Whether a calculator is permitted in a university exam in Germany is not decided by a nationwide list, but by the rule applying specifically to that exam. Even at the same university, the faculty, module, and date may have different requirements. Therefore, check the examination regulations, official notices regarding auxiliary materials, and the specific exam announcement. Afterwards, verify the complete model, including its storage, graphing, programming, and interface functions. If anything remains unclear, ask the department responsible according to the regulations in writing.
Briefly explained: The only permitted device or functional profile is one that meets the current requirements of your specific exam. Approval from a different module, semester, or university department cannot be transferred.
Important note: Which auxiliary materials are permitted is determined by the rules of your specific exam. Review the examination regulations, the list of auxiliary materials, and the exam instructions together. Clarify any uncertainties in writing with the relevant authority. Spickboy does not provide a universal guarantee of authorization.
This article deals exclusively with university exams in Germany. Further information on regulations can be found in the Spickboy™ Guide.
Which calculator is allowed in a university exam?
The reliable answer does not consist of a single model name. The permitted calculator is the one that simultaneously
- is approved as an auxiliary material for the specific exam,
- meets the device class defined therein,
- possesses no expressly excluded functions, and
- if applicable, appears on a current positive list or has been confirmed by the responsible authority.
Even the wording "non-programmable" can be interpreted differently depending on the university. Some departments add prohibitions on text and formula storage, graphics, alphanumeric keyboards, interfaces, matrix operations, or equation solvers. Others publish a list of models. Still others determine the decision separately for every exam.
Therefore, neither "scientific calculator" nor a model approval from the previous semester answers the question for your exam date alone.
Which regulatory sources apply to your exam?
Start with the official documents for your exact degree program and module. Information is often distributed across multiple levels:
- Examination regulations and resolutions: These determine the legal framework and often which body defines auxiliary materials.
- Official auxiliary material or calculator policy: A faculty, institute, or examination board may publish functional limits or model lists.
- Module and exam notes: These may state whether a calculator can be used in this specific exam at all.
- Date-specific notification: Email, learning platforms, or exam announcements may contain current organizational requirements.
If information conflicts, do not assume a supposed order of priority yourself. Document the sources and ask via the official contact channel. The page Permitted Auxiliary Materials in Exams provides a more in-depth look at checking these sources beyond just calculators.
Who can provide a binding answer?
That depends on the applicable regulations. An examination board or a body specified therein may be responsible. An examination office may be the documented contact channel; faculty, institutes, or module coordinators act only within their respective authorities.
Therefore, do not infer a general decision-making authority from a job title like "Chair" or "Professor" alone. A statement is only reliable for your case if it comes from the responsible authority, covers your exact module and date, and does not contradict any higher-ranking current requirement.
Where can you find the specific information?
Module and exam page
Search the official university domain for the module code, module name, semester, and terms such as "auxiliary materials," "exam," "calculator," or "exam instructions." Check whether the page actually covers your degree program and date.
Positive or negative list
A positive list names approved devices; a negative list names excluded ones. Pay attention to complete model suffixes, version numbers, and the date of the list. A similar model number is not an automatic approval. If a list is expressly intended only "for orientation" or is no longer current, it cannot replace the applicable criteria rule.
Written model inquiry
In an inquiry, state at least:
- University, degree program, and module code,
- complete exam name and date,
- manufacturer and exact model designation,
- relevant functions such as text, formula, or program storage, graphics, CAS, and communication,
- link to the official manual.
Do not just ask "Is my calculator allowed?", but rather whether the complete model meets the applicable auxiliary material rule for exactly this exam. Save any information received along with the official requirements; it does not replace a subsequent change.
Typical university rules compared
The following primary sources show differences. Each row applies only to the mentioned university department and may not be transferred to other exams.
| Institution and scope | Regulatory path | Expressly mentioned limits |
|---|---|---|
| University of Wuppertal, School of Business and Economics Status: Exam phase page 08.05.2026; Definition NR 02/2024 |
Current instructions before the exam and definition by the examination board | No personal or loaded programs, texts, formulas, wireless connections, alphanumeric keyboards, or graphics |
| University of Cologne, Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences Status: last updated 13.06.2026 |
Examiners regulate approval per exam; additionally, a continuously updated model page | Text storage and CAS excluded; special provisions possible |
| University of Rostock, Institute of Business Administration Status: 01.07.2025 |
Institute guideline and exemplary positive list | No formulas or texts, graphics, personal programs, matrix operations, linear systems of equations, or spreadsheets |
| University of Stuttgart, IMWF No visible page date; checked 24.08.2026 |
Exam-specific entry in C@MPUS; old positive list for orientation only | Not graphic-capable, not programmable, no alphanumeric keyboard, and no interfaces |
| Philipps University of Marburg, School of Business and Economics No visible page date; checked 24.08.2026 |
General departmental rule with possible deviating exam rules | If a calculator is allowed, generally non-programmable; no text or formula storage; statistics and mathematics separate |
This table is not a German positive list. It clearly shows why a foreign university rule does not provide a reliable answer for your module.
