Information on the consequences of the corona crisis on studies and teaching

Will the office hours at the Student Affairs Division take place?

Until further notice, personal office hours at the Student Affairs Division will be suspended. Some office hours will continue to take place via telephone. Please refer to the website of the respective services for further information. If possible, we kindly ask you to send your questions via e-mail. All questions and requests will continue to be answered by us as quickly as possible. Please make sure to include your student ID number and use your university e-mail account!

Where can I find information and advisory services on “digital studying”?

You can find lots of information on digital learning in our knowledge base. You can also find contact persons on these pages, who can help you with any further questions.

Can I hand in forms and documents in person?

Please make use of the letterboxes of the Division to submit all documents. They will be emptied several times a day. In everyone’s interest, please refrain from making any unnecessary personal inquiries.

Can I also send forms or other written documents via e-mail?

In general, it is still required to hand in documents in a written format. We would like to point out that stamps can also be purchased electronically, so that it is not absolutely necessary to visit a post office. If you have access to special e-mail technology that meets the legal requirements of the German De-Mail-Act, you may use this method of sending documents if you attach the signed document.

If you are unable to send documents in a letter for exceptional reasons (e.g. illness, quarantine, avoidance of social contacts due to contact with infected persons, membership of a risk group), please send the signed document as an attachment in advance via regular e-mail. Please use this e-mail to explain why it is not possible for you to send the application in a letter. If these reasons are accepted as sufficient, we will inform you and ask you to send the original documents as soon as it is possible for you to do so. Requests that do not need to be implemented immediately will not be processed until the subsequent submission of the original document, but will be considered to be within the deadline. The date of receipt of the document will be the date it was received electronically.

Please note that deadlines may already have expired if your application is implemented at a later date. As an example, we would like to mention the application for enrollment in connection with the registration deadlines for courses. Processing can only take place when the required documents, which were submitted in another format within the deadline, are available in the required format. The regular deadline for registration for, enrolling in or withdrawing from courses ends on May 10. After that date it is no longer possible to register for most courses. Only for block courses, which might be offered at a later date, would registration still be possible. Since this can lead to considerable disruptions in the course of your studies, we would like to point out these consequences.

The BAföG office is asking me for a certificate of corona-related restrictions to my studies during the summer semester 2020. Where can I get one?

For BAföG funding during the regular funding period, no special certificate about corona-related restrictions of your studies during the summer semester 2020 is required. Separate certificates from the University of Potsdam are only required if students are not able to present the required transcript of records according to § 48 BAföG as of the summer semester 2020 or the winter semester 2020/2021 or if they have already exceeded the maximum funding period at the beginning of the semesters mentioned above and have therefore applied for funding beyond the maximum funding period and justify this with the pandemic. In this case, the BAföG office must know exactly to what extent students could not meet their study obligations, e.g. closed laboratories, postponement of courses, closed libraries, etc. The BAföG commissioners for the respective degree programs are in charge of these certificates.

You can find further information about BAföG on the website of the Association of Student Affairs.

Can I still reach Potsdam’s Association for Student Affairs (Studentenwerk) for any questions I might have?

All in-person office hours at the Studentenwerk Potsdam are currently cancelled. However, you can reach the departments by e-mail and telephone if you have questions.

Who can I contact if I have financial problems?

Please contact the social counseling service of the Studentenwerk Potsdam directly.

Information on the federal bridging aid for students in financial emergency situations

How will the summer semester 2020 be counted?

In the statistics, the summer semester 2020 will be recorded as a regular semester; it will count with regard to the total number of semesters a student has been enrolled (i.e. as a “Hochschulsemester”) and with regard to the semesters of study in a degree program (i.e. as a “Fachsemester”) under the applicable conditions. However, regulations will be established to ensure that students do not suffer any disadvantages in terms of examination regulations.

The rules and regulations of each degree program define the standard period of study, which applies regardless of individual circumstances. The competent bodies are also working on solutions with regard to other decisions related to the standard period of study. This usually concerns matters on which the university cannot make decisions, such as BAföG regulations, questions regarding student health insurance or child allowance payments.

What regulations are in place at the University of Potsdam?

The summer semester 2020 will not be counted in the calculation of the examination period according to BAMA-O/BAMALA-O § 7a (loss of the right to take an examination after twice the standard period of study) (see question: What do I do if my examination period ends according to § 7a BAMA-O/BAMALA-O? under “Consequences for examinations and examination administration”). All other regulations regarding examinations can also be found under “Consequences for examinations and examination administration at the University of Potsdam”.

