  Nuclear Astrophysics requires the knowledge of reaction rates over a wide
range of nuclei and temperatures. In recent calculations the nuclear level
density - as an important ingredient to the statistical model (Hauser-Feshbach)
- has shown the highest uncertainties. In a back-shifted Fermi-gas formalism
utilizing an energy-dependent level density parameter and employing microscopic
corrections from a recent FRDM mass formula, we obtain a highly improved fit to
experimental level densities. The resulting level density is used for
determining criteria for the applicability of the statistical model on
neutron-induced reactions.
