Studying with a disability

Studying with an impairment is often anything but easy. In addition to the stresses and strains of the illness itself, it usually involves an enormous organisational and time commitment that has to be made parallel to studying. 

Within the online self-help group, the aim is a respectful and empathetic exchange of experiences and learning with and from each other as well as mutual support in a protected space. 

We deal with the following questions, among others: 

• What impact does your impairment have on your studies? 
• How did you cope with particularly challenging life situations and situations during your studies? 
• Who or what gave you strength? 
• What wishes do you associate with the completion of your studies? 
• What are your ideas to enable students with disabilities to participate on a more equal basis? 
• Exchange of experience on compensating for disadvantages in studies 
• ... and much more – feel free to bring in your own concerns, thoughts, ideas and suggestions! 

Would you like to join in? Then please feel free to contact me by e-mail or make a telephone appointment at inklusivstudieren(at)hs-bremen.de. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Kind regards 

Yours, Elena Maria Bahloul

The Integration Ordinance describes the requirements that must be met in order for integration assistance to be funded for academic training at a higher education institution. Aid for such training is paid if it is to be expected: 

• that the objective of the training or preparatory measures will be achieved 
• that the intended training path is required and 
• that the profession or occupation is likely to provide a sufficient livelihood, or 
• that academic training will contribute to achieving a good livelihood. 

In principle, you must provide evidence that you have or are at risk of having a disability or chronic illness by means of a specialist medical report or your severely disabled person's ID card. 

Further requisite evidence is the certificate of enrolment as well as detailed, appropriate grounds (necessity), provided, for example, by the student advisory service or a professor. 

The Job Centre has put a database on Social Code II (Wissensdatenbank zum Sozialgesetzbuch II (SGB II) available only in Germany) on the internet. The database contains questions and answers on the application of the regulations of Social Code II. 

In connection with the application for technical aids, there are always problems of responsibility between the health insurance fund and the local social welfare agency. When is an aid a compensation for a disability, when is it related to education? However, the clarification of responsibility is not the task of the students, but must be clarified between the health insurance fund, the accident insurance institution, the pension office and the local social welfare institution (always subordinate) within set deadlines. Cooperation between the rehabilitation agencies is regulated in § 12 of the Social Code IX (SGB IX).

Assistance for higher education also includes the assistance needed to attend courses (lectures, exercises, seminars, colloquia, excursions and similar), to take part in written and oral examinations, to prepare papers and homework of all kinds, including library and other research, and to get to the university. 

The costs incurred for assistance in the framework of a (vocational) placement or a stay abroad is necessary or considered conducive for studies. Since studies are not limited to the lecture period, assistance must also be provided during the semester break. 

Problems with the granting of study assistance often arise if the training completed prior to the degree programme is not clearly relevant for the programme. Training that is compulsory in rehabilitation institutions parallel to the acquisition of the higher education entrance qualification is largely excluded from this. People who are doing a doctorate, a second degree or a continuing education course do not receive assistance to attend higher education, with very rare exceptions. 

Counselling Centre for Personal Assistance in Bremen (available only in German)

In the room finder (Raumfinder) you will find information on barrier-free access to the HSB buildings. 

Information on accessibility in the Bremen/Lower Saxony Transport Network (VBN)

Teachers can support students with disabilities or chronic illnesses if they learn about the student's special limitations at an early stage. In a discussion, you can jointly agree on how assistance can be provided in individual cases. If necessary, the teachers are also the first point of contact when it comes to arranging compensation for disadvantages in examinations and coursework. 

Residential offers 

• Student accommodation – Studierendenwerk Bremen
• Barrier-free living in Bremen & Bremerhaven portal (website only available in German)

Information on accommodation allowances 

In principle, students are excluded from accommodation allowances, as they are theoretically entitled to BAföG. Nevertheless, funding may be possible under certain circumstances. 

In order to receive an accommodation allowance, you must not be entitled to BAföG ‘on the merits’. 

This is the case, among other things, if you: 

• have exceeded the maximum funding period for BAföG, 
• are over 30 years old, 
• change the field of study without an important reason, 
• are unable to provide proof of performance 

It does not apply if the parents' income is too high and you are therefore not entitled to the state subsidy. 

Information from the German Student Union on housing allowance (only available in German)

Severely disabled persons (with a degree of disability of 50% or more) who are entitled to transport under the Severely Disabled Persons Act (Schwerbehindertengesetz) and can prove that they are in possession of the supplementary certificate with the corresponding token, or who are unable to use public means of transport due to their disability, or who are able to use them free of charge (registration mark aG), can be exempted from the semester ticket. 

