Studying with health impairment

For students with disabilities and / or chronic illnesses in particular, it is important to know which options are available on-site to receive support. Are the rooms barrier-free? Is it necessary to initiate constructional retrofits in individual cases? We have put together the answers to this and compiled a lot of other useful information for you on this page!

Studies

University place

With regard to the application for a university place, prospective students with disabilities have the opportunity to improve the chances of admission (provided the general or special admission requirements are met). In addition to the application for admission, the following special applications can be submitted to the respective universities:

• Application for preferential consideration of the first place of study

• Hardship application for immediate admission to studies

• Application for compensation of disadvantages (improvement of the average grade)

• Application for compensation of disadvantages (improvement of the waiting time)

Strict requirements respectively apply.

Commissioners for the disabled

The university's commissioners for the disabled are the contact persons for questions regarding barrier-free spaces. They can initiate minor necessary structural changes or apply for the purchase of equipment. For students with disabilities and / or chronic illnesses in particular, it is important to know which options are available on-site to receive support. Are the rooms barrier-free? Is it necessary to initiate constructional retrofits in individual cases?

They are also the point of contact for questions about compensation of disadvantages. It is recommended to contact the university's commissioners for the disabled or the social counselling office in time at the beginning of your studies.

Compensation for disadvantages

Students with disabilities and chronic diseases are legally entitled to compensation for disadvantages during their studies and exams in order to achieve equal participation in their studies. Since the compensations of disadvantages must always be agreed individually and according to the situation, or respectively applied for via the examination board (with proof, usually a medical certificate), there can be no binding requirements for those.

Tried-and-tested compensations for disadvantages may be mentioned as examples: extension of the writing time for exams, extension of preparation times for oral exams, individual break times (along with an extension of the processing time), change of the examination form, exams in separate rooms, modifications of attendance requirements and much more.

Financing

BAföG

With regard to the age limit of 30 years at the beginning of a bachelor's degree, it may be permissible to exceed the age limit if a disability / illness is an obstacle to the timely commencement of studies. Due to hardship, an additional exempt amount can also be applied when determining the income of parents or spouses or life partners if exceptional disability-related additional expenses can be documented. In addition to the tax-free allowance on assets, in exceptional cases, a further part of the assets may remain exempt to avoid undue hardship. The proof of performance required once in the application for BAföG can be postponed or the benefit receipt can be extended. However, this doesn’t happen automatically: the disability / illness must be the cause of the study delay and that must be explained and proven.

Child benefit

Parents are normally only entitled to child benefit until their child's 25th birthday, provided that the child is still undergoing training. If the child is unable to make a living due to his / her disability, the child benefit is paid longer – the entitlement can be practically lifelong. If the degree of disability is 50 or more, it can be assumed that it is not possible to work while studying. However, the disability must have occurred before the age of 25.

Long-term study fees

In order to avoid unreasonable hardship, an application for remission of long-term study fees can be made. Unreasonable hardship is usually assumed if the effects of a disability or serious illness prolong the period of study.

Increased demands

In the course of integration support, students with health impairments can receive aids to finance disability-imposed training-related increased demands (especially technical aids, communication and study assistants, mobility aids as well as additional contribution in kind and support services). However, integration support as part of social welfare is always subordinate. That means it will first be considered whether the applicant himself or another service provider can pay for the necessary services.

Social welfare

Social welfare is a basic security benefit for people in need of help who are unemployable. Unemployable are those who can only work up to three hours a day due to illness and disability. As with unemployment benefit II, however, the exclusion clause and hardship provision apply here as well: “Trainees whose training is fundamentally eligible under the Federal Education Promotion Act (…) are not entitled to benefits under the third and fourth chapter. In particular cases of hardship, benefits according to the third or fourth chapter can be granted as grants or loans.” (§ 22 Paragraph 1 SGB XII)

What actually is a particular case of hardship or not, is always an individual decision. A particular case of hardship can exist if the study takes longer due to illness or disability than can be funded through BAföG and thus the successful completion is at risk due to a lack of funds.

Foundations

Some foundations support students with special needs. As examples:

• Aktion Luftsprung awards five scholarships to trainees or students with chronic illnesses (cystic fibrosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis) each year. Application deadline: April 15th of the current year.

• The Berger Landefeldt Foundation supports people with acquired epilepsy. The support is given as a personal single donation for measures and aids, amongst others individual learning aids.

• The Spohn Foundation supports blind and deaf people from Berlin and Hamburg in particular with their school- or professional training by means of € 200 per month.

You can find more funding options here.

Housing

The Student Services has a number of so-called disabled-accessible places of residence. Even if these do not always meet all needs – we always strive to find individual solutions.