Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who wants to decide on a place to study often has many questions. On this page we provide answers to the questions that reach us frequently.

If you have any further questions afterwards, you are welcome to write us, the Student Representative Group, to fachschaftsrat@hpi.de , contact the HPI's student advisory service or come by as a trial student .

As soon as you start thinking about studying at HPI, you should start looking for an apartment. Directly on the Griebnitzsee campus there is a hall of residence run by the Studentenwerk Potsdam. The waiting lists are long, so you should apply there as early as possible if you hope to get a place in the complex. We have compiled further information on the housing situation in the information for first semester students.

Frequently asked questions#

Further answers to questions for first-year students can be found on the FAQ pageon the Bachelor's programme or on the Master's programme of the HPI.

How do I apply to study at HPI?#

Information on the application process and the required documents can be found on the HPI website .

What is important for an application?#

For each program, there are subject-specific admission regulations which govern the selection of applicants. Detailed information about selection categories and processes can be found on the HPI website .

Can I use credits I have already earned when changing universities?#

It always depends on the courses in which you have acquired your previous credit points, whether they fit in with the IT-Systems Engineering, Data Engineering, Digital Health or Cybersecurity course of studies, respectively, and how extensive the contents were. If you would like to know which courses you can have recognized, please contact the HPI's Office of Student Affairs (Studienreferat) .

Do I have to be able to program before I start my studies?#

Bachelor's degree#

No. In the first two bachelor semesters, there are the courses Einführung in die Programmiertechnik I und Einführung in die Programmiertechnik II (Introduction to Programming Technique I and II, taught mostly in German). There, the basics of programming are taught and offer a good introduction even for beginners.However, if you can program before you start your studies, many things will be easier for you. A good preparation is, besides computer science lessons at school, participation in competitions and online courses for learning programming, e.g. on openHPI .

Master's degree#

For the Master’s programs in IT-Systems Engineering, Data Engineering and Cybersecurity, it is expected that you already have basic programming skills from a previous (self-)study. There are no explicit introductory courses in programming techniques.

For Digital Health students with a medical background, bridge courses are offered in the first two semesters, in which basic programming skills are taught. If you have an IT background, you will attend bridge courses with medical topics instead.

Which programming languages are used in the studies?#

There is no institute-wide programming language that is used everywhere. All instructors determine the languages used for individual courses, or allow you to choose the language you want to use for exercises. Commonly used languages include C/C++, Java, Python and Smalltalk.

What is the content of the courses at HPI?#

On the HPI website you can find information about the contents of the Bachelor's program and the Master's programs . You can also have a look at the course offerings with the courses of the current and previous semesters.

How practice-oriented is the IT-Systems Engineering program?#

From the very beginning, the study program is designed to be practice-oriented. In the exercises and projects, you will often work in teams on software projects that can actually be used. So there are not only theoretical examples, but you deal with real problems and develop solutions for them. Of course, there are also theoretical basics in mathematics and theoretical computer science, but these topics are also covered with a view to software development. Especially noteworthy is the one-year bachelor project at the end of the bachelor's program, in which teams of about six students work on a project together with a company partner and are supported by the staff of a chair. In this project, you can gain experience in working with large companies or even start-ups and learn how work in a team is well organized.

Soft and professional skills offers extend the education by aspects that are not directly related to computer science, but are important for teamwork, self-management or communication.

Is attendance compulsory?#

There is usually no explicit attendance requirement for lectures and other courses at HPI. However, you can't leave your team to work on a project, and you can't easily make up for practice lessons on your own. That's why you should be present at all events if possible. Especially in the first bachelor semesters, the timetable is designed to ensure that all courses fit in well.

Can I work alongside my studies?#

Yes, many fellow students work alongside their studies: Either in one of the many start-ups in the region, as a student assistant in large companies or directly at the institute.
At HPI, there are always job offers where you can work in the administration or in departments. This has the advantage that you are already on site and that the working hours can be arranged very flexibly. And depending on your area of responsibility, you can also work on current research topics.

How time-consuming is studying at HPI?#

The program is a full-time study program – so you have to plan a lot of time for it. During the week, you're busy every day. In addition to lectures, you have to work on exercises, participate in projects and study for exams. You won't be able to avoid working for the university on the weekends from time to time. But there is no shortage of free time either:

How is student life at HPI?#

In the evenings and on the weekends, there is time to meet friends and fellow students or to get involved in one of the HPI student clubs . These interest groups deal with a variety of different topics, e.g. film and photography, or they meet up for joint games or organize parties and student events.

On our campus, we have plenty of space to relax and party on beautiful summer evenings, a sports field for playing soccer or beach volleyball, and the university offers a wide range of sports programs with many courses. HPI is located right on the border to Berlin and has excellent S-Bahn and regional train connections. This means that you can be in the center of Berlin in a few minutes and enjoy student life there as well.

Are there any Laptop recommondations?#

  • It doesn't matter whether you buy a Windows, Apple or Linux laptop. If you can handle your current operating system and are satisfied with it, then there is a lot to be said for sticking with it for the time being. That way, you can use the programs you are used to in your private life as well.
  • In exceptional cases, a course may require a Linux or Windows installation. But virtual machines are easily created for this purpose.
  • However, depending on the software used, running it on an Apple Silicon Mac may require some effort on your part.
  • If you prefer to take your notes in the lecture digitally instead of on paper, a "convertible" can be useful - a laptop with a touchscreen on which the keyboard can be folded down completely so that you can use it like a tablet.
  • Students can get some laptops from Lenovo and Apple at a discount in exchange for a student certificate. You should also keep an eye out for student discounts from other providers.
  • A laptop is very helpful for studying, but a pack of whiteboard markers for group work and puzzles is just as important. If you still have an older laptop to hand, start your studies with it first and then, after the first semester, think about what requirements you have for a device for your studies.

Further information#