Copyright for students

As a student, you use material from others during your studies: prescribed or mandatory literature, articles from journals, chapters from books, datasets, photos, videos, images, and other materials. Copyright determines the conditions under which you may use copyrighted work by others.

At the same time, as a student, you create works yourself that may be subject to copyright. Copyright then determines what rights you have as the creator and how others may use your work.

Copyright on Your Work

As a student, you create various works during your studies, such as a thesis, report, art object, presentation, or other original work. If you create a copyrighted work yourself, you are, in principle, the creator and copyright holder.

As the copyright holder, you determine in principle whether and how others may use your work. Copyright can be transferred, or you can give someone permission to use your work in a specific way.

In some situations, specific agreements can be made regarding this, for example in the context of an internship, research project, collaboration, or assignment. Therefore, always check which agreements regarding this are included in the agreement that applies to you.

Using the work of others

In principle, you need permission from the copyright holder to use copyrighted work by others, unless use is permitted by law or a license. An important legal exception is, for example, the right to quote.

Works provided during your study

Material made available during education through Canvas, a reader, or in any other way, may be used for educational purposes and your personal study. Additional requirements, based on a license, may apply for downloading, saving, or sharing materials. Therefore, do not share educational materials outside the circle for which it is intended, unless permitted.

Want to know more about quoting, using images, citing sources, or other forms of use? Check out the frequently asked questions about the use of copyrighted material.