Can a German university require you to attend lectures and seminars? The answer depends on the state law that applies and on how the university shapes its statutes (Satzungen) and examination regulations. This guide explains which levels work together, where lectures are typically exempt and which questions to clarify before you accept a compulsory attendance rule.
Short answer: A compulsory attendance rule (Anwesenheitspflicht) is not permitted everywhere or for every course. In Lower Saxony, the state law requires it to be necessary to reach the aim of a course, according to the University of Oldenburg (NHG § 7 para. 5 sentence 1, page status: September 2026). There, no attendance requirement may be imposed for lectures according to this account. You can find the wording of the NHG in the Lower Saxony state law portal. Your own university’s rules remain decisive.
The most important points at a glance
- Whether an attendance rule is permitted follows from state law and the rules of the university.
- In the Lower Saxony example, the requirement must be necessary to achieve the teaching aim.
- In that example, no attendance requirement may be imposed or checked for lectures.
- Active participation can be required for courses marked VL/Ü or VL/Se, if the examination regulations and the module handbook provide for it.
- Whether a rule applies to your course is set out in the module handbook and the examination regulations, not in an email from the lecturer alone.
Which levels decide whether a rule applies?
Attendance rules are not a single national matter. Universities fall under state responsibility, so the rules differ between federal states and between universities. The table below shows how the levels work together. Each example is clearly tied to one university or state and is not generalised.
| Level | What it governs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| State higher education act | Principle of whether and under which conditions a rule is permitted | Lower Saxony (NHG § 7 para. 5 sentence 1, as cited by the University of Oldenburg) |
| University statute or examination regulations | Which courses are actually affected | University of Oldenburg, Master examination regulations § 9 para. 6 with annex |
| Module handbook | Whether a course is listed as compulsory | University of Oldenburg, marking VL/Ü or VL/Se |
| Older state assessment | Shows how one state government reviewed the question | Berlin, Senate answer of 2015 (Drucksache 17/17541) |
The table shows why the statute alone is not enough. A state law sets the framework, but the concrete obligation often sits in a regulation. Check three documents for any attendance question: the state law, the examination regulations of your degree programme and the module handbook of the course.
May a lecture carry an attendance requirement?
The University of Oldenburg example is clear here. For lectures, no attendance requirement may be imposed or checked, and missing a lecture may not disadvantage you in the module examination. According to the university, this applies to the lecture format, not to exercises or seminars.
Older findings from Berlin show that the question was also debated politically. In 2015 the Senate replied that the Berlin higher education act contains no corresponding rule. The obligations then sat in university statutes. The Senate stressed that such rules should be decided case by case, depending on subject culture, format and conditions. This answer is more than ten years old, so it only illustrates the logic of the debate and is not a current legal position.
When may participation be required?
In the Oldenburg example, active participation can be required if two conditions are met. First, the examination regulations must provide for it. Second, the module handbook must list the course. This concerns courses marked VL/Ü or VL/Se, that is, courses that combine a lecture with an exercise or seminar. A blanket obligation for everything on the timetable does not follow from this.
If you want to check a rule for an exercise or seminar, proceed as follows. Read the course description in the module handbook, find the participation clause in the examination regulations and compare both with what the lecturer announced. If they do not match, ask in writing.
How is attendance checked?
The Oldenburg example does not describe a concrete procedure for checking or documenting attendance. The Berlin answer from 2015 names checks only at particular institutions, namely Humboldt-Universität, Charité and the Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht. How a check works at your university is therefore a question for its regulations and for the course itself.
Do not rely on spoken assurances here. If attendance is a condition for an examination performance, the rule should exist in writing. The role of attendance as a prerequisite is explained in a separate article: Prüfungsvorleistung: Was du vor der Prüfung erbringen musst (in German).
How to assess a requirement in an individual case
Not every rule that feels inconvenient is unlawful. A sober check in four steps helps. First, read the exact wording: does it speak of attendance, active participation or proof? Second, ask about the purpose. The example from Lower Saxony ties the obligation to the teaching aim, that is, to whether the aim cannot be reached without attendance. Third, check whether alternatives exist, such as written work or presentations, that achieve the same aim. Fourth, record your answers in writing, so that in a later dispute you do not rely on memory alone. If you are still unsure afterwards, a conversation with the student advisory service is a good next step, because it knows the rules of your degree programme.
Frequently asked questions
May my university check attendance at lectures?
In the Oldenburg example, no, because no attendance requirement may be imposed or checked for lectures. Whether this also applies at your university depends on state law and on its statutes. Check both before you rely on a rule.
What happens if I miss a compulsory course?
The consequences follow the regulations. In the Oldenburg example, missing a lecture may not disadvantage you in the module examination, while for exercises and seminars the consequences depend on the rule that applies. Clarify early with the lecturer how missed sessions can be made up.
Where do I find the rule for my course?
The key places are the module handbook of the course and the examination regulations of your degree programme. Statutes are usually published in the official announcements (amtliche Bekanntmachungen) of the university. Looking there is often more useful than asking the lecturer in passing.
What can I do if I consider the requirement unlawful?
First ask the lecturer in writing and, if needed, the examination office or the responsible faculty office. Ask for the legal basis. Student advisory services and the student representatives can help you classify the rule before you take a formal step.
So what should you do now?
- Check whether the course is listed as compulsory in the module handbook or marked VL/Ü or VL/Se.
- Read the participation rule in the examination regulations of your degree programme and note where it is found.
- Ask the lecturer in writing for the legal basis if the requirement is unclear.
- Plan possible absences early with the lecturer so that no examination performance is put at risk.
Related articles
- Prüfungsvorleistung: What you must complete before the exam (in German)
- Study achievement or examination performance: what the difference is (in German)
- Higher education act: why exam rules differ by state (in German)
- Understanding examination regulations: the overview for students (in German)
Sources: Compulsory attendance, notes of the University of Oldenburg (example for Lower Saxony, content status December 2024, page updated September 2026) and Senate answer to a written parliamentary question, Drucksache 17/17541 (Berlin, December 2015)
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
