Studying with disabilities

According to the law, people with disabilities are persons "who have physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with attitudinal and environmental barriers, are likely to prevent them from participating in society on an equal basis with others for more than six months". (cf. §2 para. 1 SGB IX).

Students with disabilities experience difficulties in their everyday studies due to one or more health impairments. In the 21st Social Survey from 2016, 11% of students stated that they had one or more health impairments that made their studies more difficult (around 264,000 students).

Health impairments can include

• Mobility impairment
• Visual impairments
• Hearing impairments
• Speech impairments
• Mental illness
• Chronic illnesses
• Dyslexia and other partial performance disorders

This list is not exhaustive. Rather, it includes all health impairments that make studying more difficult.

Chronic illnesses as longer-lasting illnesses or illnesses with an episodic course, which have an aggravating effect on everyday study life, are to be classified as disabilities. Accordingly, the following information also applies to students with chronic illnesses that make studying difficult.

Legal regulations that oblige universities to enable students with disabilities to study without discrimination can be found at various levels. For example, the State Higher Education Act states:

"The universities [...] shall ensure that students with disabilities or a chronic illness are not disadvantaged in their studies and are able to take advantage of the university's offerings without outside help as far as possible; they shall appoint a representative for this purpose, whose duties shall be regulated in the basic regulations." (§2 para. 3 LHG)

A corresponding regulation can also be found in the Higher Education Framework Act (see § 2 para. 4 HRG). At an international level, the obligation to implement an inclusive higher education system can be found in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It states:

"States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities have access, without discrimination and on an equal basis with others, to general higher education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning. To this end, States Parties shall ensure that reasonable accommodation is made for persons with disabilities." (Art. 24 para. 5 UN CRPD).

Around 16% of students study with an impairment that makes it difficult to study.

Universities are obliged to ensure that students with disabilities or chronic illnesses can take advantage of the university's offerings without discrimination and on an equal basis.

You can find further information and examples here for orientation and as a design aid for inclusive teaching and examinations.

• Handout for lecturers.pdf (PDF, 252.16 KB)
• Designing inclusive teaching.pdf (PDF, 183.62 KB)

There are various options for advice before starting a degree program. If you are unsure about what exactly you would like to study, you can contact the Central Student Advisory Office if necessary. If necessary, you can also consult the representative for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses, Prof. Dr. Schröttle.

If you already know what you would like to study, you can contact the student advisory service of the respective degree program.

In principle, even if you have a disability or chronic illness, you must meet the same requirements for university entrance qualifications as all other applicants. Accordingly, you must also provide proof of a suitable higher education entrance qualification.

Nevertheless, there are compensatory functions of existing regulations to achieve equal opportunities for prospective students with disabilities or chronic illnesses and to compensate for disadvantages in admission requirements. The following special applications are possible:

• Hardship quota
• Compensation for disadvantages as part of the waiting time quota or to improve the average grade

If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions Office if you have any questions.

Further information can be found here:

During your studies, you can contact the Central Student Advisory Office with various issues. If necessary, you can also consult the representative for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses, Prof. Dr. Schröttle.

If you have a disability or a chronic illness, you may not be able to organize your everyday study life as planned. As you are confronted with additional barriers in everyday life that tie up your time and energy, a lack of flexibility in your everyday study life often leads to hurdles and disadvantages.

In order to be able to successfully complete your studies and create equal opportunities, there are therefore compensations for disadvantages in everyday student life. These are designed to reduce barriers in the organization and implementation of your studies. Compensation for disadvantages in everyday study life is designed individually and can therefore vary greatly, e.g.

• Use of technical aids
• Assistance with reading aloud, writing, changing buildings, etc.
• Individual design of the course of study.

If you have any questions about the organization of compensation for disadvantages in everyday study life, you can contact the Central Student Advisory Office for assistance. If necessary, you can also consult the representative for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses, Prof. Dr. Schröttle.

Further information and examples can be found in the attached information sheets:

Compensation for disadvantages is intended to create equal opportunities in studies. Compensation for disadvantages must be equivalent proof of examination performance. They do not differ in their aim, but in the form of the examination performance.

Students with disabilities or chronic illnesses are entitled to compensation for disadvantages if they meet the requirements, but not to a specific form of compensation for disadvantages. Decisions regarding compensation for disadvantages are made on a case-by-case basis and are based on the specific case and situation. The form of compensation for disadvantages can therefore vary greatly. The following are possible, for example

• Extension of the examination time
• Oral instead of written examination
• Sign language interpreters for oral examinations.

Before applying for compensation for disadvantages in coursework and examinations, it is advisable to seek personal advice. You can contact the Central Student Advisory Office or the Examination Office for this purpose. Further information can be found in the degree program rules and examination regulations and here:

Not all buildings at Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences are barrier-free. In the campus map you will find information on individual aspects of structural accessibility.

