Matriculation number

A matriculation number is a unique number used to identify a person - a specific identifier that uniquely identifies a person in a register of persons (matriculation). Matriculation numbers allow a person to be uniquely identified even when unique identification is not possible from the name alone or from a combination of name and date and place of birth. Since the numbers are assigned only once, this assignment can also be traced back over longer periods of time.

The matriculation number uniquely identifies each student. The matriculation number is printed on the Studienausweis and must be given at the time of the examination so that it can be clearly recorded who is registered for the examination. Your matriculation number will also be used for identification purposes when transferring the tuition fees.

The matriculation number also ensures anonymization when personal data is disclosed. If, for example, lists of points for the bonus on homework are published via Moodle, these lists show which matriculation number has achieved which points during the exercise. Since no one knows the matriculation numbers of their fellow students, the point lists are anonymous. Another example is the room and seat allocation for exams. Your matriculation number tells you where exactly you have to sit.
Since matriculation numbers are used for anonymization, it is important that the matriculation number is kept secret. More precisely, for reasons of data protection, no one (except the university itself) may be able to make a connection between the matriculation number and the corresponding person.

For this reason, study certificates do not contain a matriculation number, as they are passed on to third parties (e.g. to the employer or the health insurance company). If a copy of the [student ID card]({{ref “hsq/01_die_ersten_schritte/karten#studienausweis” >}}) is made to give to third parties as a study certificate, care should be taken to ensure that the matriculation number is obscured on the copy.