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) Their request for exemption from attending Physical Education classes is submitted
a. by a first-year student after enrolment, but no later than the last day of the registration period of the semester in question,
b. by an upper-year student in the applications section of the student Neptun (SWEB) one month prior to the registration period of the semester in question, but no later than the day before the registration period.
The processing of the application submitted by the student has a suspensive effect, which the Registrars’ Office is obliged to take into account during the enrolment/registration process.

(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) The student is given the opportunity to register for a medical expert consultation within 3 days of the relevant NEPTUN response message. In this case, the uploaded documents will be deleted by the system. If the request for exemption is rejected, the student is obliged to attend the Physical Education classes in the given semester.

(5) At the chosen time, the student is required to arrive 15 minutes before the medical expert meeting at the place they have registered for. During the consultation, the original copy of the previously uploaded medical documents must be presented. In the event of late arrival at the time of the consultation (up to 5-minute lateness), the consultation can only be rebooked due to lack of time.

(6) If the expert doctor decides that the presentation of additional supporting documentation or a further specialist examination is required, the student is obliged to repeat the registration and consultation, provided that the additional documents and the results of the specialist examinations are available. It is obligatory to attend the required medical examinations. It is up to the student to organise and finance these medical expert examinations. The student has two weeks to repeat the consultation.

(7) The student’s application is automatically rejected if the student:
a. uploads documents in a language other than the languages provided for in paragraph (3) or documents otherwise unsuitable for expert judgement,
b. fails to make an appointment and to upload the medical documents on which the exemption is based within the time limit specified in paragraph (4),
c. does not make a new expert appointment by the deadline specified in paragraph (6).

(8) Following the consultation with the medical expert, they will make a recommendation based on the student’s current medical condition regarding the claim submitted by the student, which may be one of the following:
a. fit;
b. not fit;
c. partially fit (other alternative exercise, e.g.: therapeutic physical education, physiotherapy, or swimming is recommended)
for the completion of the Physical Education subject.

(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) The Registrars’ Office shall record the decision of the person in charge of the subject concerned to accept the expert’s opinion as follows:
a. in the case of a “not fit” medical condition, the fact of the exemption will be recorded in the comments section of the evaluation of the Physical Education subject registered for in the semester.
b. in the case of a health condition of “partially fit – therapeutic physical education”, “partially fit – physiotherapy”, or “partially fit – swimming”, the Registrars’ Office will transfer students from the “Health Exempt” course to the “Therapeutic Physical Education”, “Physiotherapy”, or “Swimming” course, corresponding to the health condition.
c. in the case of a “fit” classification, the Registrar’s Office will transfer the student from the “Health Exempt” course,
ca) in the case of a student who has registered for Physical Education I, the student will be transferred to the course in agreement with the group’s timetable,
cb) in the case of a student who has registered for Physical Education II to XII, they will be invited or transferred to take a course according to the grouping or sport defined in the medical expert’s opinion.
d. in individual cases declared justified by the medical expert, where there is a “not fit” medical condition, the student shall record the fact of the exemption in the comments section in the assessment of the subject taken in each relevant semester.

(12) Attendance in physical education courses is compulsory for all students, and the rules set out in the course information sheet apply until the completion of the course.

(13) Completion of the therapeutic physical education course: 10 weeks at a minimum of 1 session per week.

(14) Completion of the physiotherapy course: 10 weeks at a minimum of 1 session per week and the submission of a certificate of completion to the person in charge of the subject concerned before the end of the semester.

(15) Completion of the swimming course: 10 weeks at a minimum of 1 session per week.

(16) 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.

4. §

Procedure for assessing requests for exemption of a sportsperson – on the basis of certified membership of a sports association – from physical education

(1) The request for Sportsperson exemption from attending Physical Education classes shall be submitted
a. by a student who has registered for Physical Education I after enrolment, but no later than the last day of the registration period of the semester in question,
b. by a student who has registered for Physical Education II to XII in the applications section of the student Neptun (SWEB) two weeks prior to the registration period of the semester in question, but no later than the day before the registration period.
The processing of the application submitted by the student has a suspensive effect, which the Registrars’ Office is obliged to take into account during the enrolment/registration process.

(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) The Physical Education and Sport Centre shall record the decision of the person in charge of the subject concerned to accept the sportsperson certificate as follows
a. in the case of an “accepted” classification, record the fact of the exemption in the comments section of the evaluation of the subject registered for in the semester,
b. in the case of a “rejected” classification, the Physical Education and Sport Centre transfers the student from the “Sportsperson exemption” course.
ab) transfers a student who has registered for Physical Education I to the course in agreement with the group’s timetable,
bb) in the case of a student who has registered for Physical Education II to XII, they will be invited or transferred to take a course according to the grouping or sport defined by the person in charge of the subject concerned.

(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