Specialisation Seminars
Current Information - Application:
If you would like to participate in a seminar in the winter semester 2026-27 you must register electronically via the registration platform within the (Pro-)Seminar registration period.
Please note that the registration platform can only be accessed from the university network/via VPN. Instructions for use can be found here.
Here you can find the seminar announcements for the upcoming semester:
What are Seminars?
The seminar is a course that must be completed as part of the specialisation area studies.
Specifically, students must complete a six-week take-home assignment (usually on an abstract legal topic) and give a presentation followed by a discussion on the seminar topic. The seminar paper is a so-called "preliminary paper" which is written during the lecture-free period before the start of the seminar. The scope of the written assignment is determined individually by the person setting the task. There are no binding requirements on that part of the department of law.
The topics are usually issued on up to two dates during the lecture-free period. The specific scheduling is the responsibility of the respective department. The completion period begins when the topics have been issued.
The written and oral seminar performance counts for a total of 40% of the grade for the specialisation area studies. The rules on passing the specialisation area studies and the overall grade calculation for the specialisation area studies can be found in the SPB-PO 2023. Grades must be announced to students by the end of the respective semester at the latest.
Admission requirements
Requirements for major law students:
According to the SPB-PO 2023, in order to participate in the seminar students must have completed
- one examination from each of the three main subjects (civil law, criminal law, public law) in the advanced exercises,
- one examination from the subject catalogue of the basic courses of the basic studies (general political science, German legal history, fundamentals of law and economics, Roman legal history, constitutional history of the modern era) and
- one exam from the subject catalogue of the basic courses of the main study period (methodology, philosophy of law, legal theory, sociology of law, Roman property law, Roman law of obligations, history of canon law, canon law, state church law) with a minimum grade of 4 points.
If all seminar admission requirements are met (3 exams in the advanced exercises and 2 relevant basic exams) the Examination Office will issue a seminar admission notice upon request. To receive the letter “Seminarzulassung”, please submit all outstanding transcripts for the advanced exercises in a single PDF file via email to pruefungsamt@jura.uni-bonn.de.
The certificate of ‘Seminar Admission SPB-PO 2023’ must be presented to the respective chair upon receipt of the individual topic. It is not necessary to submit the certificate when applying for the seminar. The seminar topic will not be handed out without a seminar admission notice.
Requirements for minor subject students:
In the Bachelor's minor subject of Law a seminar assignment must be completed as part of the selected specialisation module as a module examination. The content of the seminar corresponds to the lectures of the (selected) specialisation module. Participation/registration for the seminar requires that the module examinations in the basic and advanced modules have already been successfully completed.
The registration for all students for the seminar paper is assigned by the seminar chair in writing when the individual topic is given out. The original registration form which must be completed and signed by the candidate, will be forwarded directly to the Examination Office by the respective chair/seminar provider. Electronic registration via BASIS is not possible.
Distribution criteria for seminar places
For major law students:
The allocation criteria for seminars are based on § 7 Abs. 3 der Studienordnung (2023):
If more students apply for a seminar than there are places available, a ranking list will be drawn up in accordance with § 59 Abs. 2 HG, taking into account the credit points already obtained in the chosen specialisation; places will be allocated to those who have earned the most credit points in their chosen specialisation; if the number of credit points is the same, priority will be given to those who are currently taking the state compulsory subject examination or have already successfully completed it. In the event of a tie, the better average grade of the partial examinations taken so far within the framework of the major field of study shall be decisive; otherwise, the grade of the intermediate examination shall be decisive. If the seminar requested by the student cannot be taken into account, the student shall be given the opportunity to attend a seminar in the following semester at the latest.
For minor subject students:
The distribution criteria for minor subjects are based on § 4 Abs. 2 S. 4 der Prüfungsordnung:
For this purpose a ranking list is drawn up on the basis of the credit points obtained in the minor subject, taking into account § 59 Absatz 2 HG. Places are allocated to the students with the most credit points. In the event of a tie, the better average grade in the partial examinations taken so far shall be decisive. If the seminar requested by the student cannot be taken into account, the student shall be given the opportunity to attend a seminar in the following semester at the latest.
Frequently asked questions and answers (FAQ)
Confirmation of a place in a seminar and information on the further procedure will be sent out by the respective seminar provider or chair/secretariat separately. This means that there may be differences in timing.
If you were given an intermediate examination grade at your previous university, please specify this and upload the relevant evidence (usually the intermediate examination certificate from your previous university). If no grades were given, please enter 4.0 as the average.
Yes, you can add the documents until the application deadline. But be sure to save the application again (with all required documents). For SPB-examinations, you can also add examinations that you have registered for but not yet written.
You can change your application at any time until the application deadline and save it again (with all required documents).
Only documents available at the time of allocation can be taken into account. You can edit and, if necessary, add documents to your application yourself within the application period.
Instead of the certificate for the compulsory state examination, you can also upload a scan of your examination invitation. According to § 7 Abs. 3 Studienordnung (2023), it is sufficient that you are in the process of taking the compulsory state examination.
Please indicate "under no circumstances" ("keinesfalls") for all proseminars/seminars to which this applies.
This refers to the PDF overview that you can download in the old Basis-system under ‘Grade overview’. In the new basic system, you can find it under ‘Performance overview’.
After the application period has ended, places will be allocated according to the criteria specified in § 7 Abs. 3 Studienordnung (2023). It is therefore not possible to make any statements about the likelihood of obtaining your ‘preferred specification’.
Access should be reactivated regularly. If this is not the case, please contact the study coordination office via email. We will then reactivate your access to the seminar platform.
The certificate of admission to the seminar must be submitted to the respective chair upon receipt of the individual topic. It is not necessary to submit it when applying for the seminar. The seminar topic will not be handed out without the seminar admission certificate.
Your application has been saved. The note that it has not yet been processed simply means that we have not yet reviewed your application. This will only takes place after the application deadline has ended.
No. Places will not be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis; only after the application period has ended will places be allocated in accordance with the criteria specified in § 7 Abs. 3 Studienordnung (2023).
Contact:
If you have any questions regarding the content of the seminars, please contact the respective seminar providers directly.
If you have any further questions regarding the allocation of places or technical problems with seminar registration, please contact the study coordination team.