Some buildings at Ravensburg-Weingarten University of Applied Sciences have elevators and barrier-free toilets. However, it should be noted that not all buildings are equipped with door openers. In addition, there are no guidance systems or induction loops available in the buildings.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the structural conditions on campus before starting your studies. If you have any questions or need advice, please contact the representative for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses, Prof. Dr. Schröttle.

Here you have the opportunity to exchange ideas with other sufferers, strengthen each other and get tips on how to cope with everyday life and studying.

The group meets every Monday from 19:00.

If you are interested, please contact us by e-mail at: selbsthilfe-wgt@web.de. You will then be informed of the meeting point.

We offer a specialized peer mentoring program for students with autism spectrum disorder.

Further information can be found here:

If you have a disability or chronic illness, you can go abroad during your studies just like any other student. Students with a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 30 who are funded by Erasmus+ to study or do an internship in another European country can apply for additional funding. Further information is available from the DAAD and at the International Office of the RWU.

Financing of living expenses:

In principle, students with disabilities or chronic illnesses have the same options for financing their living expenses as students without disabilities. BAföG offers the possibility of taking impairment-related needs into account. In exceptional cases, additional benefits under SGB II or SGB XII may also apply. It is also possible to receive child benefit beyond the age of 25 due to a disability. Students with disabilities may also be able to receive a reduced earning capacity pension during their studies.

You can find further information here or in the Handbook "Studying and disability" of the Deutsches Studentenwerk and on the website of the Information and Advice Center for Studies and Disability of the Deutsches Studentenwerk.

General information about living in Weingarten can be found here.

The Student Service Organiszation White Rose offers barrier-free rooms in the following halls of residence:

• Briachstraße 2, 88250 Weingarten
• Henri-Dunant-Straße 6, 88213 Ravensburg

The application process is the same as for other applicants via our online form. If you require a barrier-free room, we recommend that you contact the Weiße Rose Student Union in advance by telephone.

The Career Service supports you with questions relating to your job search and acts as an interface between the university and the company. The Career Service offers both advice and seminars on starting a career. You can find further information here.

The Information and Advice Center for Studies and Disability (IBS) of the Deutsches Studentenwerk offers an annual four-day seminar for students and graduates with disabilities to prepare them for starting a career. Further information can be found on the homepage of the IBS.

In addition to general job portals, you can also apply on special platforms for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses. These not only offer job vacancies, but also information, networks and support to facilitate a barrier-free entry into working life:

• Portal on working life and disability: Rehadat Talentplus
• Job exchange: Enable me Foundation myHandicap
• myAbility Talent Program
• Network of and for academics with disabilities: iXNet

Social counseling/counseling for students with disabilities
Marlies Piper

Phone: +49-7531-9782-211
E-mail: sozialberatung@seezeit.com

Further information on social counseling and on the topic of Studying with a disability.

Psychotherapeutic Counseling Center, Weingarten branch
Judith King

Phone: +49-7531-9782-233
E-mail: judith.king@seezeit.com

Further information on Psychotherapeutic counseling of the Seezeit.

Supplementary independent participation advice (EUTB) Weingarten
Schützenstraße 5
88250 Weingarten 
Tel.: +49-751-7910-3449 or +49-751-7910-3451

City of Weingarten
Doris Konya

Zeppelinstraße 3-5
88250 Weingarten 
Phone: +49-751-4051-77 
E-mail: d.konya@weingarten-online.de

Supplementary independent participation advice (EUTB) Ravensburg-Sigmaringen
Schubertstraße 1
88214 Ravensburg
E-mail: info@eutb-rv-sig.de

Homepage of the EUTB

Ravensburg District Office
Help for people with disabilities
Gartenstraße 107
88212 Ravensburg 
Phone: +49-751-8533-49 or +49-751-8533-58
Email: si@rv.de

Ravensburg Mobility Center
Bahnhofsplatz 5
88214 Ravensburg

Bodo service portal

Acute illnesses are short-term illnesses with a relatively short duration. In the case of an acute illness, an application may be made for compensation for disadvantages in study and examination performance, insofar as this is necessary to ensure equal opportunities. The Central Examination Board decides on the type of compensation to be granted.

Accessibility refers to the accessibility of buildings, information, etc. without assistance. Accessibility is to be understood multidimensionally.

The degree of disability (GdB) describes the severity of a disability in terms of its impact. The GdB can be between 20 and 100 and is graduated in steps of 10. From a degree of disability of 50, people with disabilities are considered severely disabled. The degree of disability is determined by the pension office upon application on the basis of a medical report. The Versorgungsamt then issues the so-called (severely) disabled person's pass accordingly.

The hardship quota is an instrument that enables admission to studies in individual cases if a rejection of a study place would be associated with particular hardship. Impairments that make studying difficult can constitute a reason for hardship.

Compensation for disadvantages is an instrument for creating equal opportunities in studies and compensating for disadvantages due to impairments. Compensation for disadvantages can be important both for admission to studies and during studies.

The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (also known as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) specifies the existing human rights for the lives of people with disabilities. Germany has been obliged to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities since March 2009.