@Luc Studying at FernUniversität in Hagen, especially the First State Examination in Law program, is very flexible and well suited to part-time study. Each semester, you can decide individually how many modules or credit points (ECTS) you want to take—this means you can set your own pace and study at a slower or faster pace.

You can officially switch between part-time and full-time mode by simply adjusting the number of courses you take per semester. FernUni attaches great importance to you being able to adapt your studies to your personal schedule.

Regarding the cost structure: In part-time mode, you will study for longer than in full-time mode, which will increase the total costs accordingly, as semester fees are calculated per semester (basic fee plus ECTS fees). For law studies, the total costs for full-time study are around 3,500 to 3,900 euros. In other words, you pay more overall for part-time study, but spread the costs over a longer period of time. Detailed information on the costs for part-time study during each semester can be found on the FernUniversität website at https://www.fernuni-hagen.de/studium/index.shtml.

Many students work while studying full-time, which is easily possible thanks to the flexibility of distance learning. The recommended study time is approximately 40 hours per week for full-time students and around 20 hours for part-time students.If you need further details, such as how to apply for a semester off or the specific arrangements for switching between part-time and full-time study, I can advise you to contact the FernUni's student advisory service directly, which can also be reached by phone at 02331 987-2444 or by email at info@fernuni-hagen.de. Would you like more information on specific part-time arrangements or support options?

@Christian Wolf Hi Christian, Thank you so much for your prompt reply!

@Luc Hi Luc,

Yes, one semester at FernUni Hagen is six months, with a winter term from October to March and a summer term from April to September. Each semester has a teaching phase of about 15 weeks, followed by an exam phase. There are short breaks between semesters, but you won’t find long summer holidays as at traditional universities. As a part-time student, you would usually take fewer modules, around 15 ECTS, which translates to about 20 study hours per week. The nice thing is that you can adjust your workload each semester, so you really can set your own pace.

Exams at FernUni come in different formats. Some are online, including open-book exams, and others are written assignments that you submit digitally. But there are still certain exams that need to be taken in person under supervision. In Germany, these are offered at many exam centers across the country, not only in Hagen, so students don’t have to travel far. For international students like yourself, the university often arranges for exams to be taken abroad, usually at Goethe-Institutes, German embassies, consulates, or partner institutions. This way, you wouldn’t necessarily need to fly back to Germany to sit your exams.

When it comes to costs, fees are calculated per semester based on the number of modules (ECTS) you choose. This means that part-time students pay smaller amounts each semester, but since the studies take longer overall, the total cost is a bit higher than in full-time mode. For the law program, the full-time cost is around 3,500 to 3,900 euros, so in part-time mode it will be slightly more, spread over a longer period of time.

@Christian Wolf Thank you so much for elaborating on this - how can I find out where those centers would be located near me? What do I have to google or search for or whom do I need to contact in advance to find out how the in - person exams could be arranged? I’m located in Utah, in the US in Utah county. So I’m not sure where the nearest place would be or if there’s anything in the state I live in?

@Luc Hi Luc,

You’re very welcome! To find out where exams can be arranged near you, the best starting point is to contact the FernUni’s central examination office (Prüfungsamt) once you’re enrolled, as they coordinate exam locations for international students. They usually work with Goethe-Institutes, German consulates/embassies, and sometimes local partner institutions abroad.

Since you’re in Utah, there isn’t a Goethe-Institute directly in your state. The nearest official Goethe-Institutes in the US are typically located in larger cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Washington D.C., and Boston. Many students in North America take their exams at one of these institutes or at a German consulate if that’s more convenient.

What I’d recommend is:

1. Check the list of Goethe-Institutes in the USA here: https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/sta.html
2. Contact FernUni Hagen’s examination office (Prüfungsamt) by email at mailto:info@fernuni-hagen.de once you’re registered or even before, and ask them which options are possible for students living in Utah.
3. If travel to a Goethe-Institute is too far, sometimes they can make special arrangements with a local university or even at a German Honorary Consulate, but this always needs prior approval from FernUni.

So while there might not be a center right in Utah, you should be able to sit your exams somewhere in the US without needing to travel back to Germany.

@Claudia Die Justizprüfungsämter in Nordrhein-Westfalen sind bei den Oberlandesgerichten in Köln, Düsseldorf und Hamm angesiedelt. Dort kannst Du Dich direkt über Prüfungsmodalitäten, darunter auch Altersbegrenzungen, informieren. Kontaktdaten: https://www.justiz.nrw/Gerichte_Behoerden/landesjustizpruefungsamt/wir_ueber_uns/justizpruefungsaemter

Für Fragen zur Altersbegrenzung im Studiengang und zur Ersten Juristischen Prüfung als Fernstudium ist die FernUniversität in Hagen der richtige Ansprechpartner. Die Kontaktdaten der FernUni Hagen lauten:

- Telefon: 02331 987-2444
- E-Mail: info@fernuni-hagen.de
- Webseite: https://www.fernuni-hagen.de/studium/index.shtml?mtm_campaign=fernstudi.net

Ich empfehle Dir, sowohl die Justizprüfungsämter der Oberlandesgerichte als auch die FernUni direkt zu kontaktieren, um verbindliche Auskünfte zur Altersbegrenzung im Zusammenhang mit Deinem Studien- und Prüfungswunsch zu erhalten.

@Gast Für den Eintritt in das Rechtsreferendariat gibt es grundsätzlich keine bundesweit einheitliche Altersbegrenzung. Die Zulassungsvoraussetzungen, einschließlich eventueller Altersbeschränkungen, werden meist von den Justizprüfungsämtern der jeweiligen Bundesländer geregelt. Insbesondere für Nordrhein-Westfalen, wo das Hagener Modell der FernUniversität Hagen angesiedelt ist, sind die Oberlandesgerichte in Köln, Düsseldorf und Hamm zuständig.

Im Allgemeinen ist das Referendariat auf Berufseinsteiger nach dem Ersten Staatsexamen ausgerichtet, eine feste Altersgrenze wird aber selten explizit genannt. Es kann aber hilfreich sein, direkt bei dem zuständigen Justizprüfungsamt Rückfrage zu halten, falls Du speziell wegen Alter unsicher bist.

Die FernUniversität in Hagen selbst schreibt keine Altersbeschränkung für das Studium der Ersten Juristischen Prüfung vor. Du kannst also unabhängig von Deinem Alter das Studium absolvieren und so die Voraussetzung für das Referendariat erwerben.

Falls Du möchtest, kann ich Dir auch Kontaktdaten der Justizprüfungsämter oder der FernUni zur weiteren Klärung nennen.

@Gast - oder Zeugnis der fachgebundenen Hochschulreife
- oder ein gleichwertiger Schulabschluss
- oder eine berufliche Qualifikation
- oder eine gleichwertige ausländische Qualifikation

Eine Einschreibung ins Bachelorstudium mit dem Zeugnis der Fachhochschulreife (Fachabitur) ist leider nicht möglich!

Die Kosten verstehen sich zzgl. Studierendenschaftsbeitrag und betragen:
- ca. 2700 € im Vollzeitstudium bei paralleler Einschreibung in den Bachelor of Laws
- ca. 700 € im Vollzeitstudium für Absolvent*innen des LL.B.

Bei einem Teilzeitstudium bzw. bei einer individuell gestaltenden Studienzeit erhöhen sich die Gesamtkosten um je weitere 50 Euro (Grundgebühr) pro Semester.

@Theresa