Research Semester – Faculty of Humanities – Leibniz University Hannover

Research Semester According to §24 (3) NHG

"(3) ¹ Upon application by professors, the Presidential Board may, after consulting the faculty and the relevant dean of studies, grant full or partial exemption from other duties at appropriate intervals, generally for a period of one semester or trimester, for research or artistic development projects, for tasks relating to knowledge and technology transfer, and for development tasks in teaching. ² The same applies to the performance of practice-related activities that are official duties and that are conducive to teaching tasks. ³ The exemption requires that the subject be properly represented."

Under what conditions can I apply for a research semester?
A research semester may be granted if

a major academic work is to be completed or a specific research project is to be carried out during the leave of absence, and

the scope of the project and the associated workload do not allow it to be carried out within the framework of normal duties, and therefore require the professor to take leave of absence for the duration of the requested leave period, and

has been preceded by at least eight semesters of uninterrupted teaching, and

the proper representation of the subject in teaching is guaranteed and the costs are covered.

Further information can be found in Circular No. 31/2021 (internal link).
What documents do I need to submit?
An informal letter of application to the dean including:

state the reasons that require full or partial exemption,

explain why the scope of the project and the associated workload do not allow it to be carried out within the scope of normal duties,

information on teaching representation and ensuring examinations,

information on whether and, if so, to what extent third-party funding will be granted during the leave of absence,

information on covering costs.

The following must be attached as appendices:

Appendix 1: the work program for the research semester on approximately one page;

Appendix 2: a list of up to five of the most important publications from the last five years;

Appendix 3: a list of doctoral and postdoctoral qualification procedures completed in the last five years in which the applicant participated as the first reviewer;

Appendix 4: an overview of approved third-party funded projects in the last five years;

Appendix 5: an overview of the courses taught by the applicant themselves (and not by staff members) in the past eight semesters, specifying the respective course hours;

Appendix 6: information on teaching substitutes and exam supervision, confirmed by the institute's executive board. Applicants are requested to indicate who will take on the 9 SWS. It is not necessary to assign the respective courses.

If applicable, Appendix 7: for research stays at other universities, institutions, or companies: letter of invitation or agreement
To whom should I send the documents?

To the

Dean of the Faculty Humanities
Schloßwender Straße 1
30159 Hanover
What deadlines do I need to observe?
Please note that

the application must be submitted to the Presidential Board at least six months before the intended start of the leave of absence.

the application requires the approval of the Study Commission and the Faculty Council and is therefore linked to the committee meeting dates.

Accordingly, the application must be submitted to the faculty well in advance.

The deadline for submitting applications for leave of absence for the 2026/27 winter semester has already passed (submission to the Dean's Office: January 5, 2026; submission to the study commission: January 14, 2026; faculty council decision: January 21, 2026). Exceptions are only possible after consultation.

The deadline for submitting research semester applications for leave of absence in the summer semester 2027 is June 8, 2026 (submission to the Study Commission: June 17, 2026; Faculty Council decision: July 15, 2026).