The Office of Student Affairs is your central point of contact for all interdisciplinary administrative questions relating to your studies. We support and advise you throughout your entire study life cycle.

You can turn to us with confidence even before you submit your application for studying. We will inform you about the courses on offer and the specific admission requirements for the individual specialisations.

We will provide you with deadlines and dates and answer all your questions about the application process and the documents and work samples to be submitted. You can also contact us if you have any questions about the admission examination.

The Student Office: the heart of academic administration

The Student Office – known here at the FABW as the Office of Student Affairs – forms the administrative backbone of a university.

It guides students like a common thread through their entire academic journey: from the initial application, through the day-to-day organisation of their studies, right through to successful graduation and de-registration.

As the central point of contact between the university, the departments and the students, the Office of Student Affairs ensures that all legal, organisational and formal processes run smoothly and seamlessly.

The Office of Student Affairs consists of five staff members, including the head of department, and is located on the first floor to the right of the building Mathildensrtraße.

The core tasks of the Office of Student Affairs can be divided into five key areas of responsibility:

1. The initial phase: application, admission and enrolment

Before studies even begin, the Office of Student Affairs manages the entire application and allocation process – from the allocation of study places through to admission and enrolment – using the university administration system CMS.

2. The ongoing study phase: organisation and data management

During the course of study, the Office of Student Affairs acts as the central administrative body for all personal and status-related data:

• Re-registration and fees: Processing of half-yearly or annual re-registration for the following semester, including monitoring the receipt of payments for semester contributions or tuition fees.
• Certificates: Issuing official documents such as certificates of enrolment, academic transcripts or certificates for the BAföG office and pension funds.
• Master data management: Updating of address details, name changes (e.g. due to marriage, officially registered stage names, etc.) or status changes in general (e.g. health insurance status).
  
  

3. Flexibility in the course of study: Application management

Life does not always follow a linear path – the management of the Examination Office reviews and approves applications that deviate from the standard study plan, e.g. so-called extensions of the standard duration of study or the repetition of academic years.

• Leave of absence: Approval of applications for semesters or years of leave (e.g. due to illness, parental leave, care responsibilities or stays abroad).
• Change of study course and subject: Administrative support when changing your field of study.

4. Examination Office – Coordination of examination matters, acting as an interface between lecturers, academic departments and students

At FABW, the Office of Student Affairs is combined with the Examination Office within a single department, with the Examination Office primarily responsible for:

• Grades and academic records: Administration of transcripts of records and the production of interim transcripts (Transcript of Records).
• Planning and organising degree examinations.
• Reviewing applications for retakes and extensions beyond the standard period of study.

5. The completion phase: De-registration and graduation

• De-registration: The formal termination of studies following successful graduation or de-registration by official order (e.g. in the event of failure to re-enrol or permanently failed examinations).
• Preliminary certification: Issuing or preliminary certification of degree documents and certificates for use both in Germany and abroad.

Significance for everyday university life

In summary: Whilst lecturers and the Head of Studies are responsible for academic content, the Office of Student Affairs provides the legal and organisational framework.

CMS University Management System

Students at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg are granted access to our university management system, CMS, for the duration of their studies – from application through to de-registration.

This university management system offers students many web-based self-service functions during their studies, such as

1. updating personal details and addresses.
2. Digital requests for Leporellos, enrolment certificates and certificates of study.
3. Accessing transcripts of records or academic transcripts.
   Viewing the so-called ‘study record’ – an overview of the academic credits to be fulfilled.
4. Information on re-enrolment, semester fees, tuition fees, etc.
   Submitting an application for the recognition of credits from a previous degree.
5. The Office of Student Affairs is also available to assist students with any queries regarding the use of the Campus Management System.