Sportcentrum Olympos – Making student sport more accessible and efficient in Utrecht
InAcademia helping Sportcentrum Olympos simplify verification and enhance student experience
Sportcentrum Olympos is the sports centre of Utrecht University and the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht. Situated in the heart of the Utrecht Science Park, it plays a central role in student life, offering more than 70 different sports and welcoming around 15,000 members each year.
From football, field hockey and rugby to climbing, squash and fitness training, Olympos is where students come together to move, compete and socialise. Through its all-in membership card, the OlymPas, students gain access to a remarkably wide range of facilities and activities – all at a heavily discounted rate thanks to the contribution of the universities.
As a non-profit foundation, Olympos’s mission is clear: to make sport accessible to all students, regardless of background or income. Keeping rates low encourages participation and ensures every student can enjoy the physical, mental and social benefits of an active lifestyle.
Beyond sport itself, Olympos is a key meeting place in Utrecht’s academic community. Open seven days a week, its fields, courts, studios and café bring students together and help foster friendships that often last beyond university life.
The Challenge
Before adopting InAcademia, Olympos verified student and staff eligibility through an entirely manual process. New members were asked to present proof of academic enrolment at the sports desk, where staff would physically check documents or online registration details.
While functional, this process was both time-consuming and imperfect. At the start of each academic year, thousands of students queued for student verification, creating long waiting times and increased pressure on staff. For many, this was their very first interaction with Olympos, meaning the long queues and delays set off a negative customer experience right from the start – an unfortunate first impression for an organisation built on accessibility and inclusion. Manual checks also left room for human error and there were occasional instances of misuse, as some users tried to claim student rates without legitimate proof.
For a centre that prides itself on efficiency and inclusivity, these challenges were not sustainable. The team wanted a solution that could verify student eligibility instantly and reliably, giving staff more time to focus on service and allowing students to start using their membership right away.
The Solution
To address this, Olympos integrated InAcademia’s real-time student verification service into its registration and membership process. InAcademia provides a privacy-first way for organisations to confirm whether someone is a current student or academic staff member – instantly and securely, without storing or sharing personal data. Through a simple online check, students are redirected to their own university login, where their affiliation is verified in real time. The response then confirms their eligibility to Olympos, enabling immediate eligibility for student discounts.
This integration has transformed how Olympos manages access to its membership system:
Instant and automated verification
What once required a physical queue and staff involvement now happens automatically within seconds. Students log in through their own institution IDs, verify and proceed with registration. This eliminates the need for manual checks and significantly reduces administrative workload.
Accuracy and prevention of misuse
By connecting directly with verified academic sources through InAcademia’s trusted infrastructure, Olympos ensures that every discount is granted only to those who qualify. This has reduced the potential for errors and misuse while maintaining a smooth experience for genuine students.
A better experience for students
The new process fits seamlessly into the online registration flow, meaning students are verified and their OlymPas membership activated without visiting the sports desk. For many, this is their first interaction with Olympos – starting with a fast and secure digital process sets the right tone.
The Results
The introduction of InAcademia has brought measurable operational improvements for Sportcentrum Olympos. Queues at the start of each academic year have disappeared, saving significant staff time and creating a calmer and more welcoming experience for new members. The automated process ensures consistent, accurate verification and has reduced opportunities for misuse of student discounts.
For staff, the change means less time spent on administrative tasks and more time engaging with students – helping them get the most from their membership. The team can now focus on maintaining a high-quality sporting environment rather than manually processing eligibility checks.
From a financial perspective, the partnership with InAcademia also supports Olympos’s goal of keeping sport affordable. Every operational saving contributes to the centre’s ability to maintain low rates and make participation accessible to all students, regardless of income.
The verification process now runs so efficiently that students hardly notice it – a hallmark of seamless digital trust.
“If you need verification, this is the way to go. It saves a lot of misuse and frees your people from many tedious checking tasks, to give more ‘real’ service.”
Astrid Tonnaer, Sportcentrum Olympos
If your organisation would benefit from the efficiencies Olympos are now enjoying then be sure to contact us today.