaining agreements is there a need for taking their leave of absence or special leave in one piece. It is possible to take individual days. If the regular weekly working time is not distributed over five working days, the proportion increases or decreases accordingly.
5) Illness of your child: In 2021, the federal government decided that child sick pay would be granted for 20 additional days per parent (40 additional days for single parents) in 2021. This was also extended for the year of 2022. The entitlement is also to apply to cases where care for the child at home becomes necessary because the school or kindergarten or class or group are closed due to the pandemic, or compulsory attendance at classes has been suspended, or access to childcare services has been restricted. Until further notice, this provision is effective until March 19, 2022.
This rule for persons with public health insurance went into effect on January 5, 2021 and for the year of 2022 is effective beginning January 1, 2022.
Please attach a copy of the medical certificate or the copy of the application you submit to the health insurance company.
If you have any further questions, please contact PSE-Zeitwirtschaft.
I have relatives in need of care. Now their nursing staff is not available. What can I do?
Please also note that in accordance with § 2 para. 1 of the Pflegezeitgesetz (home care leave act, in German only), employees have the right, to take up to ten days off without continued payment in order to organize appropriate care for a close relative in an acute care situation. Pursuant to § 44a, subsection 3, sentence 1, SGB XI (German Social Security Code XI), employees are entitled to a care support allowance for the lost payment. You can apply for this at your relative’s public health care or nursing care insurance. Please contact the public health care or nursing care insurance directly in order to clarify whether the prerequisites for your short-term inability to work are met according to § 2 of the Pflegezeitgesetz, and to receive your care support allowance.
Please note that civil servants who have to organize or provide for nursing of a close relative within the meaning of section 7 (3) of the Pflegezeitgesetz must be granted special leave with continued payment of their salaries for up to nine working days for each relative in need of care.
Travel / External Visit
What should be noted when returning to or entering Germany from abroad?
In general, the situation is highly dynamic and may change very quickly. It is distinguished between risk areas, high incidence areas, and areas of variants of concern. RKI offers a survey that is updated daily. Please note the provisions of the federal Coronavirus Entry Ordinance (Coronavirus-Einreiseverordnung, CoronaEinreiseV), including the quarantine regulations for persons entering and returning to Germany. Entry of the Federal Republic of Germany from other countries may be subject to restrictions. Information on travel restrictions and border control is given by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building, and Community.
Due to the multitude of possible cases, it is impossible to list here the options presently possible. Please inform yourself by clicking the above links.
Since October 01, 2020, different travel regulations have been adopted for all countries worldwide. They are being updated regularly. Details can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office (in German only). Links to more information are provided there.
Our employees are urgently recommended not to make any unnecessary travels to high-risk areas or areas of variants of concern.
As regards quarantine regulations for persons entering and returning to Germany, the provisions of the valid Coronavirus Entry Ordinance (in German only) apply.
Before entering Germany, you are requested to register digitally if within the last ten days before entry, you stayed in an area that has been classified as a high-risk area or area of variants of concern.
Since August 1, 2021 all persons aged 12 years or older have to carry a certificate stating that they are either vaccinated, have recovered, or were tested negative – whether they stayed in a high-risk area or in an area of variants of concern, or not. Even vaccinated or recovered persons have to carry a negative test when they have stayed in an area classified as high-risk area or area of variants of concern. Please consider possible quarantine regulations for persons entering and returning to Germany.
Information on payment regulations for persons returning from risk areas:
If work from home is impossible, civil servants (Beamte) of KIT, who return from risk areas and have to self-isolate, are obliged to use up their positive working time balance or to take a leave, or if no days are left, to take a leave for other reasons without payment of the salary (Article 31, par. 3 of the Working Time and Holiday Ordinance – AzUVO). This also applies to employees working under collective agreements (unpaid special leave according to Article 28, TV-L/TVÖD).
The duty to maintain one’s ability to work (§ 34 p. 1 of the Civil Service Status Act - Beamtenstatusgesetz - BeamtStG) requires that civil servants weigh up the necessity of the journey and the respective risk in a responsible manner. In addition, they must ensure that they can carry out their work with full commitment after returning from vacation. For this reason, the Legal Notes of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Finance on Civil Servants’ Dealing with the Corona Virus (Rechtliche Hinweise des Innenministeriums und des Finanzministeriums zum Umgang mit dem Corona-Virus für Beamtinnen und Beamte, in German only, as of May 27, 2020) expressly state that civil servants must clarify before the start of their journey how their ability to work after returning home can be ensured. In most cases, working from home will allow for this to be ensured.
In the view of the state government, one generally speaks of unauthorized absence from work under § 68 (1) of the Federal Law on Public Servants (Landesbeamtengesetz - LBG) if civil servants who have to stay in quarantine after returning from vacation in a risk area do not safeguard their ability to work. This only applies if the area was already classified as a risk area before the start of the journey. In such cases, the impossibility of carrying out one’s duty is caused in breach of duty. Therefore, flexitime credits or vacation or, if these are used up, vacation for other reasons, accepting loss of payment (§ 31 para. 3 of the Working Hours and Vacation Ordinance – Arbeitszeit- und Urlaubsverordnung - AzUVO) are to be used as a rule, if telework or mobile work are not possible. If this fails to be done, culpable absence from work during quarantine shall be assumed and shall lead to a corresponding reduction of payment (§ 11 (1) of the Baden-Württemberg State Pay Scale Law (Landesbesoldungsgesetz Baden-Württemberg).
How can business trips be conducted with the current developments and general conditions in mind?
The Corona Coordination Office recommends refraining from business trips to high-risk areas or areas of variants of concern (in German only) as well as to domestic hotspots or limiting travel to what is absolutely necessary. Please discuss possible alternatives such as postponing the business trip or video conferencing formats with your supervisor(s).
If urgent business reasons make it necessary to travel to a foreign high-risk area or an area of variants of concern, a mandatory preventive healthcare in accordance with G35 will be requested prior to traveling.
When returning from a foreign risk area, the entry regulations of the respective federal states must be observed.
There are no entry restrictions for travel returnees from hotspots within Germany.
Read more on the website of the KIT Medical Services:
https://www.med.kit.edu/254.php
I expect guests from a designated international risk area. What should I consider?
Exchange at a national and international level adds to and enriches scientific work in every respect. However, in view of the current situation, external visitors should no longer be received. All activities involving external visitors should be postponed or canceled indefinitely.
The situation is very dynamic in this regard and can change at short notice. A distinction must be made between high-risk areas and virus variant areas. A daily updated overview (in German only) is provided by the RKI. The requirements in accordance with the currently valid version of the ordinance applicable to Baden-Württemberg regarding quarantine measures for arriving and returning travelers (in German only) must be observed. From certain countries, not any person may possibly be allowed to enter the Federal Republic of Germany. Information on travel restrictions and border controls is provided by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community.
Due to the large number of possible cases, we are not able to list exhaustively the currently feasible options. Please read the links provided to inform yourself about the rules and regulations that may apply to your individual situation.
Please note: For guests from abroad who have to quarantine themselves, it is probably not easy to find appropriate accommodation. This should be considered in advance.
Throughout Germany, the Coronavirus Entry Ordinance (in German only) uniformly regulates the rules regarding registration, quarantine, proofs of having been vaccinated or tested or having recovered, and travel bans on virus variant areas.
A digital entry declaration must be made prior to entry if at any time within ten days before entry, the relevant person stayed in an area classified at the time of entry as a high-risk or virus variant area.
Brief overview of current entry regulations (in German only): https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/fileadmin/Dateien/3_Downloads/C/Coronavirus/FAQs_Reise/Corona-Einreiseregeln_Kurzuebersicht.pdf
For more information, see FAQ "What should be noted when returning to or entering Germany from abroad?".
General
I have been put in quarantine. What do I need to know?
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If you have no disease symptoms and, hence, you do not have a certificate of incapacity for work (AU/Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung), and if you can work from home, you are obliged to do so during quarantine.
