Some people enroll in a degree program just to acquire student status and the benefits that come with being a student. But what many of these students forget is that this period of time still increases the number of semesters that they are enrolled in a degree program and at a higher education institution in Germany. If they later decide that they want to study “properly”, they often get a nasty surprise. In some cases, they are no longer eligible to receive BAföG, or worse still, they lose their eligibility to take exams.These students should also keep in mind that they are preventing other applicants from receiving a study place.