For this you need the following proof: 

• a copy of your severely disabled person's card 
• a copy of the token 
• your original semester ticket 
• your bank details 
• the application form 

Further information on the semester ticket exemption

During a leave of absence, you can be exempted from paying the student union fee (Studierendenwerksbeitrag). Possible reasons include: 

Study-related stay abroad or placement abroad 

serious, long-term illness 

• Further information on exemption from the student union fee
• Contribution rules of the Studierendenwerk Bremen (only available in German)

Here you can get information and support on the topics: 

• BAföG 
• Education loan (Bildungskredit) 
• Student loans 
• Loan funds 

BAföG and Social Counselling of the AStA (only available in German)

Requirements for the application are usually: 

• You are in your first academic training, in this case a bachelor's degree. 
• You complete a Master's degree programme that builds on a Bachelor's degree programme. 
• If a placement and study semester abroad are required according to the study regulations, these are also funded. 

Age limit 

A disability may be a reason for granting support for Bachelor's studies even after the age limit of 30 years has been exceeded. For Master's degree programmes, an age limit of 35 years applies. However, the disability must be causal for the late start of the studies.

When applying, you must truthfully declare savings and other assets. There are, however, hardship allowances for assets (§ 29 paragraph 3 BAföG). 

• Insofar as the assets are intended to mitigate the consequences of a physical or mental disability or, following a personal injury, are intended to cover the probable injury-related expenses for the future. 
• As long as the assets are demonstrably intended for the early acquisition or maintenance of property within the meaning of § 88 paragraph 2 item 7 of the Federal Assistance Act, insofar as this serves or is intended to serve residential purposes of disabled persons or persons in need of care and this purpose would be jeopardised by the use or realisation of the assets.

The duration of student support corresponds to the regular period of study. At Hochschule Bremen, this is between 6 and 8 semesters for the Bachelor's programme and 2 to 4 semesters for the Master's programme (see Examination Regulations). For this purpose, the application for further funding must be submitted annually. For the 5th semester, a certificate of achievement must be submitted once. 

If a disability can be proven, it is possible to receive funding beyond the maximum funding period. For this purpose, students must prove in each individual case (medical certificate) to what extent the disability has led to a delay in the continuation of the studies and furthermore by how much the studies will be prolonged due to the disability. In addition, proof of the achievements according to the study and examination regulations (proof of achievement/ECTS credits) must be submitted. The Enrolment Office is responsible for issuing the certificates. 

Important: If there have already been delays in the course of studies due to a disability in this first stage of your studies, please claim these from the 3rd semester onwards at the Studierendenwerk and ask to submit the proof later. A certificate must confirm that the disability was the cause of the delay in studies. 

If support is granted beyond the maximum support period due to disability, BAföG is granted in full as a grant for this period, which does not have to be repaid. 

In addition, under certain conditions, students with disabilities can receive funding opportunities even after the maximum funding period has expired if they are admitted to the final examination. 

In this case, the education grant only continues if the subject area is changed for an important reason. The legislator allows a so-called orientation phase of a maximum of three semesters. Important reasons are insufficient intellectual, mental or physical abilities for the chosen field of study or a serious change of inclination. 

A disability that has occurred during the course of studies can, under certain circumstances, be an unavoidable reason for a change of subject. An unavoidable reason – in contrast to an important reason – can be asserted in every semester. 

Important: Before changing your field of study, you should always consult with the Studierendenwerk, as the entitlement to funding lapses completely if the legal requirements are not met. 

If you take a leave of absence for one or two semesters or complete a voluntary placement in Germany or abroad during this time, there are no BAföG payments for this period. You can claim support from the local welfare services for this period. 

However, the semester of leave is not counted towards the maximum funding period. This means that the funding entitlement is not lost. The period of BAföG payments is extended accordingly. 

The Studierendenwerk must be informed of the interruption if it is within the grant period. If the grant period ends and the semester of leave follows, nothing has to be reported at first. The situation does not have to be clarified until the repeat application after the semester of leave.

BAföG is only paid for 3 months after the month in which the illness first led to the sick leave. This means, for example, that if the first doctor’s certificate was issued on 6 February, three full months are counted from 1 March - in this case 31 May. BAföG would continue to be paid until then. After that, on the basis of a leave of absence, the entitlement to support is asserted at the local welfare services. 

When repaying BAföG, students with disabilities can apply for disability-related expenses to be taken into account. This increases the income limit up to which you are exempt from repayment.

With the term ‘studying with disabilities and/or chronic illness’, the HSB addresses the different impairments of students. These include: Students with movement and sensory disabilities, students with chronic somatic and chronic mental illnesses, as well as students with dyslexia and other partial performance disorders.

In principle, you can apply, register or enrol online like any other prospective student. In addition to general student counselling, the counselling centre ‘Inklusiv studieren’ is available to answer any disability-specific questions (e.g. hardship application, infrastructure) or to help you with your application or admission. Please note that the recognition of a case of hardship does not guarantee that you will be granted a place at university (the hardship quota is 5 percent). 