Note: If you have no symptoms, but fall ill during quarantine, the incapacity for work due to the illness starts on this particular day. In case of an incapacity for work, you will need the corresponding certificate (AU-Bescheinigung) issued by your doctor from the first day of your disease in spite of the quarantine. -
If you have disease symptoms and present a certificate of incapacity for work, wage payment will be continued during sick leave.
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If you are not ill, but cannot work from home when you are put in quarantine, the following regulations apply:
To not vaccinated persons:
In Baden-Württemberg, persons above 18, who have not been fully vaccinated and are put in quarantine will not get their loss of wage compensated after September 15, 2021 according to Article 56, par. 1, Infection Protection Act (IfSG). This Act excludes any compensation, if a prohibition of work or a quarantine order could have been avoided by undergoing a publicly recommended vaccination.
This does not apply, if you cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. In this case, you will continue to be entitled to a compensation of your wage loss. Until further notice, this will also apply to pregnant and nursing mothers. For proof, you will need a certificate issued by your doctor, in which it is confirmed without indicating reasons that your vaccination was impossible for medical reasons.
If you cannot work from home in case of a quarantine, you may submit a request for vacation in order to prevent wage loss.
To vaccinated or recovered persons:
In exceptional cases, quarantine may be ordered. If the requirements below are fulfilled, you will get your wage loss compensated.
Requirements for compensation:
According to Article 56, par. 1, cl. 2, IfSG, you have the right to compensation, if you were put in quarantine by the responsible authority according to Art. 30, par. 1, cl. 2, IfSG (e.g. by order of isolation / quarantine (Absonderungs-/Quarantäneanordnung)).
The right to compensation as outlined in Art. 56, par. 1, cl. 2, IfSG, exists only, if the person entitled to compensation has suffered a wage loss as a result of the quarantine. Hence, the wage loss must be associated with the quarantine order.
To claim compensation payments with the Regierungspräsidium (regional council), an isolation / quarantine order must be presented to PSE and it must be proved that you are entitled to such payments. This means that you have to prove that you are vaccinated or have recovered or that you cannot be vaccinated.
What has to be considered during face-to-face meetings and other gatherings at KIT?
Business meetings must be reduced to the absolutely necessary minimum. Please meet online instead.
Meetings and gatherings are subject to requirements that are outlined in the “Guidelines on the Course of Business at KIT in Times of the SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus) Pandemic.” They include among others: Observation of a distance of at least 1.5 meters between persons, raising the awareness of participants in advance, rules of conduct, or display of rules on the information board, listing of participants, regular airing, larger room, and others. Information on the obligation to wear masks can be found here.
Among the basic standards in times of the pandemic is the observation of infection protection requirements (distancing, washing hands, cough and sneeze etiquette, no persons suspected of being infected are admitted to the workplace). However, it is necessary in any case to make a risk assessment. Depending on the number of persons and the activities, protection measures might be required. They will be taken by the heads of the organizational units after their risk assessment.
Please, strictly avoid in-person meetings at the moment and replace them by online meetings. The Microsoft Teams software for online collaboration of groups (chats, meetings, video conferences, notes, joint editing and exchange of files, to-dos) is available at https://www.scc.kit.edu/dienste/ms-teams.php.
Users in the science sector can also organize video, audio, and web conferences via Dienst DFNconf des DFN-Vereins (as long as capacities are available).
To support use of various online communication services, a recommendation can be found on the website of the Information Security Commissioner.
May the Corona App be installed on mobile work phones?
The Corona-Warn-App of the Federal Government is an important helper to trace and interrupt infection chains. Only if as many people as possible use the app can it unfold its effect.KIT’s risk assessment-based protection concept rests on the fact that the minimum distance is always and as far as possible maintained for preventing infections. There is no question, however, that the Corona App is especially helpful on the way to work and in many other situations. For this reason, it is possible and permissible at KIT to install the Corona Warning App on service mobile phones. The installation is voluntary in every respect. For reasons of IT security, please make sure that the latest available operating system or the current version of the app is installed on the service mobile phone when using the Corona App.
I am in a risk group. What are my possibilities regarding my work at KIT?
In times of Corona, all of us at the KIT are jointly faced with the challenge of establishing a “new-normality“ way of gradually resuming regular life in compliance with the legal framework and the necessary infection protection measures.
Our new basic standards in times of Corona include the compliance with infection protection (distance, small groups, handwashing, sneezing and coughing etiquette). Depending on the conditions at your workplace, additional protective measures may be required. After workplace risk assessment, these will be provided for by the management staff of the relevant organizational unit. The Medical Services (MED) or Experts for Work Safety (FAS) can be consulted too for workplace risk assessment.
It is not possible, moreover, to give a general answer to the question as to whether a specific person is exposed to an increased risk of a serious course of disease due to certain pre-existing conditions. An individual assessment by a physician, taking into account both the individual health requirements and the working conditions, is necessary. In cases where there is a possible individually increased risk of a serious course of COVID-19, the Medical Services (MED) are also available for occupational health consultation/preventive care.
What am I supposed to do, if I or members of my household have been put in quarantine by order of authority?
A quarantine order is issued by the local health authority. The orders given by the health authority must be obeyed. Only if an official quarantine order has been issued by the authorities, is the respective person entitled to continued payment of remuneration for up to a maximum of 6 weeks in the event of an incapacity to work in accordance with Article 56 of the German Infection Protection Act. According to Article 19 BBiG, this also applies to trainees.
If you are put in quarantine, please send the corresponding order document by email to your superiors and PSE-Zeitwirtschaft (PSE Time Management) immediately. If only members of your household (but not you yourself) are put in quarantine, you are not a contact person according to the classification by the Robert Koch Institute and will continue to go to work as usual. The same applies to “isolation at home" as recommended by the Robert Koch Institute.
I would like to wash my hands, but there is no soap in the next lavatory or paper tissues are lacking. What can I do?
Our colleagues of DE ASERV (General Services) and the contracted service providers continuously take care of the lavatories and toilets on our campuses. Especially in high-use lavatories, however, it may happen that soap and tissues are used up or that some users do not leave the lavatories in a way we would want them to do.
In buildings used by a large number of people, such as the Library or Audimax, cleaning staff controls the rooms and the amounts of soap and paper tissues several times per day. If soap or tissues are lacking, please use another lavatory and notify the need promptly.
Our colleagues responsible for these matters will be happy about a short information with the number of the building, the floor, and the room number of the lavatory. The technical support staff of KIT can be reached by calling +49 721 608 5555 (internally, calling 5555 will be sufficient) or by mailing to stoermeldung-cn∂fm kit edu (Campus North) and stoermeldung-cs∂fm kit edu (Campus South, West, East). In addition, employees and partners having a KIT account can use the web form of the ticket system in the Intranet. (Please note: The current ticket system was launched just a few days ago. If you have problems, let them know to your colleagues of DE FM (Facility Management). Click here for short instructions.
