Frequently Asked Questions and Support
Registraion and Administration
Who is allowed to participate?
- Students and employees of the University of Potsdam, the Film University Babelsberg, the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences, and the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences for Sports and Management
- Students and employees of higher education institutions in the state of Brandenburg and other federal states
- Apprentices and high school students
- Partnering non-university institutions
- Alumni of the University of Potsdam
- Employees of affiliated institutes
- Non-university members as guests, subject to availability
To participate in university sports as an alumnus, registration via the alumni portal is required. Upon registration, all alumni receive a student ID number, which they must provide when registering online for university sports. Former UP members—students and employees—are referred to as UP alumni.
The individual status groups are explained in the terms and conditions of participation.
Is it possible to do a trial workout or a trial class?
No, trial sessions or introductory classes are not available for insurance and organizational reasons. Only registered participants may take part in University Sports programs. However, we do have a wide selection of courses where you can book individual sessions.
How does the waiting list work?
If a class is full, you can add your email address to the “waiting list” and thereby sign up for the University Sports notification service. As soon as a spot opens up in the desired class, everyone on the waiting list will be notified simultaneously by email. The first person to make a reservation will receive the available spot.
What are the conditions for participation by minors?
The minimum age for participating in university sports courses is generally 18 years. The following rules apply to the participation of minors:
1. Children under 16 years of age
Children and adolescents up to the age of 16 are generally not permitted to participate in university sports. Exceptions to this rule regarding independent participation are the separately designated children’s sports groups offered as part of the university sports program’s FamFIT initiative. In these cases, registration must be completed by the parents using their parent account.
2. Participants between the ages of 16 and 17—including enrolled students
Adolescents aged 16–17 require the consent of a legal guardian, as outlined below, to participate. Participation may be denied by University Sports if reasons related to the adolescent’s person or behavior, or the specific requirements of the program or sport in question, preclude participation. High school students pay the Rate Group 1 fee in accordance with the University Sports terms of participation. Like all non-university members, the individuals referred to here are not covered by accident or liability insurance when participating in University Sports.
Training at University Sports fitness clubs is permitted only for those aged 18 and older. Bringing younger dependents is not permitted.
In all cases, a consent form must be completed.
What is the purpose of the sports partner exchange?
On the University Sports website, you'll find a sports partner exchange. You can use it to search for dance or squash partners, etc., or to view requests from other participants.
Security and Conflicts
Am I covered by insurance through university sports?
Through the Brandenburg Accident Insurance Fund, ONLY students and employees of the University, the Film University Babelsberg, and the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences are insured for designated events organized by Potsdam University Sports. The sports activities must be recreational in nature and not competitive. (GUV-SI 8083 April 2008)
Accident Report Form for Students and Employees
All other groups of people are not insured. It is recommended that all participants in sports ensure they have adequate accident and health insurance, as well as personal liability insurance.
Every accident should be recorded in the accident or first-aid logbook at the sports facility.
Claims arising from events organized by the Verein zur Förderung des Hochschulsports Potsdam e.V. (Association for the Promotion of University Sports in Potsdam) are handled through the State Sports Federation Brandenburg. For more information, see:
How is my personal information protected?
University Sports Potsdam processes participants’ personal data only to the extent necessary for the respective contract and in compliance with data protection regulations.
If you still have any questions, please feel free to contact the University Sports Potsdam office. <link hochschulsport@uni-potsdam.de>hochschulsport@uni-potsdam.de</link>.
I feel that I have been treated unfairly or discriminated against in the context of college sports. Who can I contact?
Everyone involved in university sports has the right to seek counseling if they have experienced a situation they perceive as unfair, unpleasant, or disrespectful. Various points of contact are listed in the link box on the right.
The counseling center will first listen to your account of the situation and discuss it in detail. The counselor will help you assess the situation, find solutions, and identify your needs and wishes.
For example, the counselor can help document the events in writing or provide information about other possible points of contact and courses of action. If further steps are to be taken beyond the counseling session, these will be planned and agreed upon together. No action will be taken without your express consent.
So that we at University Sports can respond quickly and potentially de-escalate the situation at short notice, we ask that you notify us of the circumstances at konflikt-hspuuni-potsdampde. All concerns are treated confidentially by us as well.
The Code of Conduct serves as a guide for how we at University Sports aim to act.
Financial Matters
How long do the courses last, and how much do they cost?
