All students on leave of absence must also first re-register and pay the full semester fee. Those who do not wish to use the ticket during the semester of leave of absence can apply for a refund without providing any additional justification. Proof of leave of absence from RWTH must be provided. There is no entitlement to approval of the application. Applications submitted too late must be rejected.

🕐The application deadline is 1 November (winter semester) or 1 May (summer semester), each at 11:59 pm.

In the case of a refund due to a leave of absence, the semester ticket can only be refunded for a complete semester. The ticket will be electronically deactivated until the end of the semester! The ticket is then also not valid in South Limburg (Netherlands)! If you are outside the area of validity due to your studies, a monthly refund is would be possible instead (you can find more information under the corresponding section). In the event of a refund, you do not have to return the semester ticket to us, but should keep the e-ticket for use in subsequent semesters.

📄Proof document: Enrolment Certificate with note of leave of absence

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

Note: Social contribution

In addition to the mobility contribution, the social contribution can also be waived in exceptional cases. Exemption is granted in the case of a leave of absence for the following reasons:

• Completion of basic military service or civilian alternative service
• Studying abroad
• Illness, pregnancy or bringing up a child
• Caring for a spouse, registered partner or a relative in a direct line (parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren)

If the leave of absence is approved before you re-register (and have paid the contribution), the amount to be paid will be automatically reduced in RWTH Online under “Tuition Fees”.
In the case of a leave of absence after re-registration, an application for a refund can be submitted to the RWTH Registrar’s Office: studsek@zhv.rwth-aachen.de

You can download the form you need to submit there here.

A refund of the semester ticket fee is possible on a monthly basis in the case of a study-related stay abroad if the stay amounts to more than half of the days in the month. Study-related means that the stay was triggered by your studies. This includes e.g. a compulsory internship or participation in Erasmus. However, a voluntary internship or an employment relationship are not covered by this! The exception to this is an external doctorate. For this, a confirmation from the supervising professor must also be enclosed, stating that enrollment at RWTH is mandatory. The semester contribution must first be paid in full.

🕐The application deadline is the 15th of the previous month at 11:59 pm. For example, if you do not want to use the ticket from June to September, you must submit a refund request by May 15th at the latest.

The ticket will be deactivated in the corresponding months if you receive a refund! The ticket is then also not valid in South Limburg (Netherlands)! You do not have to return the semester ticket to us, but should keep the e-ticket for future use after it has been deactivated.

📄Verification documents:

• enrolment certificate of the RWTH of the corresponding semester

and at least one of the following documents:

• a certificate of enrollment at the foreign university,
• Certificate from the International Office or the supervising institute,
• Certificate of participation in an exchange program,
• Certificate of foreign student support payments, which provide evidence for the stay abroad,
• Certificate of admission / letter of approval,
• Visa for a study abroad stay (e.g. USA: J1),
• Internship or doctoral contract
• if applicable, certificate from the supervising institute that the work activity is being carried out as part of the degree program.

Tenancy agreements and registration certificates do not constitute proof of study-related residence.

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

In cases of social hardship, a refund of the mobility and student body fee can be requested from the Social Committee of the Student Parliament. Proof of the financial situation, in particular income, must be enclosed. There is no entitlement to a refund. The semester contribution must first be paid in full.

For your understanding: In this case the semester ticket fee will be paid from the hardship fund of the student body so your ticket remains valid and can be used to its full extent!

If you have further questions about social hardship, questions can be sent to haertefall@asta.rwth-aachen.de.

🕐 The application can be submitted at any time during the semester, but no later than the end of the semester for which you apply for a refund (WiSe: 31.3. and SoSe: 30.9, each at 11.59 pm).

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

Students who finish their studies can apply for a pro rata refund of the semester ticket fee for the full months remaining until the end of the semester.
If you exmatriculate before the start of the lecture period of the semester in question, you can apply to the Registrar’s Office for a refund of the entire semester fee.

Information on exmatriculation can also be found on the corresponding RWTH website.

Click here for an overview of the amount of the refund.

📄Proof document: Certificate of exmatriculation

🕐 The application can be submitted at any time during the semester, but no later than the end of the semester for which you apply for a pro rata refund (WiSe: 31.3. and SoSe: 30.9, each at 11.59 pm).