Applicants who do not have an entrance qualification for a university degree programme or who do not have a previous education that is recognised as equivalent have the opportunity to obtain a place by taking a placement examination. Here you can apply for disadvantage compensation according to § 31 BremHG (Bremen Higher Education Act). 

Technical aids 

Depending on the impairment and the degree programme, different technical aids are required, so unfortunately the Hochschule Bremen cannot meet this need or provide financial support. The responsible Office for Social Services is responsible for applying for integration assistance. 

Personal assistance 

As a rule, you will look for a suitable assistant yourself so that you have the opportunity to work together on a long-term and familiar basis. Not least because you will also need them for your studies at home. Study assistants can be engaged personally, for example a friend who is studying with you or fellow students who you get to know during your studies. Talk to the head of your degree programme and ask for support. On the other hand, it is possible to find assistants through certain social institutions, for example the Assistenzgenossenschaft Bremen. The costs are also covered as integration assistance via the responsible Social Services Office. 

There are degree programmes at the Hochschule Bremen that generally include and require a semester abroad or a placement. Before you apply, please clarify with the programme director to what extent an individual solution (disadvantage compensation) is possible. 

With the online admission you will receive information for the first semester and a questionnaire from the central contact point for disabled and chronically ill students. Completing the questionnaire is, of course, on a voluntary basis, but it will enable you to make an appointment for counselling to discuss your start and progress in your studies.

You yourself decide, based on your health situation, whether and with whom you would like to discuss your study progress. Information and counselling sessions are, of course, treated confidentially and finally it is solely up to you whether further persons should be informed and/or steps should be taken. Applications (hardship cases, compensation for disadvantages) always deal with the effects/restrictions of your ability to study, which means that diagnoses and therapy contents are not part of the applications. Considerations during your studies, for example, compensation for disadvantages, are not shown on your degree certificate.

The Counselling Centre for Inclusive Studies is available to answer all your questions regarding the needs-based organisation of studies and work, the compensation for disadvantages and the assistance and enforcement of changed requirements for academic achievements, placements and examinations, the removal of structural, technical and linguistic barriers.

It is best to first make an appointment with the programme director. If subsequently required, make an appointment for counselling with the Counselling Centre for Inclusive Studies or the General Students' Committee (AStA) (website only available in German).

It makes sense to talk to the programme director right at the beginning of your studies. During this meeting, the further procedure for lectures, laboratory exercises and examinations can be discussed and agreed upon.

Please contact your programme director. 

If you are limited in your ability to study, you have the option to study part-time.

All students whose special living and study conditions are reflected in the following are entitled to compensation for disadvantages: 

• the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 4 - General Obligations, 
• the Social Code IX, § 2 para. 1 - Disability, 
• as well as the Bremen Higher Education Act § 4 - Tasks and § 31 - Compensation for disadvantages for disabled and chronically ill students. 

In the case of necessary changes to study and examination performance, an informal application for disadvantage compensation (reason, certificate, proposed changes) must be submitted to the examination board. Here too, the Advisory Office for Inclusive Studies and the General Students' Committee (AStA) (website only available in German) provide advice. 

It is best to submit an application as early as possible. Please ask your faculty for the next date of the examination committee meeting. 

According to the General Part of the Bachelor’s Examination Regulations (§15 (4), AT-BPO), non-attendance at a written examination date/exam is considered a regular withdrawal (applies to both examinations of a module examination). Therefore, if you do not attend on the main date and/or the repeat date, you will always receive the examination status NE (not appeared). After the main date, as in the case of a fail (5.0), you remain automatically registered in the QIS-POS portal for the repeat date. If you do not attend the repeat appointment or fail, you must re-register for the module. The examination status NE is not considered a failed attempt and is not graded. 

Therefore, please make sure that your examination status NE has been entered as a record of achievement (grade) in the QIS-POS portal and in the grade posting if you have registered for a module examination but have not appeared for the examination.

For subject changes, tuition fees, re-registration and leave of absence from studies, the administrative staff of your degree programme at the Enrolment and Examination Office is primarily responsible. 

You can take leave of absence for two semesters during your studies without giving reasons. If you need further semesters of leave, these can be granted in exceptional cases with special justification. 

The programme director and the advisory office ‘Inklusiv Studieren’ are available to advise you. 

The semesters of leave do not count as study semesters. 

Unfortunately, no. This is regulated in the Matriculation Regulations (§ 9 paragraph 3 and 4) 

Students who take leave of absence due to parental responsibility are exempt. Please refer to the BAföG regulations.

The current status of your study situation is a good basis for a discussion with the programme director about further planning of your studies. You can obtain this information from the responsible unit at the Enrolment and Examination Office. If you still have questions and need further support, you can of course contact the Advisory Office for Inclusive Studies or the General Students' Committee (AStA) (website only available in German).