Courses always take place during the time period displayed at the top of the sports page. During the lecture period, the duration is 12–14 weeks; during semester breaks, it is 6–10 weeks. The course price applies to the time period shown in the booking line.
Fees per course vary depending on length, duration, and the amount of equipment used. For students, most 14-week courses cost between 20 and 40 euros. You can also find the exact price in the booking details.
By the way, you don’t need to cancel your registration after the course ends. Your contract with us automatically expires at the end of the course.
Can I switch to a different course or cancel my registration?
Did you make a mistake when booking, or is there still an opening at your preferred time? Rescheduling when space is available or transferring registration to another person is possible in justified exceptional cases. Any amounts already paid will be applied toward the fees for the new sports class or sports excursion. If you reschedule to a less expensive class, no refund will be issued. If you change your reservation to a more expensive course, the remaining participation fee will be collected via direct debit.
Please use the designated form to request a change. We’ll review the requests upon receipt and see what’s possible.
You noticed that a spot has opened up in your desired course and signed up for it directly. Now you’d like to transfer your original registration to this course. In this case as well, we ask that you fill out the form to request a change, and upon receipt, we’ll check whether we can process the rebooking in accordance with the terms and conditions of participation.
Participants do not have the right to cancel a binding reservation for a university sports program. However, in justified exceptional cases, we reserve the right to make exceptions as a gesture of goodwill; you can read more about these in our Terms and Conditions under “Rescheduling and Cancellation”.
Please note that a processing fee will be charged for cancellations. To cancel, please use the form provided for this purpose. We will review the requests upon receipt and determine what options are available.
I received a gift certificate. How do I redeem it?
If you’d like to redeem the course voucher when registration opens, we recommend that you register first and then immediately notify University Sports to reconcile the payment (before the direct debit is processed).
If it’s an open enrollment course, you can also contact the University Sports Office first. The team will then register you for the course of your choice and apply the voucher toward the payment.
If there is still a remaining balance, it will be collected via direct debit. In this case, we’ll also need your bank account information.
How do I get a confirmation for my health insurance?
There are several options here.
By email: Send us a scan of your bonus booklet. We’ll stamp it and email it back to you.
By mail: Send us your bonus booklet by mail. We’ll stamp it right in the booklet and mail it back to you.
At the office: Stop by in person during business hours and take your stamped booklet with you right away.
Course Organization
Course Cancellations — What Now?
University Sports Potsdam may combine or cancel programs if there are too few registrations. In the event that a program is canceled without replacement, participants will receive a refund of the fees paid.
If individual class sessions are canceled—for example, due to the instructor’s illness—University Sports will attempt to provide a substitute instructor or, if necessary, offer make-up sessions (see also “Cancellation of Sports Courses Without Entitlement to Compensation”).
Cancellation of Sports Events Without Entitlement to Compensation:
- if the course day falls on a public holiday,
- if the course instructor is unable to attend and the Potsdam University Sports Department is unable to
- find a qualified substitute at short notice or offer alternative events or make-up sessions,
- in the event of disruptions to operations (due to construction work, repairs, etc.),
- if the respective sports facility is occupied by competitions, tournaments, training sessions, or other events,
- due to weather conditions, and
- in cases of force majeure
I'm having trouble finding the sports facility. Can you help me?
Of course, under Sports Facilities, we've listed all of our current sports facilities on a map. You can even take a virtual tour of all of them.
I have a question for the course instructor—is it possible to contact them directly?
To contact the instructor, you can use the contact form on our website. Simply go to the course page for the class you’ve booked, click on the instructor’s name in the table listing the course number, class time, and booking button, and use the email form that opens.
What happens if you've lost your registration confirmation or didn't print it out?
The confirmation of participation is displayed as an HTML page—that is, a web page. This format can be saved, printed, and sent from any computer and does not require any additional software. If you no longer have the confirmation, you can contact the University Sports Office by email. They will send you a new confirmation of participation as a PDF.
What happens if you can't attend a session of the event you booked?
For now, nothing. Please let the course instructor know so they can plan the class more effectively. However, if you are absent without excuse for the third time in a row, your spot will be reassigned and your right to that spot in the course will be forfeited without replacement.
Whether or not you attend the session is your personal decision and does not entitle you to a refund.
Will my class take place this week, even if it falls on a holiday, a long weekend, a vacation day, or something similar?
On the registration page, click on the time period for your course; you'll then see all the dates on which your course takes place.
I didn't find what I was looking for!
Then ask us directly: Contact to Academic Sports Center