Currently, between five and 10 elite athletes are enrolled at the University of Bayreuth each semester. The objective is clearly defined: to pave the way for students to obtain at least a bachelor’s degree—whether within the standard period of study or through individually tailored planning over a longer timeframe. The University regards this as a key opportunity to provide talented young athletes with a professional perspective that extends beyond their sporting success.
Elite Athlete Quota: Access Despite High Demands
To meet these specific requirements, Bayreuth has introduced a special quota for elite athletes. This accounts for around two per cent of study places and enables, on average, one person per cohort to begin a degree programme, even if their A-level grades were insufficient due to the time-intensive nature of their sporting career during school years.
This is particularly relevant for the German-taught Sport, Business & Law degree programme: as the traditional sports aptitude test is no longer used, grades now carry greater weight in admissions. The quota is designed to offset this disadvantage for squad athletes. Applications for this procedure can be submitted annually during July and August via the Student Administration Office.
Support Across All Subject Areas
Support at the University of Bayreuth is not limited to sport-related degree programmes. “Athletes often do not get in touch with us because they believe our support only applies to sports degrees,” explains Dr Uwe Scholz from the Bayreuth Centre for Sport Science (BaySpo). In fact, athletes from a wide range of disciplines benefit from this support: currently, for example, a triathlete is studying Law in Bayreuth. Likewise, a biathlete is enrolled here—though in a natural sciences programme. At present, two professional basketball players from BBC Bayreuth are enrolled in a sports degree programme. One of them has made use of the elite athlete quota.
“For me, this was an opportunity I would not have had anywhere else in Germany,” says Leroy Ikejiaku. The young basketball player arrived in Bayreuth in the autumn. Since then, he has been playing for BBC while simultaneously studying Sport, Business & Law. His team-mate Noah Wabersich is already two semesters ahead. “It is really impressive how those responsible at the University of Bayreuth ensure that we can complete a degree despite our demanding training schedule,” he says.
A System with Role-Model Character
Overall, the situation for elite athletes in Germany is often considered more challenging compared to the United States, as it is more difficult here to reconcile training and study schedules. The University of Bayreuth seeks to set a counterexample in this regard. The fact that this effort also benefits students is evident from the labour market: employers particularly value graduates with an elite sports background, as they demonstrate exceptional discipline and resilience.