⚠️Your semester ticket loses its validity when you exmatriculate (date on the certificate of exmatriculation). The ticket is then also not valid in South Limburg (Netherlands)!

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

In the case of late enrolment in the current semester, you can apply for a pro rata refund of the mobility fee for the full months not enrolled in the semester.

Click here for an overview of the amount of the refund.

📄Proof document: Certificate of enrolment with exact date of enrolment

🕐 The application can be submitted at any time during the semester, but no later than the end of the semester for which you apply for a pro rata refund (WiSe: 31.3. and SoSe: 30.9, each at 11.59 pm).

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

An exemption from the semester ticket fee must be applied for at the Student Secretariat. The amount then does not have to be paid. The exemption is then automatically taken into account for the following semester. Subsequently, you must submit the new proof to the Student Secretariat every year.

Unfortunately, in the Netherlands there is no free transport with an official severely disabled person’s ID card. So that you can still travel to the South Limburg region, please contact us by email. We then make it possible to purchase the Zuid-Limburg add-on at the price for which the add-on is also included in the regular semester ticket.

Initially, the entire semester fee must be paid. If a medical certificate proves that bus and train cannot be used, a pro rata refund of the mobility fee is possible for the month in which you were certified as unable to travel. There is no entitlement to a refund.

📄Proof documents:

• enrolment certificate of the RWTH of the corresponding semester
• Current medical certificate stating that bus and train cannot be used in the semester in question

🕐 The application deadline is 1 November (WiSe 23:59) or 1 May (SoSe 23:59).

The ticket will be deactivated in the corresponding months if you receive a refund! The ticket is then also not valid in South Limburg (Netherlands)! You do not have to return the semester ticket to us, but should keep the e-ticket for future use after it has been deactivated.

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

Firstly, you must pay the full semester contribution. If you are also enrolled at another university in Germany and already receive a Deutschlandsemesterticket there, you can have it reimbursed in full for one semester at one university.

🕐 The application can be submitted at any time during the semester, but no later than the end of the semester for which you apply for a refund (WiSe: 31.3. and SoSe: 30.9, each at 11.59 pm).

📄Proof of documents:

• Certificate of enrolment from the RWTH
• Certificate of enrolment from the other university
• Proof of payment of the contribution for the Deutschlandsemesterticket
• Proof of personal travel authorisation for the DE semester ticket (ticket, photo chip card)

The refund applies to the period of a complete semester. The ticket will be electronically deactivated until the end of the semester! The ticket is then also not valid in South Limburg (Netherlands)! You do not have to return the semester ticket to us, but should keep the e-ticket for potential use in subsequent semesters.

Applications must be submitted here:

→ Online form

In the summer semester, the price for the NRW semester ticket was reduced to 9 euros in the months of June, July and August due to the introduction of the 9-euro ticket. For students who paid the mobility fee in the summer semester 2022 and were still enrolled in the winter semester 2022/23, the amount was already credited when they re-registered for the winter semester. Students who exmatriculated in the summer semester 2023 can apply for a refund of €70.96 at the Registrar’s Office, which will provide a separate form.

If you do not use your semester ticket because you have other means of transportation such as a car or a bicycle, the mobility fee cannot be reimbursed.
The semester ticket is a solidary financed ticket for which all regular students pay the same contribution. The semester ticket is available to all regular students and is only so much cheaper than conventional public transport tickets because of the solidarity financing – currently the prices differ by a factor of ten.
According to § 53 Para. 2 No. 5 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Higher Education Act, the student body is responsible, among other things, for the economic and social interests of its members – i.e. all students. On this basis, the student body has concluded a contract for the Deutschlandsemesterticket with Aachener Verkehrsverbund GmbH (AVV) and Aachener Straßenbahn und Energieversorgungs-AG (ASEAG).
This contract results in the obligation to pay the mobility fee. According to § 4 para. 1 sentence 2 of the Deutschlandsemesterticket contract, the following applies: “Non-utilisation of the Deutschlandsemesterticket does not entitle the holder to a refund of the transport fee.​