The following information only applies to students whose examination administration is linked to the Examination Office of the Student Affairs Division. Students at the Digital Engineering Faculty and the Law Faculty as well as students in a continuing education Master’s program are asked to refer to the relevant bodies.

Will examinations that I have registered for take place?

Written examinations

Updated: April 20, 2020
University examinations for which there are no digital alternatives with legal certainty can be offered from April 20, 2020 onwards, provided that compliance with the RKI's rules and recommendations of conduct is ensured and that all parties involved agree to participate in the on-site examination. In order to create the conditions for compliance with the hygiene rules of the RKI at the University of Potsdam, we will need until May 4, 2020. Consequently, the University of Potsdam will not hold written examinations requiring on-site attendance until May 4, 2020, according to the decision of the university directorate.

Updated: March 21, 2020
From March 24, 2020 until April 19, 2020, no examinations will take place due to the implementation of emergency on-site operations at the University of Potsdam.

Updated: March 16, 2020
Written examinations with a maximum of 50 persons in the rooms of the University of Potsdam will be carried out as far as possible, taking into account the special standards of hygiene and the availability of additional room capacity. This procedure requires mutual agreement. Agreement is to be assumed as given if the examination takes place and the student participates. If the required standards cannot be met, the examination will not take place.

Oral examinations

Updated: March 21, 2020
In the case of oral exams, which should still be carried out by mutual agreement, the examiners are required to find individual solutions, in particular to examine the use of alternative communication channels.

Updated: March 16, 2020
Oral examinations/thesis defenses can inherently meet hygiene standards and will therefore take place as scheduled.

If an examination is postponed, will I retain my non-binding examination option for the first semester of study?

Yes, the non-binding examination option for the first semester will remain valid. Please contact the Examination Office after the examination.

What happens if I register for an examination but do not participate in it?

The following applies for examinations for the winter semester 2019/2020 that took place after March 16, 2020 and for every examination that will take place in the summer semester 2020: Non-attendance will be considered a withdrawal from the examination. No documents (e.g. doctor’s note) need to be handed in as proof. The student will not receive a 5.0 grade for the examination. Please don't be alarmed: once your non-attendance has been registered, you will first see a 5.0 grade or “failed” in your transcript of records. However, this grade will disappear when the cancellation has been processed by the Examination Office. Please understand that this may require a few days' processing time.

Can I participate in an on-site examination if I suspect an infection with the coronavirus or if I have been in contact with an infected person?

No, we urgently ask you to refrain from participating in an on-site examination under these circumstances. We also urge you to refrain from taking part in the examination if you have symptoms that could indicate an infection with the coronavirus and have not been medically assessed, or if you have been in contact with other contact persons or corona patients.

Do I have to complete my work on other examination components that do not require my presence at the University (such as term papers)?

• Yes. Despite the suspension or limitation of teaching operations and the possible cancellation of on-site examinations you are still required to finish tasks that you have registered for. For module term papers, the faculty member who determined the deadline for the paper must be informed of any delays and the reasons behind them. An appropriate extension of the deadline, which takes the circumstances into consideration (closure or limited services of libraries, no available childcare options, quarantine), is to be granted.
• The same applies to the registered final thesis.
  • Updated on March 17, 2020: Deadlines for final theses will all be extended by another month - a total of two months if the original deadline was on March 16, 2020, or later.
  • Updated on March 16, 2020: Deadlines for final theses will all be extended by one month if the original deadline was on March 16, 2020, or later.
    
    It is not necessary to confirm this with the examining board. The deadline extension will be granted by the Examination Office and, once it has been processed, will be visible in your academic transcript on the PULS platform.

Can I register my final thesis?

Should you wish to register for your final thesis despite the current situation and restrictions, you can do so by following the regular procedures. The usual submission deadlines apply in this case. The respective examining board will decide upon request if a possible extension of the submission deadline will be granted due to corona-related restrictions for a final thesis that was registered in the summer semester 2020. An extension of up to two months could be granted on a case-by-case basis for theses registered in the summer semester 2020.

Can I withdraw from the assigned topic of my final thesis?

In some justified cases, it will be possible to withdraw from the topic assigned to you even after a third of your time before the submission deadline has passed. Please contact the Examination Office and state your reasons for the delayed withdrawal.

Can I hand in my final thesis in a digital format?

