Create a ruleset
Add a new academic ruleset with an initial version, then configure grading, attempt limits, weights, deadlines, and assignments so policy can take effect.
Create academic rulesets at Settings → OrgHub → Academic Rulesets. A new ruleset is a named policy container plus an initial version — the snapshot that will hold grading configuration, attempt limits, weights, deadlines, and connections to programs, cohorts, or users.
Creating the shell is only the first step. Until you configure the version and assign it, students continue under other effective rulesets or built-in defaults.
Why it matters
Universities introduce new rulesets when regulations change — a new program generation, a revised Prüfungsordnung, a cohort with different resit rights, or a continuing-education track with its own attempt economy. Naming the ruleset after the regulation or intake (for example, “Bachelor Engineering 2024”) makes later assignment priority decisions easier for program staff and exam offices.
Without a deliberate create-then-assign process, policy either stays stuck on global defaults or is edited in place on versions already in use, which muddies history for students who already started under earlier limits.
Before you set numbers, skim How exam attempts work so the initial version’s passed / failed ceilings match your resit statute and exam-type workflows.
Before you start
- Confirm the Academic Rulesets feature is enabled and you have administrator permission to change settings. See Permissions, features and visibility.
- Know which study programs or cohorts should receive the new policy.
- Decide whether you are replacing an existing ruleset for a new academic year (prefer a new version on an existing ruleset) or introducing an entirely new policy family (create a new ruleset).
- Align with exam types: rulesets set numeric attempt caps and schemas; exam types set attempt workflow (auto reattempt vs reassessment period).
- Draft the two attempt numbers from the regulation text (0–10; empty resets to 3 / 3) before mass assignment.
- Note module / final weights (must sum to 100%), required credit points, and withdrawal / appointment deadlines from the statute — see Grade weighting, Credit-point requirements, and Appointment and withdrawal deadlines.
How to create a ruleset
Go to Settings → OrgHub → Academic Rulesets.
Select Create Academic Ruleset. The creation sheet opens.
Enter a ruleset name and optional description or code.
Optionally name the initial version (for example, “2024/25”).
Select Create. Fuxam creates the ruleset and its first version.
Open the new version to configure grading settings and attempt limits.
Assign the ruleset to study programs, cohorts, or individual users.
After creation
New rulesets have no effect until assigned. Connect the version to:
- A study program — applies to all students in that program unless overridden
- A cohort — applies to students in that cohort unless overridden by a user assignment
- An individual user — highest-priority direct assignment
You can also assign rulesets in bulk from OrgHub → Programs → Users using the academic ruleset column.
Worked example — new regulation year
- Create ruleset “B.Sc. Biology PO 2025” with initial version “WS 2025/26”.
- On the version, set Maximum failed attempts = 2 and Maximum passed attempts = 3 to match the new statute (values must be 0–10).
- Set grading schema, weights (must sum to 100%), required credit points, and the withdrawal deadline.
- Assign the version to the study program.
- Confirm linked exam types use Auto reattempt or Reassessment period as required — see How exam attempts work.
- Spot-check attempt tabs for a sample student in My Exams.
Worked example — continuing-education track
A short certificate program allows only one failure and no grade improvement after a pass. Create a dedicated ruleset (not a silent edit of the bachelor PO), set Maximum failed attempts = 1 and Maximum passed attempts = 1, pair exam types with the intended workflow, and assign at cohort or program level so bachelor students keep their own ruleset.
Edge case — create vs new version
| Situation | Prefer |
|---|---|
| Same program family, new academic year / validity window | New version on the existing ruleset |
| Separate degree line or wholly different regulation family | New ruleset |
| One-off individual exception | Usually a small dedicated ruleset version assigned at user priority — not a rewrite of the program version |
Decision guide — when to create what
| Question | If yes… |
|---|---|
| Does the same named policy family continue under new dates? | Add a version, not a new ruleset |
| Is this a different degree line or wholly separate PO text? | Create a new ruleset |
| Do only some intakes differ? | Keep one program ruleset; override with a cohort assignment |
| Is this one board decision? | Prefer a user assignment to a narrowly scoped version |
Best practices
- Name for humans — include degree level, subject, and regulation year so staff can pick the right bundle in connection lists.
- Version early — set a meaningful initial version label even if configuration continues afterward.
- Configure before mass assign — empty or default limits on a newly assigned version can surprise examiners when attempt tabs appear.
- Document exceptions separately — user-level assignments should map to a known accommodation or board decision, not informal preference. See Disability compensation and hardship.
- Pair creation with lifecycle literacy — train exam-office staff on How exam attempts work before the first exam week under the new ruleset.
- Fill the full grading configuration — weights, credit points, and deadlines belong in the same create-and-configure pass as attempt limits.
Common pitfalls
| Pitfall | Result | Avoid by |
|---|---|---|
| Creating but never assigning | Students stay on defaults or an older ruleset | Complete connections on the version page or Programs → Users |
| Editing an old ruleset instead of creating a new generation | Confuses which regulation year applies | Create a new ruleset or a new version with a new validity period |
| Assigning before attempt limits are set | Unexpected tab counts in My Exams | Configure attempt limits first |
| Ignoring exam-type workflow | Numeric caps look correct but attempt 3 never appears | Align exam types with reassessment vs auto reattempt |
| Leaving weights incomplete | Module / final pair does not sum to 100% | Set grade weighting before go-live |
FAQ
Does creating a ruleset change live exams immediately?
No. New rulesets have no effect until a version is assigned and becomes a student’s effective ruleset. Unassigned rulesets are configuration only.
Should I create a new ruleset or a new version?
Use a new version when the same policy family continues under updated dates or settings (typical academic-year change). Create a new ruleset when you need a separate named policy for a different program family or regulation line.
Where do I set maximum attempts after creation?
Open the version and set Maximum passed attempts and Maximum failed attempts under Grading configuration — see Configure attempt limits. For how those numbers behave over a student’s career, see How exam attempts work.
Who can create rulesets?
Users with administrator permission to change settings, when the Academic Rulesets feature is enabled for your institution.
Related pages
- How exam attempts work — attempt lifecycle and worked examples
- Edit a ruleset — configure a version after creation
- Assignment priority — how assignments take effect
- Academic rulesets — overview of ruleset concepts
- Grade weighting — module and final weights on the version