On the following websites, you will find information on when and how to wash hands as well as on reasonable prevention methods, such as cough and sneeze etiquette:
• https://www.infektionsschutz.de/haendewaschen.html#c6354 (in German)
• https://www.infektionsschutz.de/hygienetipps.html (in German)
Questions about Studying and Teaching
Start of the Semester & Online Teaching
- What are the plans for academic education operations in the 2022 summer semester? (As of March 23, 2022)
- How to start online studies? (As of April 08, 2021)
- I am a lecturer. Where can I find help, for example, on the subjects of online teaching, digital course preparation, and everyday university life? (As of April 15, 2020)
Examinations & Courses
- What do I have to keep in mind when writing exams in the 2021/22 winter semester? (As of April 4, 2022)
- What do the warning and alert levels mean for studies? (As of January 25, 2022)
- What are the general conditions for oral online exams via video conferencing? (As of February 22, 2021)
- Will exam deadlines and program durations be extended (again) in the winter semester of 2021/22? (As of November 2, 2021)
- I am studying in a degree program that is being phased out. What do I have to consider? (As of May 20, 2020)
- Where can I find information as a student teacher? (As of April 8, 2021)
General Questions about the Corona Pandemic
- Where can I find information about the Corona vaccination for students? (As of December 3, 2021)
- I am pregnant. What do I have to keep in mind regarding maternity protection and studying during the corona pandemic? (As of April 30, 2021)
- I study at KIT. Where can I undergo rapid testing? (As of January 26, 2022)
- What does the Baden-Württemberg Higher Education Law stipulate with regard to the regular period of study? (As of September 2, 2021)
- To what an extent can the KIT library and the learning places and workplaces be used at the moment? (As of February 11, 2022)
- In the given situation, what can I do to stay healthy? (As of November 23, 2021)
Studies & General Issues
- I study with a child. Whom can I turn to in the current situation? (As of August 31, 2020)
- How can I update my personal data in the Studierendenportal? (As of June 8, 2021)
- As an international student, do I have to keep on paying tuition fees? (As of February 9, 2022)
- How can I obtain the KIT library's and KIT department libraries' seals stating that I have cleared my library accounts prior to my being removed from the register of students? (As of October 27, 2020)
- I am an international student. Can I enroll online? (As of April 8, 2021)
- I am a foreign student and need a certificate of compulsury presence to apply for a visa or to enter Germany. Can I get such certificate from KIT? (As of July 21, 2020)
Start of the Semester & Online Teaching
What are the plans for academic education operations in the 2022 summer semester?
Note: The information given here reflects the current planning status and does not claim to be complete or to be ultimately valid. Potential changes will be communicated here, whenever necessary.
Although legal regulations are not yet known in detail, it is already clear that the 2022 summer semester will be an on-campus semester at KIT and the other universities in the State of Baden-Württemberg. We will inform students in due time about the details, also with respect to the control of 3G proofs (proofs of vaccination, recovery, or a negative test).
In the 2022 summer semester, KIT will return to the usual lecturing times as before the pandemic, with a break of 15 minutes between the lectures:
1st lecture block: 8.00-9.30 hrs
2nd lecture block: 9.45-11.15 hrs
3rd lecture block: 11.30-13.00 hrs
Lunch break: 13.00-14.00 hrs
4th lecture block: 14.00-15.30 hrs
5th lecture block: 15.45-17.15 hrs
6th lecture block: 17.30-19.00 hrs
How to start online studies?
Due to the current pandemic situation, the lecture period at KIT will start online on April 12. We have summarized the relevant links and information for you in the following. We ask all students not to come to the campus for lectures or studying and to attend all courses online instead.
After logging in with your personal KIT account, you will find access and help pages:
How to ILIAS - Introduction to KIT's Learning Management System for students: https://ilias.studium.kit.edu/goto.php?target=crs_635565&client_id=produktiv
Help for students using ILIAS: https://ilias.studium.kit.edu/goto.php?target=cat_947332&client_id=produktiv
Online course catalog of the KIT: https://campus.studium.kit.edu/events/catalog.php#!campus/all/fields.asp?group=Vorlesungsverzeichnis
In case of technical problems with ILIAS, please contact: ilias∂studium.kit.edu
In addition, MS Teams and/or ZOOM can be used to conduct seminars and lectures in the form of video conferences (information about which systems are used in the respective course can be found in the relevant ILIAS workspace).
Information on the use of MS Teams: https://www.scc.kit.edu/dienste/ms-teams.php
Within the scope of its possibilities, KIT endeavors to use online teaching solutions that comply with the data protection regulations. Since the existing services cannot be scaled, cloud-based online setting must be used instead. The lecturers and students are free to decide whether they want to use a cloud-based service or not, knowing which data protection concerns exist, on the one hand, and how uncertain the availability is of using cloud-based service, on the other hand. In accordance with the resolutions of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany, the KIT ensures that not using cloud-based services will not be sanctioned (such ensuring is provided for e.g., by guaranteeing that students will not be blamed for exceeding deadlines due to not using cloud-based courses or exams).
KIT has taken extensive measures to raise the use of cloud-based services to an acceptable level under corona-related circumstances. For example, the use of Zoom at KIT is based on a contract data processing agreement that has been adapted to the KIT requirements. In particular, KIT has succeeded in drafting the section on the possibility of passing on personal data in conformity with the data protection regulations. In addition, attitudes and recommendations for a data-saving use and for minimizing risks from an IT security point of view were elaborated and implemented. This means, for example, that students can participate in the sessions without activating their microphones or webcams and without having to give their real names. The students are informed comprehensively about data processing via a data protection declaration.
Information on the use of ZOOM: http://www.zml.kit.edu/corona-live-vortrag.php
Help for students with technical questions about MS Teams and ZOOM: servicedesk∂scc.kit.edu
If you have organizational questions, please do not hesitate to contact your lecturers and the deans’ offices. We kindly ask you to familiarize yourself with the services and tools available to you, if you have not already done so. During the initial phase, bottlenecks may occur, both in KIT's own and in KIT's external IT and communication infrastructure. We ask everyone for patience, calmness, and cooperation in this special situation.
I am a lecturer. Where can I find help, for example, on the subjects of online teaching, digital course preparation, and everyday university life?
The Center for Technology-Enhanced Learning at KIT operates a portal on online teaching:
http://www.zml.kit.edu/english/4531.php
The business units SLE, INTL, and HAA answer further questions asked by lecturers on everyday university life, admissions, examinations, and fees on their FAQ pages:
https://www.sle.kit.edu/wirueberuns/informationen-corona.php (access for lecturers via KIT account)
Examinations & Courses
What do I have to keep in mind when writing exams in the 2021/22 winter semester?
KIT’s hygiene and safety concept has been further developed and adapted to valid regulations for the examinations planned in the 2021/22 winter semester. In this way, safety of all students and supervisory staff will be ensured. Participation in written exams under the conditions of the pandemic is subject to the following requirements:
- Please read the Information Sheet on Written Exams under the Coronavirus Conditions in the 2021/22 Winter Semester.
- Note the Corona Isolation Ordinance (CoronaVO Absonderung) and act accordingly.
- Distancing and hygiene regulations remain valid.
- Orders given by supervisory staff must be obeyed.
An overview of the elaborated online scenarios as well as an extensive collection of materials with instructions and templates can be found here.
In case of questions, contact your examiner or the responsible examination committee.
What do the warning and alert levels mean for studies?
With the decision of the Baden-Württemberg Administrative Court of January 21, 2022, the universities return to the phased alert level system of the Baden-Württemberg Corona Ordinance. At the moment, this means application of Alert Level I, which will continue to impose noticeable restrictions on academic studies. For more information, click here: https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/25911.php.
What are the general conditions for oral online exams via video conferencing?
With the revision of § 32a and § 32b of the Act of Baden-Württemberg on Universities and Colleges, the framework conditions for oral online exams via video conferencing have been amended.
Oral online exams via video conferencing are now permitted even in the absence of infections provided that the oral exams are suitable for online video conferencing as regards content-related, didactic, or other aspects (e.g. the exam subject matter). Please read more on the relevant organizational, legal, and technical framework conditions and on the processing of personal data here.
Will exam deadlines and program durations be extended (again) in the winter semester of 2021/22?
The coronavirus pandemic continues to impair student life. With the revised version of section 32, paragraph 5a of the Act of Baden-Württemberg on Universities and Colleges (Landeshochschulgesetz - LHG), the exam deadlines and maximum program durations for the summer semester 2021 and winter semester 2021/2022 have been extended as follows:
Orientation exam:
For students who are or were enrolled in a degree program in the summer semester 2020, winter semester 2020/2021, summer semester 2021, or winter semester 2021/2022, the deadline for taking the orientation exam has been extended by one semester in each case (section 32 (5 a), sentence 1 LHG).
This means that the deadline has been extended for
- students enrolled in one of the above semesters in the same program by one semester;
- students enrolled in two of the above semesters in the same program by two semesters;
- students enrolled in three or more of the above semesters in the same program by a maximum of three semesters.
