In Lower Saxony, all junior professors are legally required to take part in an interim evaluation. Pursuant to section 30 (4) of the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act (NHG), interim evaluations must take place in the third year of junior professor contracts that initially have a fixed term of three years. The interim evaluation is a legally defined intermediate step for all junior professors (with and without tenure track) and forms the basis for extending the employment contract by a further three years "if a teaching evaluation and an external review of the candidates' achievements in research or art justify this".

The interim evaluation is carried out in accordance with the current 'Guidelines of the Presidential Chair for the interim evaluation of junior professors' and is based on the evaluation criteria defined in the application for approval of the junior professorship.

The interim evaluation of junior professors is overseen by the Department for Research and Transfer.