Since there are still barriers in many places at the university and many students are disadvantaged by them, there is the compensation of disadvantages. Just imagine that you are supposed to take a maths exam, but the tasks are printed so small that you cannot read them. So you wouldn’t fail because of the content of the exam, but because of the general conditions – a common problem for students with impairments, and that’s exactly what the compensation of disadvantages is supposed to prevent.

Students can apply for an adjustment of the general conditions for examinations and examination prerequisites. Important: The compensation of disadvantages does not change the competences in terms of content that are demonstrated in an examination or examination prerequisites, but only the way in which this happens. Compensation of disadvantages can consist, for example, of tasks being formulated differently, printed differently, set in separate or accessible premises, or being able to be worked on over a longer period of time. Of course, this list is by no means exclusive, but in general, those affected are usually experts on their own impairment and can therefore freely consider what compensation would help them.

Such an application – which also includes a certificate – is then examined by the examination board of the faculty. An approved compensation of disadvantages can then be passed on to lecturers and demanded without the student concerned having to disclose personal information again.

If you are thinking about applying for disadvantage compensation, you can find more information on the university website and get advice from Katrin Lux – the representative for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

More information can be found e.g. on the website of the university of Göttingen here.