Maximum Program Duration:
Section 32, paragraph 5 a LHG extends the maximum duration of individual degree programs by a maximum of three semesters. However, this does not imply an overall general extension for all students in the summer semester 2020, the winter semester 2020/2021, the summer semester 2021, and the winter semester 2021/2022 in all degree programs. If you are blocked from re-registering for the following semester because you have exceeded the maximum program duration, please contact the competent examination board.
For questions regarding extended deadlines for taking repeat examinations, please contact the competent examination board.
I am studying in a degree program that is being phased out. What do I have to consider?
The deadlines for taking the last study and examination credits of the expiring diploma courses are regulated in the transitional regulations for Bachelor's and Master's courses. Upon expiry of these deadlines, the diploma courses of study have finally expired and there is no possibility of taking further examinations. The deadline regulations do not provide for an individual extension for individual students. If the deadline for taking examinations is to be extended for the remaining students of the diploma courses, an amendment of the study and examination regulations (SPO) is necessary. If you have questions, please contact your KIT faculty directly and not the examination boards.
The same applies to the deadlines for the last possible examination in the expiring examination regulations of the Bachelor and Master courses of studies, if the students of these courses of studies are to be enabled to take the examinations on the basis of the old study and examination regulations. In contrast to diploma students, students still enrolled in the "old SPOs" automatically fall under the new study and examination regulations when the examination deadlines expire, so that the regulations of the new SPOs apply with regard to examinations to be taken, deadlines, etc.
The deadlines for taking the last examinations within the Diplom degree programs that are being phased out are stated in the transitional Bachelor's and Master's regulations. Upon expiry of these deadlines, the Diplom degree programs will not exist anymore and there will be no possibility of taking further examinations. The deadlines do not provide for individual extensions for individual students. The extension of examination deadlines for the remaining Diplom students would require an amendment of the study and examination regulations (SPO). If you have questions, please directly contact your KIT department. Please do not contact the examination boards.
The same applies to the deadlines for the last examinations based on expiring Bachelor’s and Master’s examination regulations, if the students in these programs are to be enabled to take examinations on the basis of the outdated study and examination regulations. In contrast to the Diplom students, students still enrolled in the outdated SPO upon expiration of the examination deadlines automatically fall under the new study and examination regulations.
Where can I find information as a student teacher?
Information on the handling of state examinations in the context of the current situation can be found on the corresponding pages of the Ministry of Culture and the LLPA:
https://km-bw.de/,Lde/Startseite/Ablage+Individual pages+mixed+topics/FAQS+School closings
http://llpa-bw.de/,Lde/Startseite/Aussenstellen/1_+Staatspruefung+_+Gymnasium+and+vocational+schools
KIT‘s Center for Teacher Education (Zentrum für Lehrerbildung) also collects all information on the current situation relevant to KIT student teachers:
https://www.hoc.kit.edu/zlb/823.php
General Questions about the Corona Pandemic
Where can I find information about the Corona vaccination for students?
General vaccination information and tips for getting vaccinated can be found at myhealth.kit.edu
Information on vaccination options can be found here: https://www.dranbleiben-bw.de/
I am pregnant. What do I have to keep in mind regarding maternity protection and studying during the corona pandemic?
Students and lecturers who have any questions on maternity protection during studies can contact the Central Student Advisory Service and/or refer to the FAQ of SLE (in German only) regarding corona and maternity protection.
I study at KIT. Where can I undergo rapid testing?
To participate in in-person courses according to the currently valid legislation, students must provide proof of 3G. This means that students, who have neither recovered nor been vaccinated, have to present a valid test certificate to attend in-person courses.
Please note that the students themselves are responsible for the presentation of a negative Covid test certificate. Click here for test centers in the city and district of Karlsruhe.
The Covid rapid test facility on Campus South of KIT has been reopened. For further information, click here.
In case of positive test result, self-isolate immediately and inform your family physician or call 116117 to make an appointment for a PCR test.
What does the Baden-Württemberg Higher Education Law stipulate with regard to the regular period of study?
At the "StudiGipfel BW" on May 20, 2021, the state of Baden-Württemberg held out the prospect of extending the individual standard period of study, which is decisive for the duration of BAföG funding, to the summer semester of 2021. This legal ordinance from the Ministry of Science became now effective. This will increase the maximum duration of support for students enrolled in this semester by one (additional) semester for all courses of study.
The Act of Baden-Württemberg on Universities and Colleges provides for an extension of the regular periods of study for all students enrolled in the summer semester of 2020 or winter semester of 2020/2021 or summer semester of 2021. The regular period of study will be extended by three semesters for students who were enrolled in a degree program in the summer semester of 2020 and winter semester of 2020/2021 and summer semester of 2021, by two semester for students who were enrolled in the winter semester of 2020/2021 and summer semester of 2021 and by one semester for students who were enrolled in the summer semester of 2021. This course of action will extend the maximum BAföG funding period that is linked to the regular period of study and will thus increase students’ planning reliability and avoid corona-related hardships during studies.
To what an extent can the KIT library and the learning places and workplaces be used?
Information on the use of the KIT Library and the specialized libraries is available on the website of the KIT Library (https://www.bibliothek.kit.edu/english/corona-services.php).
Moreover, the KIT Library offers a broad spectrum of digital services (https://www.bibliothek.kit.edu/corona-digitale-angebote.php), by means of which several offers can be used from home via a VPN connection.
KIT Scientific Publishing and the Media Center are closed. Appointments have to be agreed upon in advance.
In the given situation, what can I do to stay healthy?
On 'MyHealth', the website for the health management of students of KIT, you will find news, recommendations, offers, and information (partly in English) on healthy studies and teaching: www.MyHealth.kit.edu
Studies & General Issues
I study with a child. Whom can I turn to in the current situation?
Students who have questions about studying with children are welcome to contact the Zentrum für Information und Beratung: https://www.sle.kit.edu/imstudium/besonderelebenslagen.php (in German only)
As an international student, do I have to keep on paying tuition fees?
Please contact the student service via the contact formula in case of problems.
International students of KIT can apply at the International Students Office of the Business Unit Internationa Affairs (INTL) International Students Office of the International Services Unit (INTL) to have tuition fees waived on condition that after having taken up their studies, they have gotten into financial distress due to the coronavirus pandemic and cannot pay the tuition fees. Students can also apply for this waiver in cases where they are unable to enter the country or where they had to or must re-enroll due to the cancelation of final exams. The relevant application form To do so, they use an application form provided by the International Students Office upon request. More information: https://www.intl.kit.edu/istudies/12606.php
How can I obtain the KIT library's and KIT department libraries' seals stating that I have cleared my library accounts prior to my being removed from the register of students?
Please send your routing slip as a digitally filled PDF document by e-mail to - infodesk ∂does-not-exist.bibliothek kit edu. After checking your library account, the staff will digitally sign the routing slip and forward it to the student service. The authorized signatories are deposited there. Please note: Your library account must not show any fees or loans.
Alternatively, you can come to the KIT Library South in person during our service hours (Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.).
I am an international student. Can I enroll online?
International students can enroll online. Please send the required documents to your official in charge (see letter of admission). Read more.
I am a foreign student and need a certificate of compulsory presence to apply for a visa or to enter Germany. Can I get such certificate from KIT?
International students from third countries can ask at the International Students Office for certificates for (re-)entering Germany for studies. This applies both to students already enrolled and to students newly admitted for the winter semester. The certificates will be lodged on the application system.
