Semester Fees

Excerpt from the Studentenwerk Potsdam’s Scale of Fees (Beitragsordnung):

In accordance with § 82, sent. 2, no. 2 of the Brandenburg Higher Education Act (Brandenburgisches Hochschulgesetz), the Studentenwerk Potsdam charges a fee from every student enrolled in the following institutes of higher learning:

• University of Potsdam (Universität Potsdam)
• Academy for Film and Television “Konrad Wolf” (Hochschule für Film und Fernsehen „Konrad Wolf“)
• University of Applied Sciences Potsdam (Fachhochschule Potsdam)
• University of Applied Sciences Wildau (Technische Hochschule Wildau [FH])
• Brandenburg University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule Brandenburg)

The semester fee is also obligatory for all students on leaves of absence (Beurlaubung).

The semester fee is fixed at 40€ per student per semester.

It is collected for the funding of social, cultural, and health-related services, for membership fees for associations, and for free-time accident insurance for students.

The semester fee is due:

• prior to enrolment (Einschreibung)
• prior to re-registration (Rückmeldung) or
• prior to leave of absence (Beurlaubung)

At these times, the payment of the semester fee must be verifiable.

The semester fee for the Studentenwerk Potsdam is collected without cost to the Studentenwerk from the respective institute of higher learning at which the student is studying.

Payment of the semester fee cannot be waived, reduced, or deferred.

Upon exmatriculation or cancellation of enrolment prior to the beginning of the lecture period of the semester for which the semester fee was paid, the semester fee is to be reimbursed.

There is no claim for reimbursement on a pro rata basis.

The right to have a fee reimbursed ceases when the reimbursement is not applied for before the end of the current semester for which the semester fee was paid.

• Application for Reimbursement of the Semester Fee (Antragsformular auf Rückerstattung des Semesterbeitrags)
  [download] (in german)

Upon written application, students can be freed for one or more semesters from fee payment for:

• fulfilment of basic military service or alternative civil service
• illness
• a semester of study in another country or stay in another country for reasons related to studies

The application must be received by the Studentenwerk Potsdam prior to the fee coming due for the semester in which none of the Studentenwerk’s social services will be utilized. When applying for a waiver due to illness or pregnancy, it is necessary to include a medical certificate attesting to the inability to study.

• Application for a Waiver of the Obligatory Semester Fee (Antragsformular auf Befreiung von der Semesterbeitragspflicht)
  [download] (in german)