Rectorial Instruction No. R/2/2022. (VII.21.)
Procedure for assessing student requests for exemption from attending physical education classes
Acting within the scope of my authority under Part I.1, Section 3, Paragraph (4), Point (d) of the Semmelweis University Organisational and Operational Regulations, and pursuant to the authorisation to process data in agreement with Annex 3, Data of Students Point 1, Subpoint b) of Act CCIV of 2011 on National Higher Education, and pursuant to Article 6, Paragraph (1), Point c) and Article 9, Paragraph (2), Point h) of Regulation 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council (GDPR), I hereby issue the following instruction:
1. §
Scope of the instruction
This instruction applies to all students of Semmelweis University (hereinafter referred to as “the University”), employees of Registrars’ Offices, persons in charge of the subjects concerned, and doctors involved in the consultation and assessment.
2. §
(1) Physical Education is a compulsory part of the full-time curricula of the faculties of medicine, health sciences, and teacher education, so attendance at the classes is compulsory for all students with active student status.
(2) Exemption from attending Physical Education classes can be requested through the NEPTUN system by submitting the form provided for this purpose, as follows:
a. for medical reasons, following compulsory participation in the relevant medical expert consultation, on the basis of the expert opinion,
b. based on sportsperson – certified membership of a sport association and – active performance.
(3) After submitting the application for exemption, the student is required to register for the physical education course “Health Exempt” or “Sportsperson Exempt” in the NEPTUN system during the period of enrolment (in the case of a medical expert examination result with a “fit” or “partially fit” classification, to register for the sport course).
3. §
Procedure for assessing a request for exemption from physical education for medical reasons
(1)1 Students receive a notice in a Neptun message before the beginning of each semester about the period when they can file a request for exemption from attending Physical Education courses. This information is also available on the website of the P.E. and Sport Centre. Students may submit their requests during the ‘exemption period’ specified in the information notice. This period typically begins about one month before the registration period of the given semester. Requests can be submitted by students through the ‘Requests’ menu item in the Neptun (HWEB) system. Submitted requests have a suspensive effect, which the Registrar’s Office is required to take into account during enrollment/registration.
(2) When submitting the application, the student will receive further information in the online application about the procedure. The Study System will notify the student in the form of an – automatic – NEPTUN response message on how to access the booking system for the appointment for the medical expert consultation.
(3) It is the student’s responsibility to register for the medical expert consultation, which they can choose on the basis of the available free time slots. One appointment can be booked for the consultation – for an expert examination (musculoskeletal, other) according to the medical reason for the exemption – which can be changed by the registrant 24 hours before the day of the consultation. The finalisation of the selected appointment is subject to the uploading of the medical documents on which the exemption is based into the appointment booking system. The text of the medical documents must be in Hungarian or English. The student may upload any additional medical documents obtained after registration into the system up to 24 hours before the consultation. A document that has not been uploaded to the system prior to the consultation will not be taken into account for the consultation.
(4)2 Notifications regarding accepted documents shall be sent to students by the STEFI system. Following this notification, students are granted the opportunity to register for a consultation with a medical expert for this purpose.
(5)3 The student concerned has to arrive at the designated location 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time of the consultation. During the consultation, the original copies of the previously uploaded medical documents have to be presented. If the student arrives more than 5 minutes late for the scheduled appointment, the consultation will not take place, and the STEFI system will automatically reject the request.”
(6)4 If the medical expert determines that additional supporting documents or further specialist examinations are required, the student shall make a new appointment reservation and consult the medical expert a second time. Before doing so, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain the necessary documents and the results of any specialist examinations. The assessment of the student in the following semester shall only take place if these documents are available. Getting appointments for the required specialist examinations and covering medical fees are the student’s responsibility. Participation in the prescribed specialist examinations is mandatory.
(7)5 Student applications are automatically rejected if
a) the uploaded documents are not in the languages indicated in Section (3) or they are unsuitable for expert decision-making for any other reasons,
b) the student is not present at the consultation appointment with the medical expert, as required in Section (5), in person.
(8)6 After the consultation, the medical expert will make a recommendation regarding the student’s request based on their current health condition. The recommendation shall be one of the following:
a) fit;
b) unfit;
c) partially fit (alternative physical activities such as modified physical education, physiotherapy or swimming are recommended)
to fulfill the requirements of the Physical Education course.
