Studying with disabilities

eine Frau ohne und eine Frau mit Rollstuhl sitzen sich gegenüber

People with disabilities have their right to participate in higher education protected under the German Constitution (“Grundgesetz”, articles 3 and 20), the Higher Education Framework Act (“Hochschulrahmengesetz”, section 2, para. 4), the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (“Behindertenrechtkonvention der Vereinten Nationen”, article 24), each state’s Higher Education Act (“Landeshochschulgesetz”) and the examination regulations (“Prüfungsordnung”).

Such disabilities might be:

  • mobility, visual, speech and/or hearing impairments
  • psychological disorders (e.g. depression)
  • chronic illnesses (e.g. rheumatism, Crohn’s disease and diabetes)
  • dyslexia and other learning disabilities
  • other diseases (e.g. cancer diseases)

 

We can offer advice on topics such as how to organise your day-to-day life as a student, individual disability compensations, the intricacies of social legislation, and personal aspects.

Useful links and contact persons

Studentenwerk Chemnitz-Zwickau offers help and support by providing social and psychological counselling for all students and prospective students alike. Moreover, we work closely with the respective universities. Thus, lecturers are welcome to contact the counselling services for further information as well.

Chemnitz University of Technology offers a specific counselling services for students and prospective students with disabilities. For students at University of Applied Sciences Zwickau information and support is offered by the Disabilities Officer. Additionally, a booklet named “Barrierefreies Studium”(Barrier-free studies) is available.

The Studying with Disability - Information and Advice Center (“Informations- und Beratungsstelle Studium und Behinderung”, IBS) of Deutsches Studentenwerk (German National Association for Student Affairs) offers comprehensive advice and information regarding studying with disabilities. The handbook “Studium und Behinderung” (Studies and Disabilites) is perfect for reading about important related topics.