matrikel

Matrikel is a term used in German-speaking countries for a formal register of individuals enrolled in an institution, most commonly a university. The word derives from the Latin matricula, meaning a list or register. In the academic context, a Matrikel or Matrikelbuch is the roster of students admitted to a university or faculty, containing personal data such as name, date and place of birth, nationality, chosen program, and enrollment status. Each student is assigned a Matrikelnummer, a unique matriculation number used as the official identifier for administration, enrollment, examinations, tuition, and access to the student information system. The Matrikel is kept by the registrar’s office and may be archived as part of historical records. In many universities, the term remains in formal use, though day-to-day administration is often conducted with electronic student records and separate student IDs; the exact structure varies by university and country.

Historically, the Matrikel originated in medieval and early modern universities as a year-by-year list of students and their status, used for fiscal and legal purposes such as tuition collection and proof of enrollment. Beyond universities, the term can appear in other official registers in some German-speaking areas, but the university sense is the most common today. The concept of a centralized matriculation number has become a standard feature of modern student administration, while the ceremonial or historical aspects of the Matrikel continue to be of interest in archival and institutional history.