What does "non-programmable" mean at university?
"Non-programmable" is not a uniform nationwide exam definition. At the University of Wuppertal, for example, the local definition for the mentioned area also includes the exclusion of text and formula storage, wireless connections, alphanumeric keyboards, and graphic displays. The Rostock business administration guideline additionally excludes matrix operations, solving linear systems of equations, and spreadsheets.
A calculator may technically be unable to execute freely written programs and yet possess a function that a specific exam rule excludes. Conversely, a reset does not automatically prove that an otherwise excluded device is permitted. The technical delimitation is explained in Programmable Calculator in Exams.
Checklist for your module
- Identify exam: Note university, degree program, module code, exam format, semester, and date.
- Open official rule: Check regulations, resolutions, auxiliary materials page, and date-specific announcement.
- Read scope: Check faculty, institute, study regulations, and examination period.
- Determine model exactly: Capture every model and version designation, not just the product family.
- Compare functions: Check programs, text, formulas, graphics, CAS, equation solvers, matrices, interfaces, and storage behavior.
- Discard old experiences: Do not adopt reports from previous semesters or other module approvals without checking.
- Clarify uncertainty in writing: Ask the authority responsible according to the regulations, providing model, function, and manual link.
- Plan permitted substitute: The substitute device must also meet the same current rule.
Choosing a calculator by subject
Being useful during studies and permitted in an exam are two separate questions. For statistics, for instance, statistical modes and regression may be helpful in daily learning; in another module, basic arithmetic, percentages, powers, or logarithms are sufficient. A feature-rich device class is therefore not automatically the better or permitted choice.
The article Calculators for Business Administration, Statistics, and Accounting categorizes functions by task profile. The selection process starts there with the calculation method. For every specific exam, you then return to the rule check described here.
Frequently asked questions about calculators in university exams
Is there a general list of permitted university calculators?
No. In Germany, there is no nationwide model list for all university exams. Only use official sources whose scope covers your university, organizational unit, exam, and the current date.
Which authority may bindingly set auxiliary materials for my exam?
This is determined by the applicable examination regulations and the provisions based upon them. Often, an examination board or a body specified therein is involved. Use the officially designated contact channel and do not infer authority from a job title alone.
Are text and formula storage permitted in university exams?
That is exam-specific. Several German university departments exclude text or formula storage in their local rules, but no nationwide ban follows from this. The current wording for your exam is decisive.
Can a reset graphic calculator be allowed?
Only if the specific rule expressly allows this device class and the required exam state. A self-performed reset does not lift a ban on graphics, CAS, programming, or interfaces.
What happens if my model is not on the list?
First, check whether the list is exhaustive, exemplary, or only for orientation. Then ask the responsible authority, providing the complete model number and official documentation. Do not use the device solely based on its similarity to a listed model. Potential procedures in the case of unauthorized auxiliary materials are explained in Attempted Cheating in Exams.
Which calculator is useful for business administration or statistics?
That depends on the tasks in your modules. Percentage and interest calculation, powers, logarithms, statistical key figures, or regression can result in different functional profiles. Check this requirement profile independently of the exam authorization.
Conclusion: First the specific rule, then the model
For university exams, there is no reliable model name without context. Open the official documents for your module, check their scope, and functionally compare your complete model. If a question remains open, pose it in writing via the intended contact channel. A third-party positive list, an old account of experience, or the imprint "non-programmable" does not replace this step.
Sources and status
Sources checked on August 24, 2026. All rule examples apply exclusively within the respective German university department mentioned. Before an exam, the current status at that time must be checked again.
- University of Wuppertal, Schumpeter School of Business and Economics: Information on the exam phase, page status May 8, 2026; as well as Communication NR 02/2024 on the definition of a non-programmable calculator, issued April 17, 2024. Scope: the local economics examination area.
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences: Calculators and model lists, last changed June 13, 2026. Scope: exams of the WiSo Faculty with possible exam-specific provisions.
- University of Rostock, Institute of Business Administration: Calculator guideline with exemplary positive list, status July 1, 2025. Scope: module exams at the Institute of Business Administration.
- University of Stuttgart, IMWF: Exam instructions of the IMWF, no visible update date; checked August 24, 2026. Scope: IMWF exams, with C@MPUS and module-related information remaining authoritative.
- Philipps University of Marburg, School of Business and Economics: Use of calculators in exams, no visible update date; checked August 24, 2026. Scope: Department 02 with expressly possible special rules and separate requirements for statistics and mathematics.