Ready, set, go: Start your second career
Your sports career is happening today. And at the same time, you are focusing on your next goal: An exciting future after your last competition. An education that let’s you land on your feet. Our online study programmes are the perfect opportunity for professional athletes like yourself.
World champion and online student: Pauline’s present and future
“Athletes retire early. I want to carve out my own career path outside of sports. To do that, I need a degree.”
Pauline Grabosch,
Track cycling world champion & IU online student in Health Psychology
An online study programme to suit professional athletes
For more than 20 years, we have been seeing students through to their degree: As a state-approved university of applied sciences with more than 100.000 students. Our secret? Online studies you can complete from anywhere at any time alongside your job – even as a professional athlete.
Flexible
Innovative
Supportive
Our partners
We collaborate with excellent partners in the athletic field so you can combine studying, training and working.
Sports and studying: You can do both.
How to achieve a study-life-balance? You get to choose from three time models – depending on your budget and the number of hours you want to invest each week. You can either study full time (30-35h / week), part-time I (20-25h / week) or part-time II (10-15h / week).
Get your degree step by step
You’re in charge of your studying schedule. On the online campus, you plan your semester and access our learning materials – including scripts, learning videos and virtual live sessions.
Our app offers you tools for studying on the go: it can read scripts out to you, test you with Flashcards or interactive quizzes to prepare for your exams – which you can then sit online 24/7 or on location.
This is your will. This is your way.
How to stay motivated for sports and studying? Our sports psychologist and IU study coach knows.
What our students have to say.
Are our online study programmes worth it? Our students think so! These numbers speak of the impact their degree has had on their lives. Your life could change, too!
*These numbers are based on partial results. You can find further details in our study on trends in online studies 2022.
Kick off your career after athletics
Moritz
M.Sc. Property Management & volleyball player (German National Team)
"As an athlete, my life centres around regular practice and phases of intense preparation. IU online studies enable me to stay flexible while preparing for my degree. This freedom is essential to me!"
Julia
B.Sc. Psychology & tennis pro
"Athletics don’t only require physical fitness, you need mental strength as well. This inspired me to study psychology. I want to help other people someday."
Lea
B.Eng. Industrial Engineering & football player (German National Team)
"Practice for my current club SGS Essen is in the afternoon, so I can study in the mornings. My degree in Industrial Engineering Industry 4.0 will open many doors for me after my athletic career."
Invest in a study programme for professional athletes
3 steps to financing your studies
The knowledge you gain in your online studies will get you ahead: in personal and financial terms. We will show you how to finance your degree – in three steps.
Discover financing options
Your free info session on financing your studies
Get our student counsellors’ advice and ask your questions – during our next online info session.
Sign up now
Next Step: Start studying!
Discover the study programme of your dreams: We offer you bachelor’s programmes, master’s programmes and further education programmes from eight areas of expertise – such as Health & Social Sciences, Business & Management or Education & Psychology.
These study programmes are particularly popular among our athlete students:
REQUEST FREE INFORMATION
You'll find all of the important information about your study programme and IU International University of Applied Sciences in your personal brochure.
What you get for free
Information material
Information on study content & electives
Career prospects
Information on financing options
Get to know our online studies – no strings attached. You can try out your programme free of charge for four weeks from your starting date. Charges for this period only apply if you decide to continue with us.
Simply register online for your desired study programme!
We are here for you
Do you need help with your decision? Your personal study advisor is happy to help you!
We will support you
Our student advisory service will help you if you have questions about your choice of degree program, the right time model or your financing options, for example.
Just give us a call
*Available Monday–Friday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. CET, Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. CET+49 30 311 988 00