Archive
Archive
Start of the Semester & Online Teaching
- What is the course of study in the summer semester 2021? (As of June 2, 2021)
- What is the state of affairs for the winter semester 2020/21 with regard to classroom teaching? (As of January 11, 2021)
- How long is the lecture period in winter semester 2020/21? (As of December 1, 2020)
- How will academic education proceed in the 2021/22 winter semester? (As of April 4, 2022)
Studies & General Issues
- What provisions have been taken for on-campus teaching in the winter semester 2021/22? (As of February 9, 2022)
- I will not be able to keep up with the prescribed period of study. Whom can I turn to for help? (As of April 6, 2020)
- Whom can students turn to for psychotherapeutic help? (As of April 3, 2020)
- What does legislation of Baden-Württemberg provide for in terms of the standard period of study? (As of June 26, 2020)
- What has to be considered for future studies at the KIT? (As of July 13, 2020)
- What are the plans for the upcoming winter semester? (As of August 28, 2020)
- Why is there no so-called "discretionary semester" at KIT? (As of June 23, 2020)
- What impact will the new version of the Federal Infection Protection Act (valid from April 24, 2021) have on studying and teaching at KIT? (As of April 26, 2021)
- Am I allowed to move to Karlsruhe from a corona hotspot / risk area? (As of October 19, 2020)
- How will deadline extension affect the re-registration period? (As of February 17, 2021)
- No group formation rules in academic education (As of October 19, 2020)
- How can I update my personal data in the Studierendenportal? (As of June 8, 2021)
- Where at KIT is wearing a face mask mandatory? (As of March 8, 2021)
- Is it possible to enter Germany from third countries? (As of July 21, 2020)
Examinations & Courses
- I would like to use the prior master's account. What are the current regulations? (As of April 30, 2021)
- What are students supposed to do when they develop symptoms of a Covid-19 disease in the waiting area prior to admission to the examination room or during the examination? (As of August 28, 2020)
- What must be considered when doing exams in the summer semester 2021? (As of July 12, 2021)
- What is the planning state for the examinations in the 2020 summer semester? (As of July 7, 2020)
- What has to be considered for the exams in the summer semester 2020? (As of July 21, 2020)
- May Courses Take Place on the Campus again? (As of January 11, 2021)
- Will the deadlines for students be extended? (As of June 17, 2020)
- When and how can I make up for my cancelled state examination? (As of April 28, 2020)
- Can I use emergency tutoring to prepare for exams? (As of January 11, 2021)
Start of the Semester & Online Teaching
How will academic education proceed in the 2021/22 winter semester?
The State of Baden-Württemberg has decided not to adopt the so-called hotspot regulation for infection protection. As a consequence, the Corona Ordinance on Academic Education Operations ceased to be in force on April 2, 2022. Academic education now is subject to the General Corona Provisions of the State of Baden-Württemberg. This means: On April 3, 2022, the obligation to wear masks on the premises of the university and the obligation to provide proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test (3G control) for on-campus courses outlined in the Corona Ordinance on Academic Education Operations ceased to be effective.
Although there will no longer be any special university-specific regulations, it will remain important to observe hygiene requirements on campus. In view of the current infection situation, we recommend continued observation of infection protection standards and to voluntarily wear a mask when attending courses indoors where distancing rules cannot be observed.
Call to undergo vaccination
The President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka, strongly supports the call by Professor Uwe Spetzger (Aufruf von Professor Uwe Spetzger), Director of the Neurosurgical Clinic of the Municipal Hospital in Karlsruhe and Member of the KIT Department of Informatics, on all employees and students of KIT to undergo vaccination for protecting themselves and others. There are numerous possibilities to undergo vaccination spontaneously and without making an appointment in advance (https://www.impfen-ka.de/#/desktop-view).
What is the course of study in the summer semester 2021?
Hygiene, distancing rules, and traceability of contacts will continue to be necessary for on-campus studies also during the summer semester.
The following rules will be valid for studies at the KIT in the summer semester of 2021:
- As a rule, studies will continue to take place online.
- Practical courses and practical parts of final theses will take place on campus.
- As in the winter semester, courses will start at 8 am, 10 am, 12 am, 2 pm, 4 pm, and 6 pm.
- In the course of the semester, on provision that the relevant requirements are fulfilled, on-campus offerings may be extended for students to meet and get to know each other on the campus.
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In case of decreasing incidence figures, further opening steps are possible according to the CoronaVO of the state, which depend on current incidence values. These further opening steps will take place in consultation with the (teaching) managers at KIT.
Note: In general, for further opening steps it is foreseen that a daily negative test, a vaccination or convalescence certificate must be presented for participation in attendance events. There is an obligation to collect data and to wear a medical mask, furthermore distance and hygiene rules apply.
- All courses that started digitally in the summer semester of 2021 will be continued digitally until the end (online guarantee).
- Since March 10, 2021, students of KIT, HsKA and DHBW Karlsruhe have been able to book learning spaces. Since March 1, 2021, it has been possible for KIT students to use the "Online Reading Room" as a virtual learning space based on MS Teams. Read more:
https://www.bibliothek.kit.edu/english/corona.php
We wish everyone a successful semester despite the continued restrictions!
What is the state of affairs for the winter semester 2020/21 with regard to classroom teaching?
The current decision by the federal and state governments means that study operations at KIT will in principle remain converted to online teaching until at least January 31, 2021. Unfortunately, no reliable statements can yet be made for the period after January 31, 2021, as this depends on the legal framework conditions.
The current CoronaVO Studienbetrieb und Kunst provides that there may be exceptions for examinations and practical courses.
In the spirit of the contact restrictions desired by federal and state politicians, KIT made arrangements between December 16 and January 10 that went beyond the requirements of the state. For example, in order to minimize contact as far as possible, attendance events (practical events, written exams, etc.) at KIT were completely suspended during this period.
Effective January 11, 2021, KIT will now return to a mode practiced by other universities in the state. This means:
- As before, study operations will continue to take place online as a matter of principle.
- Exceptions to this will only be made on the basis of a decision by the KIT Presidium for examinations (incl. written examinations) and for mandatory practical courses. Both are exceptionally permitted again as of 11.01.2021. Infection protection always has priority for all exceptional approvals.
Please note in this regard: Due to statewide curfew restrictions, no practice teaching sessions or face-to-face exams will be allowed between the hours of 8:00 pm to 5:00 am. When scheduling, particular care must be taken to ensure that both lecturers and students are able to return home in good time.
How long is the lecture period in winter semester 2020/21?
Due to the handling of the corona pandemic, the start of lectures of the winter semester 2020/21 at KIT has been postponed to November 2, 2020. Thus, the KIT has followed the recommendation of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. Lectures will end on February 20, 2021, and over the Christmas holidays and New Year, lectures will be free from December 24, 2020, to January 6, 2021.
The KIT still plans to start the next summer semester on April 12, 2021, thus reducing the semester break between the end of the winter semester 2020/2021 and the beginning of the summer semester 2021 by one week from eight to seven weeks.
Since the handling of the corona pandemic requires the continued flexibility of the study operation, the KIT is preparing a long-term plan for the study operation in the coming semesters.
Please note that our plans for the 2020/21 winter semester are subject to the following Corona-caused provisions:
- The lecture period will start on November 02 (see https://www.sle.kit.edu/english/imstudium/697.php).
- The course catalog for the 2020/21 winter semester can be found on https://campus.studium.kit.edu/events/catalog.php). Shortly before the start of the lecture period, please check the courses chosen by you for short-term changes.
Studies & General Issues
What provisions have been taken for on-campus teaching in the winter semester 2021/22?
In the centrally managed lecture halls and function rooms, you will find information signs regarding the “AHA Rules” (Abstand, Hygiene, Alltagsmaske – which is about equivalent to Hands. Face. Space – please stay apart from others - wash your hands - wear a face mask) as well as the rules on prohibition of access and participation in accordance with the current Corona Ordinance.
Students, relatives, guests, and partners of KIT may not enter the KIT premises and rooms if they:
- are obligated to quarantine themselves due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- show typical symptoms of an infection with the coronavirus, namely fever, dry cough, disturbance of the sense of taste or smell.
- do not wear a face mask where wearing one is compulsory.
Please note: Wearing face masks is also mandatory in the aisles and walkways inside buildings.
In the lecture halls and function rooms, you will also find utensils for cleaning chairs and tables. Upon entering the room, please take a cleaning cloth from one of the racks provided and wipe your seat. Please dispose of the wipes in the waste bins provided when leaving the room.
According to the latest Corona Ordinance on Academic Education Operations of February 10, 2022, it is no longer necessary to track contact persons in the area of academic education. The systems developed for this purpose have now been deactivated. KonKit boxes can be used for checking the G status (vaccinated / recovered) only.
