PhysioCum Laude
PhysioCum Laude is a Cologne-based, state-recognized private vocational school (sole proprietorship, est. 1995) that trains cohorts of 24 physiotherapists per three-year Ausbildung and runs regulated adaptation and nursing-exam prep courses, all anchored in the Döpfer Group's university and continuing-education ecosystem.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersKöln, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PhysioCum Laude does
PhysioCum Laude e.K. (PCL) is a state-recognized private vocational school for physiotherapy located on the third floor of Eduardus-Krankenhaus at Custodisstraße 3–17 in Cologne, Germany. Founded in 1995 by Hubert Döpfer and legally structured as a sole proprietorship (e.K., HRA 31272, Amtsgericht Köln), it delivers a three-year, six-semester full-time Ausbildung comprising 4,500 hours of theoretical and clinical instruction, capped at 24 students per cohort. The school is a member of the broader Döpfer Group, alongside ErgoCum Laude (ergotherapy), HSD Hochschule Döpfer (university), Döpfer Akademie (continuing education), and Döpfer International, which gives PCL access to dual vocational-academic study pathways (B.Sc. Angewandte Therapiewissenschaften, B.Sc. Physiotherapie via THIM Utrecht) and a continuing-education catalog spanning manual therapy, sports physiotherapy, animal physiotherapy and taping.
The core Ausbildung is tuition-free (schulgeldfrei) under German vocational-training rules; revenue is generated instead by a one-time 360 EUR exam fee, charges for work clothing and teaching materials, and tuition on supplementary modules. Two additional regulated revenue lines extend the platform: the Anpassungslehrgang (Anpassungsqualifizierung) for internationally trained physiotherapists pursuing German recognition, and a six-month HZA-certified preparation course for the Kenntnisprüfung Pflege, both funded via Bildungsgutschein issued by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. The school's AZAV certification (Certuria, DAkkS-accredited) and state recognition (Bezirksregierung Köln, per PhysTh-APrV / MPhG) are the regulatory entitlements that make the voucher-funded streams viable and the diplomas EU-equivalent.
The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: prospective students apply through the website's online portal, with year-round intake culminating in a September 1 academic start, supported by on-site Infotage (information events) and Schnupperunterricht (trial lessons), plus organic social presence on Instagram and Facebook. Practical training is delivered through a network of 12+ named partner hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and therapy practices across NRW and beyond. The firm operates with 1–10 employees and is not publicly listed; no funding rounds, M&A activity, or revenue figures are disclosed.
PhysioCum Laude firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PhysioCum Laude
- Legal name
- PhysioCum Laude e.K.
- Website
- https://pcl-koeln.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- PhysioCum Laude is a Cologne-based, state-recognized private vocational school (sole proprietorship, est. 1995) that trains cohorts of 24 physiotherapists per three-year Ausbildung and runs regulated adaptation and nursing-exam prep courses, all anchored in the Döpfer Group's university and continuing-education ecosystem.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PhysioCum Laude industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vocational Healthcare Education
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Phlebotomy & Specimen Collection (EDAOAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)
Keywords
Where PhysioCum Laude is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Köln
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
PhysioCum Laude business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Vocational Training in Physiotherapy: State-recognized 3-year full-time vocational training program in physiotherapy. Training is tuition-free (schulgeldfrei), with revenue generated through one-time exam fees of 360 EUR and charges for work clothing and teaching materials.
- Adaptive Courses for International Therapists: Adaptive courses for internationally trained physiotherapists seeking professional recognition in Germany. Includes theoretical-practical instruction and practical training at partner facilities.
- Preparation Courses for Knowledge Examination: Six-month certified preparation courses for knowledge examinations in nursing and therapy, funded through education vouchers from the Federal Employment Agency.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Vocational Training - Tuition-Free |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Adaptive Course for International Therapists |
| Other | Multi-year contract | 6-Month Preparation Course for Knowledge Examination |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
PhysioCum Laude product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PhysioCum Laude is a state-recognized private vocational school for physiotherapy offering a three-year (six-semester) full-time training program totaling 4,500 hours of theoretical and practical instruction. The program is tuition-free, capped at 24 students per cohort, and includes integrated practical phases at partner healthcare facilities plus optional dual study pathways with partner universities. Complementary offerings include adaptation courses for internationally trained therapists and HZA-certified exam preparation courses for nursing professionals.
