Voluntary withdrawal is only possible once in grades 2 to 4 and generally once in grades 6 to 10. An important reason is required, e.g. prolonged illness during the school year, change of school due to change of residence, particular difficulties in development or in domestic circumstances. It is not possible to withdraw from a grade level that is being repeated or to return to a grade level that has been repeated.
Voluntary repetition at the end of a school year is possible once at integrated comprehensive schools and integrative secondary schools, or twice in exceptional cases. The prerequisite for this is a pedagogical assessment of performance development and learning behavior. It is not possible to repeat a grade that has already been repeated. It is only possible to repeat grade 9 if a vocational qualification has been achieved or grade 10 if a qualified lower secondary school leaving certificate has been achieved if it is to be expected that a further school leaving certificate or a further qualification can be achieved after the repetition.
A promotion in special cases requires a special reason such as prolonged illness, change of school during the school year, exceptional developmental disorders or particularly unfavorable home circumstances and that, taking into account the overall personality, the special situation, the level of performance and willingness to work, successful participation in the next higher grade level is to be expected.
In the gymnasiale Oberstufe, voluntary withdrawal by one year is permitted in G9 once at the end of semesters 11/2, 12/1, 12/2 or before the start of the written Abitur examination in year 13, in G8 once at the end of semesters 10/2, 11/1, 11/2 or 12/1 on the basis of a written notification from parents or students of full age, provided that year 11 (G9) or year 10 (G8) has not already been repeated. In the case of repetition, only results from the second round can be used for the admission decision and included in the overall qualification.
Corresponding regulations also apply to evening grammar schools, colleges and vocational grammar schools.
Students who have not passed the Abitur examination may repeat the examination once. This also applies if the regular maximum length of stay in the upper school has already been reached.