The purpose of this article is to compare and indicate the differences in addressative forms functioning in university correspondence in Poland and Germany. The last two decades have seen the emergence of new forms of address alongside the traditional, conventionalized ones. This process is based on linguistic reflection of socio‑ political and cultural transformations in both countries. In German, the focus on gender equality has entered a new phase after the so‑called feminization of language. This new phase means the use of gender‑neutral language, which would also include non‑binary people. The issue is also not alien to Polish universities, but in that case, we can only speak of an initial stage of development. In our article, the analysed addressatives used in university business mail from 2015–2023, reflect the contemporary state of their development. Although the established addressative forms that have been in use for years constitute the most numerous group of examples in both languages, the changes taking place in German are more dynamic and language users are more willing to apply new means and depart from tradition.