diff --git a/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/CourseServiceClientConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/CourseServiceClientConfiguration.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf00e79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/CourseServiceClientConfiguration.java
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+package de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.assignment_service.config;
+
+
+import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
+import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
+import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
+import org.springframework.graphql.client.GraphQlClient;
+import org.springframework.graphql.client.HttpGraphQlClient;
+import org.springframework.web.reactive.function.client.WebClient;
+
+@Configuration
+public class CourseServiceClientConfiguration {
+
+    @Value("${course_service.url}")
+    private String courseServiceUrl;
+
+    @Bean
+    public CourseServiceClient courseServiceClient() {
+        final WebClient webClient = WebClient.builder().baseUrl(courseServiceUrl).build();
+        final GraphQlClient graphQlClient =  HttpGraphQlClient.builder(webClient).build();
+        return new CourseServiceClient(graphQlClient);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/UserServiceClientConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/UserServiceClientConfiguration.java
index 8a8f632..244f0a8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/UserServiceClientConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/config/UserServiceClientConfiguration.java
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ public class UserServiceClientConfiguration {
     private String userServiceUrl;
 
     @Bean
-    public GraphQlClient userServiceClient() {
+    public UserServiceClient userServiceClient() {
         final WebClient webClient = WebClient.builder().baseUrl(userServiceUrl).build();
-        return HttpGraphQlClient.builder(webClient).build();
+        final GraphQlClient graphQlClient =  HttpGraphQlClient.builder(webClient).build();
+        return new UserServiceClient(graphQlClient);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/service/GradingService.java b/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/service/GradingService.java
index 8a4820a..4dd9349 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/service/GradingService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/unistuttgart/iste/meitrex/assignment_service/service/GradingService.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.assignment_service.exception.ExternalPlatformConnectionException;
 import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.assignment_service.exception.ManualMappingRequiredException;
 import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.user_service.exception.UserServiceConnectionException;
+import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.course_service.exception.CourseServiceConnectionException;
 import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.assignment_service.persistence.entity.*;
 import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.assignment_service.persistence.mapper.AssignmentMapper;
 import de.unistuttgart.iste.meitrex.assignment_service.persistence.repository.GradingRepository;
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ public void importGradingsForAssignment(final UUID assignmentId, final LoggedInU
         final List<UserInfo> meitrexStudentInfoList;
         try {
             meitrexStudentInfoList = getMeitrexStudentInfoList();
-        } catch (UserServiceConnectionException e){
+        } catch (UserServiceConnectionException | CourseServiceConnectionException e){
             throw new RuntimeException(e); // wrapping exception
             // return; TODO return or throw wrapped exception?
         }
@@ -349,12 +350,10 @@ private JSONObject getExternalStudentInfo(final String externalStudentId) throws
         return new JSONObject(body);
     }
 
+    private List<UserInfo> getMeitrexStudentInfoList() throws UserServiceConnectionException, CourseServiceConnectionException {
 
-    // TODO this whole thing should be in userService rather than here
-    private List<UserInfo> getMeitrexStudentInfoList() throws UserServiceConnectionException {
-
-        final List<UUID> userIds = courseServiceClient.queryUserIds(); // TODO needs to be queried from course service
-
+        final List<CourseMembership> userMemberships = courseServiceClient.queryMembershipsInCourse();
+        List<UUID> userIds = userMemberships.stream().map(CourseMembership::getUserId).toList();
         final List<UserInfo> meitrexStudentInfoList = userServiceClient.queryUserInfos(userIds);
 
         return meitrexStudentInfoList;
@@ -383,7 +382,7 @@ public List<String> saveStudentMappings(final UUID courseId, final List<StudentM
         final List<UserInfo> meitrexStudentInfoList;
         try {
             meitrexStudentInfoList = getMeitrexStudentInfoList();
-        } catch (UserServiceConnectionException e){
+        } catch (UserServiceConnectionException | CourseServiceConnectionException e){
             throw new RuntimeException(e); // wrapping exception
             // return null; TODO return null or throw wrapped exception?
         }
diff --git a/src/main/resources/application.properties b/src/main/resources/application.properties
index b675667..b408e58 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/application.properties
+++ b/src/main/resources/application.properties
@@ -15,4 +15,8 @@ server.max-http-request-header-size=64000
 # enable probing used by kubernetes
 management.endpoint.health.probes.enabled=true
 management.health.livenessstate.enabled=true
-management.health.readinessState.enabled=true
\ No newline at end of file
+management.health.readinessState.enabled=true
+
+# URLs for course and user service
+course_service.url=http://localhost:2001/graphql
+user_service.url=http://localhost:5001/graphql
\ No newline at end of file