From application to the first exam
You have applied for the bachelor's program in IT Systems Engineering at the joint faculty of HPI and the University of Potsdam and would like to know what happens next? On this page, we have summarized all the important steps for you, from submitting your application to the introductory week on campus and the first exam phase. This will make starting your studies at HPI so easy!
Please note that our bachelor’s program is taught in German. All preparatory courses, information sessions, and events are also conducted in German.
Phase I: Application – check! What now?
Haven’t applied yet? Find all information on the application process here.
University of Potsdam provide admission notifications via Hochschulstart and PULS. With your admission, you now have to enroll for the study program via PULS. Make sure to complete this step within the deadline specified in your admission notification!
We send you an e-mail with all the important information for starting your studies at HPI.
We meet via video-call to welcome you at HPI. Here you can ask all your questions. We send out the invite via e-mail a few days before the meeting.
Phase II: Getting a taste of campus life
Get to know your fellow students and get ready for your studies with course content on mathematics, computer science, and more!
The preparatory course takes places from September 15th to October 2nd, from 9:15 a.m. to approximately 3:00 p.m., in Lecture Hall 1 in the lecture hall building on HPI Campus I at Griebnitzsee.
Registration for the preparatory course is not required. On the first day, nonobligatory registration opens at 8:45 a.m. in the foyer in front of the lecture hall.
The goal of the preparatory course is to make it easier for you to get started with the courses. You will refresh your previous math knowledge from school and close any gaps in your knowledge. You will prepare your laptop for your studies and gain some initial programming experience.
On some days, HPI lecturers will provide brief insights into later course content, and there will also be an opportunity to try out our Maker Universe.
In addition, you’ll get to know your future classmates, without the stress of lectures or exams. A barbecue is planned right after the first day of the preparatory course.
Can’t attend in person? We recommend you take the math preparatory course on openHPI instead. (The course is from 2023 but is still current.)
The semester officially begins – but classes will start a bit later. As of today, you are officially a student at the Hasso Plattner Institute!
The Student Council, the official student representation, welcomes you to the campus. Together with representatives of the institute’s management, research groups, teaching staff, and administration, students will introduce you to everything you need to know about the institute, the campus, and your degree program to help you settle in and get off to a good start. The multi-day program includes a campus tour, an introduction to student life, an overview of important contacts at HPI, and an introduction to the technical infrastructure.
During this week, you will also learn which courses you are expected to take in your first semester, how the registration process works, and where you need to go in the first week of classes to attend them.
If you cannot attend the event, or can only be there for part of it, please make sure to notify the Student Council in advance via e-mail to fachschaftsrat@hpi.de.
The Student Council will keep you updated about the current schedule for the Orientation Days and any possible changes at https://myhpi.de/en/prospective-students/freshperson/.
Phase III: Finally, the lecture period begins!
From today, classes are in session. In your first semester, you will most likely take the courses Digitale Systeme, Mathematik 1, Modellierung, Programmiertechnik 1, Rechtliche Grundlagen, and Wirtschaft.
Another course you should attend is the Studienbegleitendes Seminar (StubS). This seminar gives you and the other first-year students (“Erstis”) the chance to discuss a wide range of topics and questions related to starting your studies. Experienced students will support you as mentors.
The seminar is not only about lecture contents but also about studying itself: What do exams look like? What is the best way to learn? How can I organize my daily life to achieve a good work-life balance? How does collaboration between lecturers and students work? These and many other questions can be addressed in StubS.
By today, you must have registered for your courses in the MyCampus portal.
Each semester, you must renew your registration at the University of Potsdam in time for the following semester in order to avoid being deregistered. Starting in mid-January (mid-June for the winter semester), you will find the invoice for the semester fee in your PULS account.
Phase IV: Ready for your first exam?
For each exam you wish to take, you must register in the MyCampus portal no later than 8 days before the exam. Withdrawal is possible up to 2 days before the exam.
Today the courses end, marking the beginning of the lecture-free period. In addition to exams, some block courses may take place during this time — and of course, you will also have a few days off.
At HPI, most exams take place during the first four weeks of the lecture-free period. Some courses also offer a second exam date at the end of the lecture-free period, which you can take either as an alternative (e.g., in case of illness or by choice) or additionally (as a second attempt or to improve your grade). A detailed exam schedule will be provided by the Student Affairs Team at the end of the lecture period. Good luck!
After the exams, you will have a few weeks off before the next semester begins in April.
Glossary: Studying from A to Z
Student council, lecture period, admission: Before and during your studies, you will encounter terms that you may be hearing for the first time. Don't panic! You don't have to know all the terms yet. You can easily look up the most important vocabulary of the academic world from A to Z in the University of Potsdam's online lexicon.
Your Contact Person
Dr. Stefan Neubert
Program Manager IT-Systems Engineering (B.Sc.)
Phone: +49 331 5509-118
Mail: bachelor-info@hpi.de
Last change: 27/05/2026, Patrick Lenz