Semester ticket

The Deutschland-Semesterticket is valid from the summer semester 2025 (01.04.2025). The ticket is valid throughout Germany. The ticket is personalized and available digitally. The ticket is only valid in conjunction with an official photo ID.

You can find out how to get the Deutschlandsemesterticket in this PDF:

The following groups of people are not entitled to the Deutschland-Semesterticket:

• Guest students and secondary students within the meaning of the relevant Higher Education Act
• Students who are exclusively enrolled in an evening, online or distance learning course without compulsory attendance (“distance learning students”)
• Students on part-time and continuing education courses that are designed in such a way that students are or can be predominantly employed rather than studying
• Students who demonstrably take a semester of leave or a semester abroad
• Students who are not members of the student body

The following degree programs are not eligible for the ticket:

• Distance learning program in Business Administration
• Distance learning program Industrial Engineering
• Distance learning program Mechanical Engineering
• Master Real Estate Management (distance learning)
• Master General Management (distance learning)

Note for part-time students

In previous information, part-time students or students with a maximum of 15 ECTS per semester were exempted from the obligation to obtain credits. However, as this regulation is based on the ECTS requirements of the respective study regulations, this regulation does not apply at our university.

The number of ECTS per semester therefore has no effect on the semester ticket. Part-time students are therefore generally obliged to pay for the Deutschlandsemesterticket.

The Deutschland-Semesterticket corresponds to the scope of the over-the-counter Deutschlandticket. This includes local public transport in Germany. You can also take a dog with you in the VBB area.

The ticket must be called up in the S-Bahn app. The ticket is updated monthly. The display is only valid for the current month. In order for the Deutschland-Semesterticket to be issued, the cell phone must be switched on and connected to the Internet. If the cell phone is not available at the time the Germany Semester Ticket is updated, the update will take place after the cell phone is switched on again and connected to the Internet.

If you have problems with the Deutschland-Semesterticket, there may be various reasons for this. In this case, we recommend that you contact the S-Bahn Berlin directly, which you can reach using this contact form:

No, the Deutschland-Semesterticket is issued as a digital ticket in QR code form in the S-Bahn app.

Only enrolled students are entitled to receive the Deutschland-Semesterticket. As soon as you have taken your last exam, usually the colloquium, you will be de-registered retroactively to the day on which the colloquium took place.

This cancels the ticket retroactively. You can have unused FULL months after the colloquium refunded by Student Services. To do so, please contact Student Services using the contact form:

Given that the colloquium is your very last exam, the following applies:

• If you pass the colloquium on 17.08 in the summer semester, for example, you will be reimbursed the proportionate monthly price for the semester ticket for the full month of September. From then on, you are formally exmatriculated.
• If, for example, you pass the colloquium on 31.07 in the summer semester, you will be reimbursed the pro rata monthly price for the semester ticket for the full month of August AND September. From then on, you are formally exmatriculated.
• If, for example, you pass the colloquium on 01.09 in the summer semester, you will not receive a refund as the month of September has begun. You are formally exmatriculated from then on.

From the time of exmatriculation, the semester ticket could be marked as invalid/canceled in the S-Bahn app or simply no longer appear. We therefore advise you to purchase a valid ticket for public transport from the time you pass the colloquium to be on the safe side.

Now that we have signed the contract, we finally know the reasons for exemption over which we had no influence. These are as follows:

1. Severe disability
2. Health reasons, use of public transport not possible
3. Illness that entitles you to a leave of absence
4. Internship semester outside the area of validity
5. Semester abroad
6. Thesis semester outside the area of validity
7. Late enrollment (more than 1 month after the start of the semester)
8. Leave of absence after the start of the semester
9. Exmatriculation after the start of the semester

It is now possible to apply for exemption from the Deutschlandticket Uni (semester ticket) at Student Services. However, we must point out that the processing of these applications can take some time. We therefore ask for your patience.

You can find the current form for the exemption in the LSF under the tab “Applications and forms” and under the name “Application for exemption from the semester ticket”.

More information on the reasons for exemption:

• Stay abroad: for students who spend at least three consecutive months of the respective semester outside the area of validity of the Deutschlandsemesterticket (Germany) due to their studies, an internship semester, a semester abroad or as part of their final thesis.
• Double enrollment students who are enrolled at two universities with a Deutschlandsemesterticket can be reimbursed at one university,
• Illness/ exmatriculation: for students who are demonstrably enrolled more than one month after the start of the semester, are exmatriculated in the current semester, withdraw their enrolment, are granted a leave of absence with retroactive effect in the current semester or are demonstrably so seriously ill in the current semester that they would be entitled to a semester of leave,
• (Temporary) disability: for students who are unable to use public transportation due to their disability. This also includes temporary disabilities if they also exclude the use of local public transport for the semester. The requirements must be proven by a medical certificate
• Simply not using the Deutschlandsemesterticket does not constitute an exemption!
  The purchase of a private or job ticket does not constitute an exemption!

Receiving a job ticket is not a reason for exemption from the Deutschland-Semesterticket. It is best to inform your employer that you will receive the Deutschlandticket via your university.

According to the final position of the VBB, receiving the social ticket is not a reason for exemption. However, if you can prove social hardship, you can receive a subsidy from the semester ticket office. You can find more information on the website of the semester ticket office (SemTix).

An existing Deutschlandticket is not a reason for exemption from the Deutschland-Semesterticket. If you are entitled to purchase the semester ticket and cannot be exempted from the Deutschlandticket in any other way, you are obliged and entitled to purchase the Deutschland-Semesterticket. The best thing to do is to cancel your other Deutschlandticket contract.

The notice period is always the 10th of the month. If you cancel by 10.04., for example, you will have the private Deutschlandticket until 30.04.

The use of a car is not a reason for exemption from the Deutschland-Semesterticket.

If you can prove that you are on vacation or a semester abroad or are abroad for at least 3 months due to your studies, you are not eligible for the Deutschland-Semesterticket or can be exempted.

The following exemption option could be relevant for you: Students who are unable to use public transport during the semester due to a (temporary) disability (proof via medical certificate).