Doubts About Your Degree and Dropping Out: Taking Time to Decide
Doubts about your degree are common. Many people who start university later switch subjects or stop. A good decision matters more than a quick one: first figure out where the doubts are coming from. Get free advice before you withdraw from your university.
Is it normal to have doubts about your degree?
Yes. If you have doubts, you are not alone. There are no precise current figures on dropout rates right now.
The last nationwide calculation of the dropout rate in Germany dates from 2022 and covers students who could have graduated in 2020. No newer figures are available, so we are not quoting any here.
Where do the doubts come from?
Often from several things at once: the workload, motivation, money, or wanting to do something practical.
Often several things come together, such as high demands, a lack of motivation, money worries, or the wish to finally do hands-on work.
Before you decide, it helps to take stock with three questions:
- Is it the subject or your circumstances? Money worries, housing, loneliness, or a crisis can make a degree that suits you feel unbearable.
- Is it the subject or the university? Sometimes the same subject works better at a different university or as a dual study program that combines university with work.
- What are you moving away from, and what are you moving toward? A decision is easier when you have a goal and not just a way out.
When should I decide?
Not in the middle of a crisis, and not before you have talked to an advising service.
The Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) advises you to drop out only once you have found an alternative. A smooth transition avoids gaps in your résumé. Doubts in the first semesters are common. Switching early can make sense too.
If you receive BAföG (federal student aid), there is one deadline you should know. Under Section 7(3) of the BAföG Act, a first change of subject or dropout before the start of your fourth semester in the subject is generally treated as having an important reason. Up to the start of your fifth semester, you have to show an important reason. After that, a different program is only funded for a compelling reason. Talk to the BAföG office at your Studierendenwerk (the student services organization at your university) before you switch.
Who offers free advice?
Your university's academic advising office, the career counseling service of the Federal Employment Agency, and special programs for students with doubts.
| Where to go | What they help with |
|---|---|
| Zentrale Studienberatung (your university's central academic advising office) | Changing subjects, changing universities, getting credits recognized |
| Career counseling at the Federal Employment Agency | Alternatives to university, Ausbildung (vocational training), the transition |
| Studium oder Ausbildung (University or vocational training), Initiative Bildungsketten | Overview of funded advising projects for students with doubts, depending on the federal state |
| BAföG office of the Studierendenwerk | Funding if you switch or drop out |
| IHK (Chamber of Industry and Commerce) and Handwerkskammer (Chamber of Crafts) | Shortened vocational training for people who left university |
| Psychological counseling at the Studierendenwerk | When doubts come with anxiety, exhaustion, or a crisis |
The Federal Employment Agency calls its career counseling "your first point of contact" (translated) if you want to drop out and find a new direction. Career counseling at the Federal Employment Agency is free.
What comes after dropping out?
Often vocational training, and it can be shorter than usual.
Many people start vocational training after leaving university. Your university credits can pay off. Under Section 8 of the Vocational Training Act (BBiG), the responsible body must shorten the training if you and the company apply for it together and it is expected that you will reach the goal in less time. At the IHK Region Stuttgart, for example, the Abitur (the German university entrance qualification) can shorten training by up to twelve months, and relevant university credits can take off more months. The rules differ from chamber to chamber. Ask the chamber responsible for you.
The Federal Employment Agency puts it clearly: dropping out of university and choosing vocational training "is nothing to be ashamed of" (translated).
If the doubts won't let go
Talk to someone before your thoughts start going in circles.
Doubts about your degree are often tied to pressure, exhaustion, or self-doubt. The psychological counseling service at the Studierendenwerk is a good free place to go for this. You can read more in the article Psychosocial counseling at the Studierendenwerk.
If you would rather talk things through with someone soon and by video to sort out what you want, psychological counseling at Studifit is an addition to those services. We do not make the decision for you, and we do not replace academic or career counseling. Studifit is psychological counseling, not psychotherapy. It is not covered by health insurance, and we make no diagnoses. If your doubts come with a low mood that does not lift, please keep looking for a therapist at the same time. You can find our prices on the pricing page.
In an acute crisis, you can reach the TelefonSeelsorge (a free crisis line, 24/7, in German) at 0800 111 0 111, and in an emergency call 112.
Sources
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Probleme während des Studiums: Was jetzt? (Problems during your studies: what now?), accessed October 21, 2026 (in German)
- Initiative Bildungsketten: Studium oder Ausbildung (University or vocational training) (in German)
- Section 7 BAföG and Section 8 BBiG (in German)
- IHK Region Stuttgart: Angebote für Studienabbrecher (Services for university dropouts) (in German)
All information in this article was carefully researched, but we cannot guarantee that it is complete or up to date. Services, waiting times and legal rules can change. As of October 2026.