Final theses with a deadline up to and including September 30, 2020 (postmark) can be sent as a PDF file via e-mail to pruefungsamtuni-potsdamde instead of handing in three bound copies. It is also possible to give the Examination Office access to the file via Box.UP. The PDF file will be forwarded to your referees exclusively by the Examination Office. If it is not possible to send the file via e-mail, please check the attachment size and try to reduce it if possible. As soon as it becomes possible again, you will have to hand in a printed copy in order to ensure that the five-year obligation to preserve records can be complied with. If you do not do so on your own initiative, you will receive a request from the Examination Office to hand in a bound copy of your thesis once the situation has gone back to normal. Apart from your thesis, please also send in the required declaration of originality in a digital format. In case of a digital submission, a wet signature of the document will not be necessary for the time being. However, a wet signature with reference to the date of the digital submission must be added when you hand in the printed copy of your thesis, which must correspond to the digital version.

For final theses that are handed in from October 1, 2020 (postmark) onwards, regulations of the BAMA-O/BAMALA-O (General Provisions for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs) will apply again. That means that three printed/bound copies will have to be handed in.

What do I do if my examination deadline ends according to §7 BAMA-O (General Provisions for Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs at the University of Potsdam).

Examination deadline ends on March 31, 2020
If your examination deadline was March 31, 2020 and you did not apply for an extension of the deadline beyond March 31, 2020, your examination deadline has been automatically extended until September 30, 2020.

Determination of the examination deadline with regard to the summer semester 2020
The University of Potsdam considers it an important goal to avoid disadvantages for students in terms of examination regulations due to the special circumstances of the summer semester 2020. For this reason, the summer semester 2020 will not be taken into account when determining the examination deadline according to §7a of the BAMA-O/BAMALA-O.

This means: the examination deadline will be extended by one semester for all students, regardless of when the examination deadline will come into play.

These regulations currently apply to the following groups:

• Students who have already received an extension of the examination deadline (examination deadline on March 31, 2020 or on September 30, 2020).
• Students who will apply for an extension in the summer semester 2020.

Examples to clarify:

1. Examination deadline on September 30, 2020; no extension has been requested: Examination deadline will automatically be extended to March 31, 2021.
2. After an extension, the previous examination deadline ends on September 30, 2020. Due to the automatic granting of an extension, the examination deadline will now be March 31, 2021.
3. Invitation for departmental advising sent in January 2020. Departmental advising took place at the beginning of April and resulted in an extension until September 30, 2021. This deadline will be extended until March 31, 2022 according to the above-mentioned regulations.

Students who are on a leave of absence in the summer semester 2020 are the only ones who are excluded from this regulation for automatic extensions.

Invitations for departmental advising for students whose examination deadline ends on March 31, 2021 are expected to be sent out at the end of September or the beginning of October 2020.

Do the restrictions due to the corona pandemic lead to an extension of the deadline for the completion of the expiring teaching degree programs (LSIP, LSIP/SP, LG)?

No. The degree programs must be completed by the end of the 2022 summer semester (September 30, 2022). The deadline is fixed by law (§ 18 (4) BbgLeBiG) and cannot be extended by the University of Potsdam. An extension on the basis of hardship cases or the like is also not possible. The teaching-related (expiring) master's degree program for the education of teachers for “Gymnasium” secondary schools (LG) can be taken up for the last time in the winter semester 2020/2021 and for teaching degrees for education at secondary level I and primary level at general education schools (LSIP, also with focus on primary level) for the last time in the summer semester 2021, in order to guarantee the 4 or 3 semesters considered the standard period of study. Further information on this and on the possibilities of changing from the expiring degree programs to the new ones can be found here.

Do the restrictions due to the corona pandemic lead to an extension of the period of study in cancelled degree programs?

No. Cancelled degree programs must be completed by the respective specified end date. An extension due to cases of hardship or the like is also not possible in these special cases. You can find an overview of the affected degree programs and the end dates here.

Can my stay in Potsdam be postponed from the summer semester 2020 to the winter semester 2020/ 2021?

The stay cannot be postponed directly. Please have your home university nominate you by June 15, 2020 and submit a new application.

Can I apply for a stay abroad at the University of Potsdam for the winter semester 2020/2021?

The University of Potsdam accepts nominations for the winter semester 2020/2021.

Starting in early June, nominated students will be given access to the electronic information portal UPrepare. This platform provides all details regarding application and information about your studies at the University of Potsdam. The application period for students ends on July 15, 2020. The original application for enrollment with the relevant attachments will have to be submitted to us by that date (submission via e-mail is not possible).

What is the current state of planning for the winter semester 2020/2021?

