Application for exemption

Applications for exemptions can be met only if you can document that ‘special circumstances’ apply and thus may provide an exception from the usual rules and regulations in your case. When applying for an exemption, you must enclose documentation substantiating these ‘special circumstances’. Such documentation can be e.g. a medical certificate confirming that you have been ill, a death certificate confirming that you have lost a close relative, or similar.

As an example you can apply for an exemption for the rules if you can document:

• Special circumstances
• Birth or adoption
• Physical disability
• Entrepreneurship (approved by AU Entrepreneurs)
   

As a student, you are responsible for keeping yourself informed of the rules applying to your degree programme. Lack of knowledge of rules and regulations governing your degree programme is therefore generally not considered a special circumstance.

Please notice that no matter which circumstances and documentations presented the decision on an application for an exemption is based on an individual assessment. Therefore, it is not possible to get a binding pre-assessment of the outcome from an application.

If your application for exemption is met, you should be aware that such exemption will apply only to one specific examination, or alternatively only for a limited period of time. If you need an exemption at a later point, you must therefore submit a new application for exemption.

The student counsellors offer information and advice on the planning of your studies. You are therefore strongly encouraged to contact the student counsellors if you need to apply for an exemption.

If you fall ill in connection with an exam at Aarhus BSS you can read about your options at 'Illness at exams'.

Please notice that a doctor’s note does not in itself guarantee that the application will be accommodated. Thus, it is important to provide a detailed doctor’s note to support the application as best as possible. 

For the doctor’s note to provide relevant information in relation to support the application, it should contain the following information:

• The patient’s name, CPR-number and address
• The doctor’s name, authorisation ID, company address and degree.
• Specification of what information in the certificate is based on the doctor’s own examination of the patient, and what information derives from the patient, third parties or medical records, etc.
• A medical assessment of how the condition affects the student’s ability to study and – if relevant diagnosis and symptoms.
• Specific timeframe.  During which period has the student been ill, and, if possible, what is the timeframe for the student’s recovery?
• Date/dates for the patient's appointments in the clinic.
• Finally, the certificate must be dated and contain the doctor’s signature or the equivalent.

If you want to make sure that the certificate contains all the relevant information, you can bring the the board of studies document regarding doctor's note.

It is important for the processing of your case that the medical certificate is adequate and issued by a doctor, where no doubts may be raised about his/her legal capacity/partiality.

Therefore, medical certificates issued by close family members/relatives are not considered acceptable.

This means that you cannot submit a medical certificate from a close relative/family member, whether he/she is your regular doctor or not. Instead, you must contact another doctor, who is not a close relative/family member and get an impartial medical certificate.

• The Student Counsellors can guide you on you on how to apply for a dispensation.
• If you have applied for dispensation and need to submit additional documentation, please send to: dispensationsansogninger.bss@au.dk
• Contact your student affairs officer if you have questions about the decision. You will find contact details in your decision or you can write to: dispensationsansogninger.bss@au.dk