Lecturers will find further information at SLE: www.sle.kit.edu/wirueberuns/informationen-corona.php
I will not be able to keep up with the prescribed period of study. Whom can I turn to for help?
The Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs has decided that students who are unable to achieve their credits due to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting limited range of courses will not, in principle, suffer any disadvantages if exceeding the prescribed period of study. The KIT very much welcomes the fact that the federal states will encourage the federal government in finding flexible regulations for e.g. BAföG, family allowances, or health insurance that take into account the realities of student life in times of the Covid 19 pandemic. Please inform your relevant contact persons about this decision and, if necessary, ask for their goodwill until corresponding regulations have been implemented at the state level.
https://www.kmk.org/aktuelles/artikelansicht/kmk-sommersemester-2020-findet-statt.html
Whom can students turn to for psychotherapeutic help?
During the time of the Corona crisis, the Psychotherapeutic Counseling Center for Students (PBS) of Studentenwerk Karlsruhe will advise you on the phone and can be reached as usual to make an appointment: Monday to Friday between 9 and 12 a.m. at 0721 933 40 60.
https://www.sw-ka.de/en/beratung/psychologisch/
What does legislation of Baden-Württemberg provide for in terms of the standard period of study?
The Baden-Württemberg government has decided to extend the standard period of study by one semester for all students enrolled in the 2020 summer semester. As a result, the maximum period of BAföG support, which is linked to the standard period of study, is extended as well. This is intended to give students planning security and prevent corona-related hardships of students during their studies.
Further information can be found in the press release of the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts (in German): https://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilung/pid/regelstudienzeit-wird-in-baden-wuerttemberg-pauschal-verlaengert/
What has to be considered for future studies at the KIT?
The Corona Ordinance as of July 1, 2020 contains some alterations with regard to the number of persons allowed to attend courses: Until July 31, 2020, events with up to 100 persons are possible under compliance with the measures for infection protection and the collection of participants’ data. Up to 250 persons are permitted if, in addition, seats are being allocated and an event program has been set up in advance. From August 1, 2020, events with up to 500 persons will be permitted.
At KIT, this maximum possible number of persons is restricted by the limited availability of space. Due to the hygiene regulations and the requirement to keep distance, far fewer people than usual are now allowed to stay in the rooms. This applies to events as well as to examinations or to studying and teaching. Due to these restrictions, KIT applies the criteria for prioritizing central events as laid down in the "Guidelines on the Course of Business at KIT in Times of the SARS-CoV-2 (Corona Virus) Pandemic”. In principle, priority is given to courses of study.
Even if courses of study have priority in the allocation of rooms, students and teaching staff must continue to be prepared for largely digital studies due to infection protection measures (in particular compliance with the minimum distance) and the resulting limited availability of rooms.
In the case of face-to-face on-campus events, the obligation to document participants’ data must be observed. This obligation is mandatory for all universities. Universities are explicitly authorized to collect such data (§14 CoronaVO). This obligation to collect data applies to all meetings of two or more persons in one room over a period of more than 15 minutes. Random encounters (e.g. in hallways) that are only very short as compared to the above period of time are not included.
What are the plans for the upcoming winter semester?
At the moment, it can be assumed that attendance in the winter semester will not yet be possible, as it was "normal" before the start of the Corona pandemic. Digital teaching and learning formats will continue to play a very important role. However, there will be face-to-face courses - within the framework of the infection protection regulations and the available space. The KIT intends to use these possibilities especially for courses specifically aimed at first-year students in order to make it easier for them to start their studies, where getting to know the campus and social exchange among each other are particularly important. A further focus is on practical courses in all phases of study that require special equipment or working environments (e.g. laboratory internships, field exercises).
Based on current planning, the KIT assumes that the conditions and boundary conditions in the winter semester will be similar to those of today (but at least aggravated by the colder season). The use of the KIT premises and thus the presence teaching will be restricted by at least the three infection prevention measures specified today: a. Hygiene regulations (including cleaning of the places), b. Documentation obligations (who was present?), c. Distance rules (currently 1.5 meters). Measures a and b require time and may restrict the net periods during which classroom teaching can take place. Measure c requires space and reduces the maximum number of participants per event.
Please note that our plans for the 2020/21 winter semester are subject to the following Corona-caused provisions:
- The lecture period will start on November 02 (see https://www.sle.kit.edu/english/imstudium/697.php).
- Planning of the courses is still under way and will only be completed largely in the course of the month of September.
- The course catalog for the 2020/21 winter semester will presumably be published on September 30 in order to reflect the latest state of planning (see https://campus.studium.kit.edu/events/catalog.php). Shortly before the start of the lecture period, please check the courses chosen by you for short-term changes.
Why is there no so-called "discretionary semester" at KIT?
Since the suspension of the regular course of studies in March 2020, there have been discussions in Germany about the introduction of a "discretionary semester". On April 15, the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia issued "guidelines on coping with the challenges posed to university life by the Corona virus SARS-CoV-2 epidemic" (Verordnung zur Bewältigung der durch die Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2-Epidemie an den Hochschulbetrieb gestellten Herausforderungen, in German only), which introduced the "discretionary semester" at North Rhine-Westphalian universities. Students there have their individualized standard periods of study extended by one semester and the summer semester is not counted as a term (irrespective of a leave of absence). In addition, students will not be credited with failed exams, but will be allowed a "free trial". In North Rhine-Westphalia, exams taken and considered "failed" or "insufficient" in the summer semester 2020 will be deemed not to have been taken.
The state government of Baden-Württemberg has been taking a different line and has not issued any such guidelines so that there is no legal framework that would allow Baden-Württemberg universities to proceed in the same way. At all universities in Baden-Württemberg, the summer semester 2020 is considered a term.
However, an amendment to the Act of Baden-Württemberg on Universities and Colleges, which is currently in the process of being passed, provides for general extensions of the standard periods of study and exam deadline for all students enrolled at a Baden Württemberg university in the summer semester 2020.
Due to the corona crisis, KIT has made its own regulations to ensure within the legal framework applicable in Baden-Württemberg that students will suffer as few disadvantages as possible through the summer semester 2020. See also the following FAQs:
- Will the deadlines for students be extended?
- I would like to use the prior master's transfer account. What are the current regulations?
- Will the deadlines for final papers and term papers be extended?
- Will exams postponed due to the corona crisis have to be canceled or will students themselves have to cancel these exams online?
Already before the corona crisis, KIT had arranged for its students to be particularly free in organizing their studies: For example, students who cannot come to KIT basically have the possibility to take exams in a modified form. § 6 (3) of the study and examination regulations allows for the type of examination to be changed in agreement between the examinee and the examiner. In addition, especially for students from abroad, there is the possibility to apply for a semester off in the case of travel restrictions, etc. According to § 14 (7) of KIT’s Admission and Enrollment Regulations, most of the exams can be taken during a leave of absence.
International students of the KIT can apply for a waiver of tuition fees at the International Students Office of the Business Unit International Affairs on condition that, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have got into an emergency situation after starting their studies and are therefore not able to pay the tuition fee. Applications for waiver of tuition fees may also be submitted for the winter semester 2020/21. In addition, students who are unable to enter the country or who had to or have to re-enroll due to the cancelation of final exams in March and April 2020 are entitled to request waiver of the fee. Please ask at the International Students Office for the appropriate application form. Further information: studiengebuehren∂intl.kit.edu
http://www.intl.kit.edu/istudies/9638.php
What impact will the new version of the Federal Infection Protection Act (valid from April 24, 2021) have on studying and teaching at KIT?
Contrary to previous federation-state decisions, academic education for the first time is now subject to Article 28b, par. 3 of the Infection Protection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz, IfSG) and in particular to its “Emergency Brake Provisions.” According to the currently valid legal interpretation by the Baden-Württemberg Science Ministry (MWK), the new Infection Protection Act has the following effects on KIT’s academic education:
- If the threshold incidence of 100 (seven-day incidence per 100,000 inhabitants) in Karlsruhe is exceeded on three successive days, this will have no impact on academic education operations at KIT. Current online studies offered by KIT and the on-campus courses approved by the Executive Board as an exception may continue, as this corresponds to the “alternating schooling“ required by the Infection Protection Act.
