Inclusive StudiesCompensation for disadvantages

Disabilities and chronic illnesses may render many study situations more complicated. One important area is the completion of examination components. Disabled and chronically ill students generally need to complete the same examination components as their fellow students. If this is not possible under the usual conditions, chronically ill or disabled students are entitled to compensation for their disadvantages.

Compensation for disadvantages is exclusively about ensuring equal opportunities. The framework conditions for impaired students are to be adapted for this to keep their disability or chronic illness from disadvantaging them in taking examinations. The form that compensation for disadvantages will take from case to case will depend on the individual impairments and the resulting disadvantages to a great extent. Some possible compensations for disadvantages include:

• Examination time extensions, e.g., extension of the processing time
• Technical aids, e.g., use of a computer as a writing aid
• Examination assistance, e.g., typist
• Replacement of a written examination by an oral one or vice versa
• Use of a separate examination room under supervision

You can contact the responsible examination office or the examination administration directly to apply for a compensation for disadvantages. It is important to contact the respective examination administration or the examination office in time. Since there is no official application form, please use your own words to describe why you need compensation for disadvantages. Substantiate your claim by submitting a (specialist) medical certificate with your application, stating the nature and extent of the impending disadvantage and possible ways of compensation. The certificate does not need to state your diagnosis. However, the symptoms that cause your disadvantage must be described so that the examination administration or the examination office can understand your need for compensation for disadvantages.

Students may wonder whether there is any point in using such compensation for disadvantages at all, often out of fear of stigma. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will not happen one day. So far, however, overall experience with lecturers and examination offices has been very good. Therefore, we generally recommend that you inform lecturers, and possibly your fellow students, about your impairment. Many people will be happy to help, though they may not know how in many cases since they have never dealt with the particular issue before.

Find a schematic representation of the application process as well as some explanations below. Feel free to contact us at any time if you have any questions about compensation for disadvantages. We will be happy to assist you with the application process.