(9) In justified individual cases, the medical expert may decide to exempt the student from the attendance of physical education classes for the entire duration of the university studies, provided that the duration of the exemption is specifically recorded in these individual cases.
(10) The student will be verbally informed of the recommendation of the medical expert during the consultation, and the doctor will record their assessment of suitability in the Semmelweis University Physical Education Exemption Information System (“STEFI”). The student will be informed of the final result of the exemption procedure through the NEPTUN system in the form of a certificate. The certificate issued on the basis of the recommendation of the medical expert will provide the acceptance/rejection of the exemption for the semester in question.
(11)7 During the registration period, each student shall register for a Physical Education course according to their health status stated in the Decision which is available in Neptun, per the following:
a) partially fit (modified physical education course)
b) partially fit (physiotherapy)
c) partially fit (swimming)
d) fit (any of the PE courses);
e) unfit (the course “Exempt from physical education”)
(12)8 The Registrar’s Office records the course coordinator’s decision regarding the acceptance of the expert opinion as follows: in the case of an ‘unfit’ health status, exemption is noted in the comments section of the evaluation for the Physical Education course of the relevant semester. In unique cases deemed justified by the medical expert, the exemption is also recorded in the comments section of the evaluation for the relevant course in all applicable semesters where the ‘unfit’ health status applies.
(13)9 Attendance is mandatory for students in in-person Physical Education courses, and to fulfil the course requirements, the rules specified in the course syllabus apply.
(14)9 To obtain a signature for Physical Education, students must complete a minimum of 10 sessions (over at least 10 weeks) during the semester as part of the “Modified Physical Education” course offered by the P.E. and Sport Centre.
(15)9 To obtain a signature for Physical Education, students must complete a minimum of 10 sessions (over at least 10 weeks) during the semester as part of the “Physiotherapy” course offered by the P.E. and Sport Centre. Alternatively, they may submit a document issued and stamped by a certified physiotherapist in Hungarian or English, confirming personal attendance in sessions.
(16)9 To obtain a signature for Physical Education, students must complete a minimum of 10 sessions (over at least 10 weeks) during the semester as part of the “Swimming” course offered by the P.E. and Sport Centre, at the swimming pool specified in the Neptun comments section.
(17)10 The course coordinator shall record the fact of course completion, or the lack of it, at the end of the semester at the course evaluation section for the relevant course.
4. §
Procedure for assessing requests for exemption of a sportsperson – on the basis of certified membership of a sports association – from physical education
(1)11 Student requests for exemption from attending Physical Education classes on the grounds of being an athlete may be submitted during the ‘exemption period’ specified in the information notice. This period begins at least one month prior to the registration period of the given semester, and requests can be submitted through the ‘Requests’ menu in the student Neptun (HWEB) system. Requests have a suspensive effect, which the Registrar’s Office shall take into account during enrollment/registration.
(2) When submitting the form, the student must provide proof of membership in a sports club and professional association, active performance (regular training), and – if available – proof of competition results for the last 2 years. The certificate forms can be downloaded from the website of the Physical Education and Sport Centre.
(3) The person in charge of the subject concerned decides on the acceptance/rejection of the exemption for the given semester on the basis of the certificates submitted.
(4)12 The P.E. and Sport Centre records the course coordinator’s decision regarding the acceptance of the athlete’s certification as follows:
a) When the rating is “accepted”, the student is required to enroll in the “Sport Exemption” course during the registration period. The course coordinator will note the exemption in the comments section of the evaluation for the relevant course.
b) When the rating is “rejected”, the student is required to register for the Physical Education course that they are offered.
(5) Attendance in in-person courses is compulsory for all students, and the rules set out in the course information sheet apply until the completion of the course.
(6) At the end of the semester, the person in charge of the subject concerned will record the fact of completion or non-completion of each course.
5. §
This instruction shall enter into force upon publication on the University’s website and shall remain in force until revoked.
Budapest, 21 July, 2022
Prof. Dr. Béla Merkely
Rector
1-9Amended by 1. § of Rector’s Instruction No. R/1/2024. (I.08.), in force from 08/01/2024
10Established by 1. § of Rector’s Instruction No. R/1/2024. (I.08.), in force from 08/01/2024
11-12Amended by 2. § of Rector’s Instruction No. R/1/2024. (I.08.), in force from 08/01/2024