Competitive sport and studying
Many students are involved in sport in their free time, either individually or by participating in university sports. But what does it actually look like when you have to cope with the demands of your studies as a top athlete?
Since 2003, KIT has been a partner university of elite sport, supporting students who represent Germany internationally as elite athletes. The students are helped to cope with the dual career requirements, especially with regard to their studies and top-class sport. The KIT works closely with the Olympic training centers in Freiburg, the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region and Stuttgart. Prof. Dr. Swantje Scharenberg is also available as a contact person. The support includes, for example, coordinating the timetable and upcoming exams with the competition preparation or talking to lecturers about alternative courses and examination forms or substitute performances.
Inquiries regarding the KIT partner university for elite sport can be directed to partnerhochschule_spispo∂ifss.kit.edu.
Here is a small overview of top athletes who are studying or have studied at the KIT Faculty of Business Administration and Economics:
Cedric Kulbach completed his master's degree in industrial engineering in 2018. During his studies, he was also a rower in the lightweight class and won the gold medal in the lightweight double sculls at the 2016 World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam. A great success!
KIT University Sports also has a rowing team. Further information and registration options can be found here: KIT - University Sports - Rowing - Homepage
Jessica Wolf and Daniel Zmeev, who are both studying Business Informatics, have achieved more recent successes. Jessica has regularly taken part in national and international taekwondo championships for several years and has always achieved high placings. In 2022, the athlete secured the title of German women's vice-champion at the German National Championships. Congratulations to her!
In spring 2022, Daniel was awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin for his achievements in the discipline of Jiu-Jitsu at the World Games in the USA. In addition to the bronze medal he won at the games in the USA, he has also stood on the winners' podium at various world championships. Wow!
Another promising athlete from the Wiwi faculty is Bianca Illing. She specializes in the sport of rope skipping and has already taken part in national and international championships. We had an in-depth conversation with Bianca about the challenges of combining competitive sport and studying. You can find the interview here: Athlete Bianca Illing in conversation
These examples show that studying at the KIT Faculty of Business Administration and Economics is very compatible with top-class sport. The opportunities presented offer optimal support for successfully pursuing both academic and sporting goals. We therefore encourage all interested parties to get in touch with the contact persons mentioned above and apply.
KIT offers an outstanding environment in which athletes can combine their passion for sport with a sound academic education.