A (new) application is required for a change of degree programme. The regular application deadlines also apply here. If the degree programme is closely related, it is possible to apply for a higher semester, if necessary, by enclosing the documents required for comparability. 

If you would like to change to a degree programme that is not related to your current degree programme, you must apply for the first semester. In the case of an internal university application, please contact the General Students' Committee (AStA) (website only available in German) in advance (financial implications) and then please contact the Enrolment and Examination Office regarding the formalities. 

If you have to give up your previous degree programme for health reasons, you can submit a hardship application with your application to increase your chances of getting a new place.

No, not even if you are entitled to attend (individual) courses during the semester of leave due to special regulations (BAföG-VwV 9.2.1). 
 
If you take a retroactive leave of absence and have already received BAföG for individual months of the semester of leave, the BAföG office will claim the money back. 

Important: You must inform the BAföG office if you are taking a leave of absence so that payments can be stopped. If you have no other source of funding during the semester of leave, you may be able to apply for unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld II). You can get detailed advice from the AStA (website only available in German).

No, unfortunately not. Despite severe disability or chronic illness, the following applies: You must always apply for compensation for disadvantages before the examination or exam. It is therefore best to submit this application right at the beginning of your studies/semester. 

Requests for compensation for disadvantages must always be submitted in writing and in due time to the responsible examination committee. Therefore, please always react immediately to emerging problems during your studies. 

Compensation for disadvantages during studies does not only apply to exams, but also to the studies themselves. Possibilities for compensating for disadvantages can be, for example: 

• Extension of the study period 
• Adaptation of study materials according to needs 
• Modification of coursework (e.g. term paper instead of presentation and vice versa) 
• Granting of an extended processing time for coursework (e.g. homework, presentations) 
• Use of personal aids and/or technical aids to compensate for the health restriction during the course of study 
• Consideration of periods of illness and periods of limited working capacity in the assessment of coursework 
• Amendment of placement regulations 
• Modification of excursion regulations 

After approval by the examination committee, you will receive a letter which you should show to your lecturer in good time before the examination(s). This letter entitles you to claim the respective disadvantage compensation and, in order to protect your privacy, no longer contains any diagnoses or further personal details. The granting of a disadvantage compensation will also not be noted in the transcripts. 

Yes. 

For BAföG benefits, please contact the BAföG and Social Counselling Service of the AStA (website only available in German).

Study achievements are assessed with credit points (CP) according to the ECTS standard. 

ECTS points are a quantitative measure of the student's total workload. They include both the direct teaching in all courses and forms of teaching specified in the study regulations as well as the time spent preparing for and following up the course material (attendance and self-guided study), the time spent preparing for examinations and the examinations taken.

Students who receive BAföG must, without being requested to do so, submit a § 48 certificate as proof of having earned 90 CP after the fourth semester in order to continue to receive funding. 

For reasons that are not the fault of the student, such as illness, a request may be made to submit the transcript of records at a later date. 

The BAföG office can also ask about academic achievements in connection with a change of subject area, and will always do so if you apply for study completion assistance (in this case, admission to the final examination is a prerequisite). 

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you seek advice from the BAföG office and/or the BAföG and Social Counselling Service of the AStA (website only available in German) at the beginning of your studies and during the course of your studies. 

The Enrolment and Examination Office is responsible for the transcript of records. You can find the print version in the QIS-POS portal. The document contains all your sub-modules and examinations registered online and confirmed by the lecturers. You submit the printed document, signed by the Examinations Office, to the BAföG Office. 

The study plan (module overview) indicates at which point in time you should take which course and which examinations are scheduled. 

At the university, timetabling and module registration is done online. To prepare and plan, you need your examination regulations and the course catalogue. You can find both on your faculty website. If you are already experiencing difficulties with your course planning, so that you are concerned that you will not be able to complete the required work and examinations within the specified time and/or take them, please make an appointment with your programme director. 

Yes, as a rule, funding beyond the maximum funding period is possible in this case upon application. The Studierendenwerk Bremen is responsible for BAföG and some other financial support options at the Hochschule Bremen.

Yes, in order to be able to meet the deadlines for applying for BAföG abroad, funding for additional disability-related needs or various scholarships, two years of preparation and planning are necessary. The best way to prepare and plan a placement or semester abroad is to contact the Studierendenwerk Bremen for BAföG and to the International Office for special funding ‘Erasmus+’. 

A good overview of possible scholarship providers can be found at the portal Stipendienlotse (only available in German) of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research or the online scholarship and career network e-fellows.net (available only in German). 

Here you will find information on barrier-free living.

As a rule, students are not entitled to housing allowance, but there is the exception if you are not entitled to BAföG. 

Applications must be submitted to the Amt für Wohnungswesen (website only available in German).