Potsdam University’s Chip Card (PUCK)

After your payment, your Potsdam University’s Chip Card (PUCK) will be issued and delivered by mail. The envelope contains:

• Potsdam University’s Chip Card (PUCK)
• Information about the activation of your University account
• TAN-list (PULS- Potsdamer Universitätslehr- und Studienorganisationsportal)
  • Access to this portal will allow you to print certificates of enrollment, register for classes, etc.

The shipping of the PUCKs starts at the beginning of September and will be processed daily. Please be patient and wait for the delivery of the PUCK. In this period we have our peak workload, but we do our best to send out all documents promptly.

Please understand that the documents cannot be collected personally.

EXCEPTIONS
International Program Students will get the PUCK due to organizational matters personally at the International Office.

Winter Semester (Re-registration period June 15 through July 15)
Starting on July 1, you may use the validation stations to update the validity period of your PUCK. You can print your enrollment certificates and your confirmation of periods of study as well as change your address through the PULS-Portal. The printed certificates contain a verification key that enables any public authority to verify your records.

Summer Semester (Re-registration period January 15 through February 15).
Starting on February 1, you may use the validation stations to update the validity period of your PUCK. You can print your enrollment certificates and your confirmation of periods of study as well as change your address through the PULS-Portal. The printed certificates contain a verification key that enables any public authority to verify your records.

A lost or stolen card can cause damage to the student as well as to the University of Potsdam. In order to minimize this damage, we recommend that you cancel your card immediately by calling or e-mailing the PUCK Service Point. To receive a new chip card, please come to the PUCK Service Point during office hours. You should bring a completed issue request form for a replacement chip card, a current passport photo, your ID, and your girocard (a debit card, formerly also known as ec-card). Your replacement chip card costs €5.11, and a girocard is the only accepted method of payment!

Advice

• Since several different documents fulfill the same purpose of identification, the PUCK Service Point accepts the following documents to verify your identity: personal identification card (Personalausweis), preliminary identification card, driver’s license or passport.
• Payments can only be made by girocard (a debit card, formerly also known as ec-card) in combination with your PIN!Information on Data Protection you find here (PDF).

In case of loss, theft or other damages to the PUCK, the remaining balances on the chip card are not lost. When you issue a request for a replacement chip card at the PUCK Service Point, please let the employee know that there was a remaining balance on the PUCK card. Our employees will contact the Association for Student Affairs (Studentenwerk) to inquire about the remaining balance and can transfer it to your replacement card after about two to three weeks. The transfer to your new card can only be completed in person and during office hours at the PUCK Service Point.

Once you finish your studies, payment via the PUCK card is no longer possible. However, you can still request a refund of the remaining balance within the first semester following your de-registration. Please hand in the request form for the return of remaining funds on your PUCK together with your chip card at the Office of Student Affairs/International Office. The remaining balance can either be transferred to your bank account by the Potsdam Association for Student Affairs or returned in cash during the opening hours of the association’s cash desk at Babelsberger Straße 2, 14473 Potsdam. 

Your PUCK card is a high-tech device. We recommend careful handling to ensure its functionality. You should take special care not to damage the microchip located on the card.

Please avoid the following:

• Bending the card (can break the antenna),
• Slight yet permanent curving of the card, or exposing it to high temperatures (causes problems in imprinting the data on the thermochromatic strips during validation),
• Soiling and scratching the surface of the card, as well as other physical damages (damage to the thermochromatic layer, the laminate, and the labeling),
• Chemical effects (such as those caused by washing the card).

You should always keep your PUCK card in a protective sleeve to ensure that it enjoys a long life. Be sure when selecting a protective sleeve that it does not contain plasticizers, which can damage the card, for example by fading the photo on your PUCK card.

If your PUCK card becomes unusable due to improper handling, then you will have to pay for the issuance of a replacement card.