Before Departure
Last Steps before Departure
Checklist for what to do before leaving Cologne:
Course List for Transcript of Records
In order to obtain an academic record of all grades achieved during their study period in Cologne, international exchange students must submit to ZIB-WiSo a list of the courses they have attended and/or the examinations they have taken. All exchange students will be sent and asked to return an electronic form to the ZIB-WiSo in January/June listing the courses in which they will write examinations and expect grades. Please do not send us your course list by e-mail until requested to do so. Only the courses listed on the electronic form will be considered for the transcript. Courses that you fail will only be added to the transcript on request or if so required by your home university.
It can take until March/September until we receive the grades for all of your courses. The final transcript will be sent to the International Office of your home university.
Departure Formalities
Before leaving Cologne, you should remember to notify various institutions of your departure:
- Local residents’ registration office (Meldeamt): If you do not plan to stay in Germany following your exchange semester, you must deregister with the municipal authorities. Click here for the online deregistration forms for the cities of
Cologne and 
Hürth. You can also authorise a representative to deregister you from the city (give them the form "Vollmacht" from this page). It is not possible to deregister by post. - Bank or Sparkasse in Germany: We recommend not closing your German account until about 3 months after departing as you may still have to settle open invoices and regain your rent deposit.
- Telephone company: Contact the telephone company to have your phone number deregistered and to cancel your contract.
- Electricity and gas companies: Unless otherwise arranged with your landlord/flatmates, you must terminate your contracts with electricity and gas companies and, if necessary, have your electricity, gas and water meters read. You should also ask the respective suppliers for a final calculation as this will otherwise occur at the end of the calendar year.
- German health insurance: Do not forget to cancel your German health insurance contract, if neccessary. Unless you do so, your health insurance contract will run- and must be paid for- the official end of the semester (March/September). For this, you need your exmatriculation certificate, which you can obtain from the university's central International Office. Do this on the last possible work day before your departure as you must hand in your student ID to be exmatriculated and will then no longer have a travel ticket.
Rent Deposit
If you made a rent deposit for your accommodation and are now moving out, you are entitled to a refund if no damage was caused during your stay and all outstanding bills and utility costs were covered by the already paid contributions.