Product overview
PhysioCum Laude is a state-recognized private vocational school for physiotherapy located in Cologne, Germany. The institution operates a unified educational platform offering a three-year physiotherapy training program as its core product, supplemented by international adaptation courses for foreign therapists, exam preparation courses for nursing professionals, and continuing education modules. The school also facilitates access to dual study programs through partnerships with HSD Hochschule Döpfer and THIM University in the Netherlands. Programs are delivered through classroom instruction, practical clinical training at partner facilities, and block-model continuing education courses. The institution is AZAV-certified enabling education voucher funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Physiotherapie-Ausbildung (Physiotherapy Training Program) State-recognized three-year (six-semester) full-time vocational training program totaling 4,500 hours of theoretical and practical instruction, covering anatomy, physiology, pathology, massage, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, and physiotherapy methods. Class sizes limited to 24 students per cohort; tuition-free with 360 EUR exam fee. Leads to state-recognized physiotherapist qualification equivalent across the EU.
- Anpassungslehrgang (Adaptation Course for International Therapists) Certified adaptation program for internationally trained physiotherapists seeking professional recognition in Germany. Provides individualized theoretical-practical instruction based on Bezirksregierung requirements and supervised clinical practice. Fundable through Bildungsgutschein from the Federal Employment Agency.
- Vorbereitungskurs zur Kenntnisprüfung Pflege (Preparation Course for Knowledge Examination in Nursing) Six-month HZA-certified preparation course for international nursing professionals preparing for the official knowledge examination in nursing care. Delivered in a block model alternating between classroom instruction and practical training. Fundable through Bildungsgutschein from the Federal Employment Agency.
- B.Sc. Angewandte Therapiewissenschaften (Dual Study Program with HSD Hochschule Döpfer) Dual study program offered in cooperation with HSD Hochschule Döpfer combining the vocational physiotherapy training with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Therapy Sciences over nine semesters, enabling students to obtain both a vocational qualification and a university degree.
- B.Sc. Physiotherapie (Dual Study Program with THIM Netherlands) Dual study program in cooperation with THIM University in Utrecht, Netherlands, leading to a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy alongside the German vocational training program, accessible via Döpfer International.
- Fort- und Weiterbildung (Continuing Education) Continuing education offerings provided through partner Döpfer Akademie including manual therapy, manual lymph drainage, sports physiotherapy, fitness training, animal physiotherapy, and taping courses for PCL students and international professionals.
Quantifiable outcome
- State-recognized diploma equivalent to other EU countries
Companies that use PhysioCum Laude
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PhysioCum Laude technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PhysioCum Laude partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HSD Hochschule DöpfercoreUniversity partner offering dual study programs combining vocational training with bachelor's degrees (B.Sc. Angewandte Therapiewissenschaften and B.A. Medizinpädagogik). Enables students to obtain both vocational qualification and university degree.
- THIM (Therapeutic Institute for Higher Education)coreDutch university partner in Utrecht offering B.Sc. Physiotherapie through Döpfer International. Allows students to obtain international bachelor's degree alongside German vocational qualification.
- ErgoCum Laude (ECL)corePartner school for ergotherapy, sharing campus facilities and promoting interdisciplinary thinking between physiotherapy and occupational therapy students.
- Döpfer AkademiecoreContinuing education provider offering additional courses for PCL students (manual therapy, lymphatic drainage, etc.) and international professionals.
- Therapie am RotkreuzplatzminorPhysiotherapy practice as cooperation partner for practical training placements.
- Therapiezentrum DüsseldorfminorPhysiotherapy center partnership for student internship placements.
- Therapiezentrum EßkuchenminorPhysiotherapy center partnership for student internship placements.
- Therapie in der Residenz am DomminorPhysiotherapy center partnership for student internship placements.
- Logopädie im WestendminorSpeech therapy practice cooperation partner.
- Logopädie in RheineminorSpeech therapy practice cooperation partner.
- Eduardus-KrankenhauscoreHospital housing the school facilities at Custodisstraße 3-17, providing proximity to healthcare environment for training.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PhysioCum Laude competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Döpfer Schulen: Sister organization within the Döpfer Group, operating multiple private vocational schools for therapy and healthcare professions across Germany. Directly comparable in mission (state-recognized vocational training in therapy), regulatory positioning (AZAV-certified), and partnership structure, and serves the same target market of prospective therapy students.
