Students with disabilities or health issues: who belongs to this group?
Where can they turn for help?
Do you have a health condition that makes you feel alone
among a seemingly healthy student body?
As many as 15% of students in Hamburg struggle with health issues
that make it harder for them to complete their studies.
Over 95% of those students have a condition that is invisible to the outside world.
More than half of them suffer from a mental illness.
Depression and anxiety are the most common diagnoses by far.
The second largest group consists of students
with physical illnesses, many of which are chronic.
They include inflammatory bowel disease,
neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and migraine,
rheumatic diseases,
metabolic disorders and many others.
Other students live with motor impairments
or partial or total loss of sight, hearing or speech.
Some have specific learning difficulties
or are on the autistic spectrum.
If your health condition has an impact on your studies,
either temporarily or permanently, ask your university about your rights.
You may be entitled to disability accommodations, which means that
the conditions under which you study and take examinations will be adjusted.
All public institutions of higher education in Hamburg
are legally obliged to appoint officers
who look after students with disabilities or health issues.
Some have special advice services to help affected students.
The Counselling Centre for Social & International Affairs at Studierendenwerk Hamburg
performs this function for all universities in Hamburg.
Most health conditions are not considered disabilities in common parlance.
Students with such conditions are often taken aback
when asked to consult a service for students with disabilities.
This confusion occurs because the legal term of ‘disability’
is considerably broader: it includes many long-term conditions
that may impair your ability to complete your studies.
Even if you are not sure whether your own condition qualifies,
seek help and advice early.
You can arrange an appointment at any time.