Semester Placement and the Recognition of Credentials

A “semester placement” is required

• if you want to take up studies at theUniversity of Potsdam in a higher semester and you have already completed credentials that are similar to those in your desired degree program (whether in another degree program, at another university, or within an apprenticeship); therefore, you’ve already made progress and do not need to start in the first semester.
• if you were previously enrolled in a related or the same degree program. If you are planning, for example, to resume an interrupted degree program, to change universities, or to continue your studies in a similar or the same degree program - then you always need a semester placement, regardless of your actual progress!

This means that you can also be placed in a first semester. A placement in the first semester only confirms that you are allowed to apply for and enroll in a first semester.

Please submit the Application for Semester Placement to the Examining Board for the intended subject(s) at the University of Potsdam in due time before application/enrollment/change. Please allow 6 weeks for processing!

If an application is submitted outside of the recommended timeframes, there is no guarantee that processing can still be completed by the relevant application or enrollment deadlines.

An application will be rendered moot if the deadlines for admission or enrollment for the semester applied for have expired.

A current academic transcript and, if applicable, further information, such as module descriptions or module handbooks, should be submitted with the application. If your previous studies were completed abroad, translations may also be required. No decision can be made on your application without the required documents.

Special rules for submitting applications apply in the following cases:

• If you want to study a subject at the Faculty of Science, please do not submit the Application for Semester Placement directly to the Examining Board(s); instead, always submit them via the Office of Studies and Teaching of the Faculty of Science. You can find more information on the pages of the Faculty of Science.
• For applications for semester placement in the subject of law with the first state examination in law, please use this link.
• For applications for semester placement in the subject of psychology, please use this link.

Once you have applied for enrollment/internal transfer (in the case of an NC, this is only possible after admission), you now submit the Application for Recognition to the Examining Board.

Attention: Please note the special features for subjects of the Faculty of Science and the degree program in law!

By the way:
If you have already submitted the Application for Recognition together with the Application for Semester Placement and received it back processed, this step is unnecessary. If you have not yet received the Application for Recognition, please remind the Examining Board to process the Application for Recognition now and send it to you.

Please note that, especially in dual-degree programs, recognition can and should also be granted for subjects outside of the actual subjects of study. This applies to the sub-area of key competencies in the dual-subject bachelor’s degree and to the sub-area of educational sciences or elementary school education/educational sciences in the teacher training program. A “semester placement” is not required for these sub-areas. It is sufficient to apply for “recognition” and to submit the Application for Recognition to the Central Examination Office quickly after it has been processed by the responsible Examining Board.

• Basic information on crediting non-university knowledge and skills towards university studies (in German only)
• Basic information on the Recognition of Domestic and Foreign Study and Examination Credentials at the University of Potsdam (in German only)