- Döpfer Akademie: Sister continuing education provider under the Döpfer Group umbrella, delivering manual therapy, lymphatic drainage, sports physiotherapy, fitness training, and other specialized courses. Directly comparable to PCL's continuing education revenue stream and shares the same student/customer base of practicing physiotherapists seeking post-qualification development.
- HSD Hochschule Döpfer: Sister university within the Döpfer Group, offering B.Sc. Angewandte Therapiewissenschaften and other therapy-focused degree programs in cooperation with PCL. Functions as both a partner and a partial competitor, especially as Germany's physiotherapy training debates increasingly favor academic-degree pathways.
- ErgoCum Laude (ECL): Sister school sharing the same Köln campus under the Döpfer Group umbrella, offering state-recognized vocational training in occupational therapy. Operates with the same regulatory framework, cohort structure, and AZAV/HZA funding access as PCL, and addresses an overlapping student persona interested in therapy careers.
Broad incumbents
- SRH Hochschule Heidelberg: Part of the SRH group, one of Germany's largest private education providers, offering applied health and therapy degree programs (B.Sc. Physiotherapy) alongside other healthcare education. Comparable to PCL in the therapy training space, particularly competing for students considering PCL's dual-study pathways with HSD and THIM.
- Bernd Blindow Schulen: Large German private vocational education group operating state-recognized Berufsfachschulen for physiotherapy, ergotherapy, and other healthcare professions across multiple cities. Comparable to PCL in regulatory positioning and target student base, but with materially larger scale, broader program portfolio, and more distributed footprint.
- Carl Remigius Medical School: Private, state-recognized higher education institution offering vocational and academic programs in physiotherapy and other therapy professions in Germany. Comparable to PCL in regulatory positioning and student target market, with a broader geographic footprint across multiple campuses.
- IB Hochschule für Gesundheit und Soziales: Part of the IB Group, offering state-recognized vocational training and dual study programs in physiotherapy, ergotherapy, nursing, and other healthcare fields. Competes directly with PCL in the German healthcare vocational education market, with a broader multi-site network and additional corporate training offerings.
- Medical School Hamburg (MSH): Private, state-recognized university in Hamburg offering bachelor's and master's programs in physiotherapy, ergotherapy, and other health professions, plus associated vocational schools. Overlaps with PCL on physiotherapy education and competes for the same student segment, particularly those seeking academic-degree pathways rather than pure vocational training.
- Ludwig Fresenius Schulen: One of Germany's largest private vocational school groups, part of Fresenius SE, offering state-recognized training across physiotherapy, ergotherapy, nursing, and other healthcare professions nationwide. Directly competes with PCL in physiotherapy vocational training, but at significantly greater scale, multi-site footprint, and brand reach.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PhysioCum Laude social profiles
Digital presencePhysioCum Laude compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
PhysioCum Laude financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PhysioCum Laude leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
PhysioCum Laude funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PhysioCum Laude M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PhysioCum Laude
What does PhysioCum Laude do?
PhysioCum Laude is a state-recognized private vocational school for physiotherapy offering a three-year (six-semester) full-time training program totaling 4,500 hours of theoretical and practical instruction. The program is tuition-free, capped at 24 students per cohort, and includes integrated practical phases at partner healthcare facilities plus optional dual study pathways with partner universities. Complementary offerings include adaptation courses for internationally trained therapists and HZA-certified exam preparation courses for nursing professionals.
Is PhysioCum Laude a public or private company?
PhysioCum Laude is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PhysioCum Laude founded?
PhysioCum Laude was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is PhysioCum Laude based?
PhysioCum Laude is headquartered in Köln, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does PhysioCum Laude make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Vocational Training in Physiotherapy is the primary driver. The others are adaptive Courses for International Therapists and preparation Courses for Knowledge Examination.
Who are PhysioCum Laude's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Döpfer Schulen, Döpfer Akademie, HSD Hochschule Döpfer and ErgoCum Laude (ECL). Broad incumbents are SRH Hochschule Heidelberg, Bernd Blindow Schulen, Carl Remigius Medical School, IB Hochschule für Gesundheit und Soziales, Medical School Hamburg (MSH) and Ludwig Fresenius Schulen.
Does PhysioCum Laude have an API?
No public API is recorded for PhysioCum Laude.
What industry is PhysioCum Laude in?
PhysioCum Laude's product category is Vocational Healthcare Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAJAC, Phlebotomy & Specimen Collection, with a secondary code of EDAAAEAD, Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.