Disdvantage Compensation

A request for accommodations must be submitted early at the beginning of each semester. To ensure that these accommodations are adequately taken into account in exam performance, the request should be submitted no later than when registering for exams.

In the case of impairments that arise on short notice, the request may also be submitted after the start of the semester or upon the onset of the impairment.

A request to switch to alternative exam formats must be submitted by the start of classes. Otherwise, the switch cannot be made.

Under certain conditions such as in the case of a chronic, stable disability accommodations may be granted on a permanent basis.

If accommodations are granted on a permanent basis, students are required to

• after the end of the respective exam registration period
• each semester notify the chair of the relevant examination committee as well as the program’s exam planning office

of the exams for which they have registered.

Even if accommodations are granted on a semester-by-semester basis, students are still required to report their registered exams accordingly.

Students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, including, for example:

•     motor, visual, hearing or speech impairments
•     chronic mental health conditions
•     chronic physical illnesses

It is not the diagnosis itself that is decisive, but the specific impact on academic performance or examination results.

The application for reasonable accommodation must be submitted to the relevant examination board.

You can download the application form here.

We recommend that you seek individual advice on this matter in advance from our representatives on the relevant campus. Such a consultation is mandatory for the long-term granting of reasonable accommodation.

The application must include:

• a description of the disability in relation to the examination or coursework to be adapted
• appropriate evidence of the disability (e.g. specialist medical reports, statements from registered psychotherapists or reports from hospitals or rehabilitation centres)
• proposals for adjustments to coursework or examinations

Depending on the specific disability, the following measures, for example, may be appropriate:

• Extended writing time for written examinations or the provision of individual breaks
• Examinations in separate rooms with dedicated invigilators
• Authorisation to use special aids
• Extension of deadlines for coursework and final theses
• Conversion to alternative examination formats

The medical report or certificate should:

• be worded in a way that is understandable to people without medical training
• be issued by a doctor (GP or specialist), psychologist or psychotherapist
• describe the current state of the impairment and, particularly in the case of conditions that are changing, be no more than 6 months oldinclude the assessor’s stamp, date and signature

The report should contain the following information:

• Confirmation of the existence of a disability, chronic or mental health condition, including the onset, severity (where applicable) and (where possible) expected course
• A description of the specific impact of the impairment on
  
  • • Examination situations (e.g. written examinations, oral examinations)
    • Work placements
    • Coursework or final dissertations    
    • Where applicable, the general study situation

Recommendation regarding the specific measures required from a medical or therapeutic perspective to compensate for disadvantages and ensure equal opportunities:

•   Extension of the examination time (specified as a percentage)
•   A separate room for written examinations; where applicable, specify the   maximum number of people in the room
•   Conversion to an alternative examination format
•   Additional break times (specified in minutes)
•   Use of specific aids or assistive technologies