Unfortunately, we are not yet able to make any final statements for the coming winter semester. However, we are currently proceeding on the assumption that on-site attendance will be possible but that the semester will still include online components (for example, for large-scale courses). Therefore, we are currently planning the arrival as well as the orientation and welcome events in face-to-face formats. The instructional period begins on November 2, 2020 and ends on February 12, 2021. Should the courses in the winter semester 2020/2021 not take place with on-site attendance, you will be able to participate in the courses offered online. It will also be possible to withdraw from your studies at the University of Potsdam under these circumstances.

Since we cannot currently foresee how the pandemic will develop, we ask for your understanding that, due to the pandemic, short-term changes may have to be announced here. 

How can teaching staff communicate the examination results and course completion records of program students?

Teaching staff may send the examination results of program students to the International Office preferably by e-mail instead of using a paper "Schein"/certificate. Teaching staff must use their university e-mail address (@uni-potsdam.de) and the e-mail should contain the following information:

• name of the student
• student's registration number
• name of the teaching unit/course
• semester
• hours/week per semester
• grade
• ECTS points
• type of examination (indicate "none" if applicable)
• name of the teacher

Send to: transcript-incominguni-potsdamde
Subject: name of the student

The respective student may be cc’d, so that he/she also receives the examination results. For data protection resons, please do not send the results of several students in one e-mail with students cc’d.

Do I have to go into quarantine if I enter Germany from abroad?

All persons entering the Federal Republic of Germany from a so-called third country must undergo a mandatory two-week quarantine. Third countries are countries outside the European Union (EU). Accordingly, persons entering Germany are obliged to "go directly to their home [...] immediately after entry". Upon arrival at the place of domestic quarantine, you are also obliged to report to the local health authority. You will find further information in the press release of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

During the 14-day quarantine you are not allowed to leave your home, not even for a short time and not even to go shopping. You are also not allowed to receive visitors during this time. If you need help during this time, you can contact the following offices via e-mail or, in some cases, telephone:

• International Office
• The Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Potsdam: infoesn-potsdamde
• Your buddy, if you participate in the Buddy Program of the University of Potsdam
• The residence hall tutors, if you live in a residence hall of the Studentenwerk Potsdam: wohnenstudentenwerk-potsdamde

As a rule, those arriving from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Great Britain, and Northern Ireland do not have to go into quarantine. However, quarantine can be ordered for these groups if the number of new infections in the respective country has exceeded 50 per 100,000 inhabitants in the last seven days. Up-to-date information can be found at https://www.bmi.bund.de/EN/home/home_node.html.

You can find more information on this page.

What happens if I was admitted for a master’s program for the summer semester but cannot enroll?

If you have been admitted for the summer semester 2020 but cannot enroll, your admission notification will become void. If you should wish to start studying at the University of Potsdam in the winter semester 2020/2021, you will have to apply again. It is generally not possible to consider your admission for the summer semester valid for an enrollment in the winter semester.

The following exception applies: For a number of master's programs without admission restrictions, you can also use your admission from the summer semester 2020 for the winter semester 2020/2021. You can find an overview of these programs here.

If I was not able to enroll, can I also use my admission to a master’s program for the summer semester 2020 to enroll in the winter semester 2020/2021?

No, it is generally not possible to consider your admission for the summer semester valid for an enrollment in the winter semester.

The following exception applies: For a number of master's programs without admission restrictions, you can also use your admission from the summer semester 2020 for the winter semester 2020/2021. You can find an overview of these programs here.

Will entrance examinations take place?

We will keep you informed about current developments on this website. In due time, you will also find further information on the websites of the respective entrance examinations.

• The examination date (May 9, 2020) for the sport aptitude test has been canceled. You will find further information here.

Can I apply and enroll for the winter semester 2020/2021?

Undergraduate studies (Bachelor and First Legal Exam)
Due to the current situation, the application and enrollment process for the winter semester 2020/2021 will be subject to delays regarding the dates and deadlines for application and enrollment. You can find the current dates in the table. The opening of the “University Admissions Portal” is expected to take place in mid-July.

You also have the option of storing your email address here.  We will then inform you as soon as the portal is open.

Master's degree

Application
The application for a master's degree has been possible since April 1st.

A modification of the application deadline has been implemented for consecutive Master’s degree programs with admission restrictions. The new application deadline for Master's degree programs with admission restrictions for the winter semester 2020/2021 is July 15, 2020. Information about the entire procedure can be found on the pages devoted to Master's applications.

Enrollment
Due to the current situation, the enrollment process for Master's degree programs for the winter semester 2020/2021 will be subject to delays regarding the dates and deadlines for enrollment. You can find the current dates in the table.

You also have the option of storing your email address here.  We will then inform you as soon as the portal is open.