Welcome (back) to GSU

Starting your Master degree well prepared

Whether it’s planning your studies, registering for modules, the Spoho Card or finding your way around campus – here you’ll find all the important information and points of contact you need for a successful start to your studies.

Important: Please always include your name and student number in all enquiries. For IT enquiries, we also need your DSHS ID.

Note: This page is updated regularly. Please check back often so you don’t miss any important information or dates.

Directly to Dates

DSHS-ID und Intranet

The DSHS-ID is a personal ID consisting of two letters and four numbers (e.g. “AB1234”). New students will automatically receive an email containing their DSHS-ID and a personalised activation link no later than 48 hours after enrolment (enrolment = receipt of a confirmation email from the Student Registry containing their student number) (PLEASE NOTE! This link is only valid for 7 days!)

The DSHS-ID can be used to access various IT services at Spoho. For example, you log in to the Moodle e-learning system using your DSHS-ID and the corresponding password. You also need your DSHS-ID to use the Wi-Fi at Spoho via Eduroam and to log in to the mySpoho campus management portal.

The Spoho intranet is the central hub for Spoho students and staff. Here, we bring together all the necessary information, documents and forms required for day-to-day student life in one place.
Intranet-link for students and staff

All members of the university with a valid [DSHS-ID] are authorised to log in to the intranet. Your username is your DSHS-ID. All you need to log in to the intranet is a stable internet connection. Our intranet portal is a password-protected website; a connection to our VPN is not required.
To the Log-In.

Timetable | Documents | Study Planning

On the ‘Study Documents’ page on the intranet, you will find

an overview of programme leaders and module coordinators
examination regulations
programme-specific materials (entry requirements, module handbooks, study plans)

The current module handbooks and study plans are also available on the pages for the respective degree programmes on our website.
Link to study documents

Master students are informed about their course schedules by the programme coordinators. All students in a given cohort take all courses scheduled for that semester as a group, provided they meet the prerequisites. As a rule, they do not need to apply for courses (any exceptions will be communicated).

The GSU course catalog is available through our campus management system, mySpoho. All courses (institutions, instructors, and rooms) are listed there.

Access: Log in to mySpoho with your DSHS-ID and password.

Link to mySpoho

Support | Student Services

The General Students’ Committee (AStA) organises an induction week for all new students. This takes place on the GSU campus and in the city of Cologne. As soon as the dates for the next semester have been finalised, they will be announced here.
Website of AStA

At the beginning of the first semester, a welcome and orientation session is held for each master’s program. You will receive the dates and specific details from your programme coordinators shortly before the semester begins. The contact information for the programme coordinators can be found on these pages:

M.Sc. Leistung, Training und Coaching im Spitzensport
M.Sc. Sporttourismus und Destinationsmanagement
M.Sc. Sport, Medien- und Kommunikationsforschung
M.Sc. Sport- und Bewegungstherapie, Prävention und bewegungsbezogene Gesundheitsforschung
M.Sc. Sport Management
M.Sc. Human Technology in Sports and Medicine
M.Sc. Psychology in Sport and Exercise
M.A. International Sport Development and Politics

All new students are officially welcomed by the university leadership at the new students’ welcome event. The date for the winter semester 26/27 will be published here as soon as it has been confirmed.

The Central Library of Sports Sciences (ZB Sport) is the university library for the German Sport University Cologne and the world’s largest specialist library for sport and sports science. Guided tours and online tutorials help new users get started with research and using the library.
Link to ZB Sport

Do you have any questions about starting your studies? On this page, you will find the relevant advisory services, support facilities and contact persons.
Link to the advisory and support services

ID-Cards | Tickets | Certificates

The semester fee covers the social contribution to the Cologne Student Services Organisation (KStW), the contribution to the Student Union (AStA), as well as the costs of the semester ticket and university sports.

These are all services set up in the students’ best interests. All students are therefore required to pay the semester fee. Further information is available on the Re-enrolment and Semester Fee page. The Student Registry is the point of contact for any questions or issues.

Re-enrolment and semester fee page
Link to the Registrar's Office

Students at the German Sport University Cologne can print out a certificate of enrolment (certificate of registration) themselves via mySpoho.
Link to mySpoho

Log in using your DSHS ID (user ID) and the corresponding password. Once logged in, the certificate of enrolment can be downloaded from the ‘Notices/Certificates’ subpage.
Link to the Registrar's Office

All students receive a “Spoho-card” at the start of their studies (student ID Card).
More Information about the Spoho-card

The semester ticket “Deutschlandsemesterticket” can be downloaded up to a week from the start of the semester.

Click on the link to access your semester ticket.
You will then need to give your consent for the information to be transferred, either once or permanently (tick the box => Transfer information).
The ticket will then be displayed immediately (from 1 April or 1 October).

To access it offline, you can add it directly to your wallet (Apple Wallet or Google Wallet) in just two clicks (tap the ticket > tap ‘Add to Wallet’).
Link to the ticket

Teaching | Digitalisierung | IT

Wi-Fi
GSU provides students with easy internet access via Wi-Fi.
Link to instructions

Studmail
Students can apply for a Studmail address voluntarily and free of charge via the self-service portal.
To the self-service portal

External Services
GSU provides students with a range of external services. Further information is available on the intranet.
Link to external services

We use the Cisco Webex application for online teaching.

All information and important notes regarding Cisco Webex can be found here.
Information about Webex

Moodle is our central e-learning system. In addition to course-related information, there is a dedicated team room for each degree programme. Important programme-specific information on work placements, dissertations, programme organisation and courses is published here.

Further information on this can be found on the intranet.
Information on Intranet
Link to Moodle

Important: Recording lectures (e.g. by filming them on a smartphone) is not permitted without the lecturer’s consent. The same applies to the publication of such recordings. Such behaviour makes one liable to prosecution and to pay damages.

mySpoho is the campus management portal of the German Sport University Cologne. The portal is used, amongst other things, to manage academic administration, register for and withdraw from examinations, choose a timetable, enrol on courses, and carry out numerous other study-related processes.
Link to mySpoho