- If the seven-day incidence in Karlsruhe exceeds the threshold of 165 on three successive days, any potential on-campus courses at KIT will have to be suspended.
- Important: Research activities and work at laboratories are not considered teaching activities. According to the latest legal interpretation by MWK, also laboratory courses and practical exercises that are part of studies will be continued.
- Examinations are not considered to be teaching activities and, hence, will remain unaffected by the new provisions of the Infection Protection Act. In-person examinations on the campus of KIT may therefore be continued in compliance with our strict infection protection requirements specified in the “Guidelines on the Course of Business at KIT in Times of the SARS-CoV-2 (Corona Virus) Pandemic.”
- University libraries are not covered by the new Infection Protection Act. For this reason, the KIT Library may remain open subject to the restrictions imposed by state legislation.
Note: As academic education operations mainly take place on Campus South, the incidence of the city of Karlsruhe will be taken as a basis for our decisions.
In general, the situation is highly dynamic. We will inform you as soon as possible about any adaptations made.
Am I allowed to move to Karlsruhe from a corona hotspot / risk area?
Yes, you are allowed to move, but please follow the usual distancing and hygiene rules. If you move to Karlsruhe from a foreign crisis area, you are obliged to observe the Baden-Württemberg Quaran-tine Ordinance (Quarantäneverordnung, in German only).
How will deadline extension affect the re-registration period?
Students who wish to continue their studies at KIT are required to re-register. The re-registration period ends on February 15, 2021. After this date, re-registration is usually only possible with a late fee until March 10, 2021. Since extensions were made on short notice, the late fee will be suspended in this re-registration period.
In view of the above, please re-register until March 10, 2021 paying the regular semester fee without any additional charges.
No group formation rules in academic education
Section 2 (2) of the Corona Ordinance provides exceptions from the obligation to maintain a minimum distance. This may be the case for, e.g. a permanent class-type group (group formation principle) of up to 35 persons. Due to the increasing number of infections and the urgent appeals from the German federal and state governments to comply with the distancing rules, the KIT refrains from implementing the group formation rules in academic education.
How can I update my personal data in the Studierendenportal?
The Corona Ordinance as of August 6, 2020 does not provide the possibility anymore of collecting email addresses for the purpose of contact tracking and of passing them on to the health authorities.
In view of the current and future examination periods as well as on account of the fact that on-campus teaching partly takes place again, we would like to ask you to check and, if necessary, update your data stored in the Studiportal.
In particular, we would like to ask you to provide a telephone number where you can be reached by the health authorities if necessary. This is in your own interest: If no telephone number is provided, the health authorities can only reach you via your postal address stored in the Studiportal. This will cause considerable delay.
You can update your data in the Studiportal as follows:
- How is it done?
Go to: https://campus.studium.kit.edu/personal/index.php. Enter updates under Personal Information – Address/ Telephone number and save (“Speichern”). - How can I check whether the data has been saved?
Go to: https://campus.studium.kit.edu/reports/studyreports.php. Click on and print the check form “Datenkontrollblatt” under Reports – Study Reports.
Where at KIT is wearing a mask mandatory?
According to the Corona regulations relevant for KIT, there is a duty to wear medical or FFP2 masks at KIT in principle:
- On all traffic routes and traffic areas within buildings, for example doorways and other entrance areas, passageways, corridors, stairwells, sanitary facilities, routes at events, tea kitchens, break rooms and other meeting areas.
- At written exams, including when the seat has been taken and on the way there.
- In the KIT shuttle*, in the canteen at the North Campus, and at medical services.
*When using the KIT shuttle, the infection control measures of KVV apply.
The obligation to wear a mouth-nose covering does not apply:
- In activities and at workplaces for which a risk assessment has not determined the need for a protective mask. This is usually the case if a minimum distance of 1.5 meters from other persons is maintained.
When using FFP2 masks, make sure that they do not have a valve. Since such a valve is permeable to the exhaled air, such masks are not suitable for protecting your fellow human beings and cannot be recognized as an adequate protective measure where the wearing of mouth-nose covering is prescribed.
Is it possible to enter Germany from third countries?
The DAAD and HRK have made available information on the (re-)entry of international students and researchers from third countries to Germany for studies or research. These DAAD and HRK forms can be used by the KIT institutes.
Examinations & Courses
I would like to use the prior master's account. What are the current regulations?
With the prior Master's transfer account, KIT enables students to earn Master’s credits during their Bachelor's degree programs and have them credited later in their Master's degree programs. The prior Master's transfer account is limited to 30 ECTS points. In order to mitigate possible disadvantages due to the Corona crisis when changing from Bachelor’s to Master’s, the prior Master's transfer account is increased to an unlimited extent. Until further notice, this extension applies to the summer semester of 2020. A further prerequisite is that students meet the minimum requirements for the prior Master’s transfer account as laid down in the study and examination regulations applicable to their respective Bachelor's degree program. If you have questions regarding the registration or crediting processes, please contact your academic advisors.
According to § 6 of "Satzung des Karlsruher Instituts für Technologie (KIT) zur Ergänzung der Studien- und Prüfungsordnungen, der Zulassungs- und Immatrikulationsordnung sowie
einzelner Auswahl- und Zugangssatzungen für die Dauer der Corona-Pandemie" the prior Master's transfer account is also increased to an unlimited extent during winter term 20/21 and summer term 2021.
An update version of the above mentioned statues can be found here.
What are students supposed to do when they develop symptoms of a Covid-19 disease in the waiting area prior to admission to the examination room or during the examination?
If students develop symptoms of a Covid-19 infection in the waiting area prior to admission to the examination venue or during the examination, examiners are obliged to immediately exclude these persons from the respective examination. This must be documented by the examiner or supervising person and the responsible examination committee must be informed accordingly. The excluded examinees are recommended to contact the responsible examination committee, if they have questions regarding the further proceeding (e.g. repetition of the examination, grading of the examination).
Exclusion from the examination will not be deemed to be an unexcused absence or withdrawal without giving any good reasons. The examination attempt shall rather be deemed to have not been made, even if it has already started. The number of examination attempts to which the students are entitled shall remain the same.
In case the persons affected can prove by a medical certificate that they suffer from a chronic disease or allergy causing Corona-specific symptoms, KIT shall strive to permit participation in the examination, if possible, in a separate room or with the candidate wearing a mouth-nose mask. To take suitable organizational measures, these examination candidates are requested to contact the examiner in due time.
What must be considered when doing exams in the summer semester 20221?
KIT has updated and enhanced its developed hygiene and safety concept and has adapted it to the applicable regulations to be able to conduct examinations planned for the summer semester 2021 while ensuring the protection of all students and supervisors.
In the summer semester 2021, written exams, which will be done mainly during the semester break from July 26 to October 16, 2021, still cannot take place on the usual premises. Additional external rooms have been rented, and digital exam formats have been enabled. Special rules thus have to be observed when doing exams under corona conditions.
Therefore, please note the following instructions if you plan to participate in exams:
- Please carefully read the enclosed information sheet on exams under corona conditions during the summer semester of 2021.
- Please take note of the Corona ordinance Absonderung and act accordingly.
- Please bear in mind to use a medical face mask or ffp2-mask. Wearing a face mask is obligatory on all walkways and aisles and during the exam.
- The previous distancing and hygiene rules are still valid.
- Please note that students (examinees) are not allowed to gather in front of the lecture hall or outside the building before or after exams. Please leave the exam location one by one after the examination and move away quickly.
- Please follow the instructions of the supervisor.
You can find an overview of the developed online scenarios as well as an extensive collection of materials with instructions and templates here.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your examiner or the responsible examination board.
What has to be considered for the examinations in the summer semester 2020?
For the initially suspended examinations of the 2019/2020 winter semester, KIT developed a hygiene and safety concept to ensure protection of all students and supervisors. This concept has now been adapted to the current situation and the amended legal provisions.
For written examinations in the summer semester 2020, which will take place in the semester break from July 27 to October 31, 2020, it still will be impossible to use the usual venues. For this reason, external venues have been rented. Organization of written examinations under Corona conditions is subject to special rules.
Please note the following information for participation in examinations:
Please read the declaration enclosed (Annex 3, Declaration on the Absence of a Suspected Corona Virus Infection), sign it on the date of the examination or shortly before it to confirm your current state of health for the examination. Bring it along for the examination. Blank forms may also be obtained from the supervisors.
Persons entering and leaving the examination rooms are obligated to use a mouth/nose protection.
From July 27 to July 31, the seating positions of the examinees must be documented in the examination centers in which more than 100 examinees can be seated. For this purpose, students will find a form on their numbered table, which must be completed and handed over to the examiner.
Students (examinees) are not permitted to assemble in front of the lecture hall or the building before or after the examination. After the examination, students must leave the building separately and go away quickly.
Instructions of the supervisors must be obeyed.
Declaration on the Absence of a Suspected Corona Virus Infection in an Examination of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT): https://intranet.kit.edu/downloads/declaration-examination.pdf
Deviating from the KIT Studies and Examination Regulations and due to the special situation with regard to the Corona virus (SARS-CoV-2), it is now possible to unsubscribe in writing from all examinations in the current examination phase without giving reasons. Such a cancelation can be made by email to the responsible examiner and is possible in the short term, i.e. until directly before the examination. No medical certificate is required.
Please note: If still possible, candidates are requested to deregister from their relevant examination in the Campus Management System. Please do not deregister by mail in these cases. If deregistering by email with your examiner, please use your KIT email address to ensure that your deregistration can be assigned clearly and securely. Please state your student ID number and the name(s) and number(s) of the examination(s) from which you wish to deregister.
Information on how to get to dm-arena for examinations: Due to track work in Rheinstetten during the examination period, tram line S2 will stop at Mühlburger Tor. From there, an alternate bus will run every 10 minutes during peak periods (please exit at: Forchheim, Leichtsandstraße/Messe Karlsruhe). Depending on the expected number of examinees, KVV will try to increase the frequency of the buses. Students are advised to use their cars or bicycles, if possible. Parking lot P1 at Messe Karlsruhe is available free of charge.
What is the planning state for the examinations in the 2020 summer semester?
The corona pandemic requires to observe the distance and hygiene rules during all meetings. This will also apply to written examinations in the 2020 summer semester, which will take place during the semester break from July 27 to October 31, 2020. Due to the corona situation, however, rooms and facilities of KIT cannot be used in the usual way. For this reason, both examination dates and locations were rescheduled. Other rooms and premises, including a large tent in front of the Audimax and, on a temporary basis, the dm-Arena, will be used in addition to the lecture halls of KIT. These measures build on the experience gained when repeating the cancelled examinations of the winter semester 2019/20.
When planning the new dates, KIT tried to adhere as much as possible to the schedule drawn up before the corona crisis in order to minimize postponements.
Planning of all exams is completed now. Currently, the exams are being input in the Campus Management System and the corresponding confirmations are sent to the examiners. The examiners will then inform the students about the exam dates. As the total number of exams will exceed 500 (far more than the exams postponed in the past winter semester), booking will take some time, which is why some students have already been informed about their exam dates while others still have to wait.
It is expected that all students will be informed by their examiners about their examination dates in the 2020 summer semester by the end of calendar week 28 (July 6-12, 2020). The examination dates and locations will then also be available in the Campus Management System.
May Courses Take Place on the Campus again?
KIT will continue to offer online courses until January 31, 2021. Exceptions to this are only made for examinations (incl. written examinations) and for mandatory practical courses. Both of these will be permitted again by way of exception as of January 11, 2021. Infection protection always has priority for all exceptional approvals.
Will the deadlines for students be extended?
The postponement and cancellation of examinations since March 17, 2020 due to the requirements of the Corona Ordinance have effects on the deadlines set in the study and examination regulations for the orientation examination, the maximum duration of studies, and the re-examination. As per a letter dated March 10, 2020, students have been allowed to apply for an extension of the deadline due to the postponement of examinations in the winter semester of 19/20. Since it will probably not be possible to resume normal studies and examinations in the summer semester of 2020, the examination boards have decided to extend the above deadlines for all students as follows:
- The deadline for taking the orientation examination will be extended by one semester each for WS 18/19 and WS 19/20 first-year students. .
- The deadline for taking the Bachelor's or Master's examinations (maximum duration of studies) will be extended by one semester in the winter semester of 20/21 for students in the highest permissible semesters.
- If the study and examination regulations stipulate a deadline for taking the re-examination, this will be extended by one or two semesters, depending on the course of study.
Currently (June 17, 2020), the state government has introduced a bill to amend the state higher education law to extend the examination deadlines for all students by a flat rate of one semester.
The above shall be implemented centrally; there is no need to submit applications.
When and how can I make up for my cancelled state examination?
All students whose state examination is due in the period of spring 2020 have to register bindingly at Landeslehrerprüfungsamt (LLPA) Karlsruhe by May 6, 2020, 4 p.m. In the email to Mrs. Christine Engelhardt (christine.engelhardt∂rpk.bwl.de cc: kristin.wolf∂rpk.bwl.de), please indicate whether you decide to take the spring or the autumn examination. A feedback by email is necessary in any case!
Information on the handling of state examinations in the context of the current situation can also be found on the corresponding pages of the Ministry of Culture and the LLPA:
https://km-bw.de/,Lde/Startseite/Ablage+Individual pages+mixed+topics/FAQS+School closings
http://llpa-bw.de/,Lde/Startseite/Aussenstellen/1_+Staatspruefung+_+Gymnasium+and+vocational+schools
KIT‘s Center for Teacher Education (Zentrum für Lehrerbildung) also collects all information on the current situation relevant to KIT student teachers:
https://www.hoc.kit.edu/zlb/823.php
Can I use emergency tutoring to prepare for exams?
Emergency childcare will again be provided for children in daycare centers and daycare facilities, as well as for students in grades 1 to 7 whose parents are absolutely dependent on childcare. Students who are prevented from attending care due to exam preparation can also make use of emergency care.
Children are eligible for emergency care if both legal guardians or the single parent are considered indispensable by their employer or are in the exam preparation phase.
In view of the current situation, we ask you to be particularly responsible when submitting your application, as there are currently only limited places available for childcare in the relevant facilities. Please be considerate of colleagues and fellow students who may be even more affected than you.
However, it may be that the respective institution requires additional or other forms, so please contact them.
More information and contact persons
- KIT Corona Coordination Office
- Information on Risk Assessment Relating to the Coronavirus
- Current Corona regulation of the state of Baden-Württemberg
- Corona information of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Baden Württemberg
- Basic knowledge about coronavirus of the Federal Ministry of Health
- Robert Koch Institute
- Public health department Karlsruhe
- Information and recommendations of the KIT Medical Services
In case of a justified reason, KIT members are free to call the company physicians, the general practitioner, or the health authority for personal telephone consultation.
Questions relating to work at home are answered by your superior and the officer responsible for you at DE PSE. Here, we are focusing on the more intensive use of existing possibilities of telework or mobile working.
Lecturers with questions about study operations can get information here (in German only). If you have questions with respect to examination legislation please contact their departments or DE HAA.
Students are free to contact their lecturers, or the deans’ offices.
Suggestions for the maintenance of this FAQ can be directed to Monika Landgraf monika.landgraf∂kit.edu (SEK-Gesamtkommunikation) and Timo Schreck timo.schreck∂kit.edu (SEK-GK).
If you have any further questions, contact the Corona Coordination Office (Gerhard Frank (SUM), Andrea Stahl (MED), Boris Stegmaier (SUM), and Eric Moos (FAS)): corona∂sum.kit.edu