Nachteilsausgleich

Academic adjustments are possible for the accommodation of individual disadvantages and hardships, which can result from specific circumstances in life. According to Section 67 of the General Study Regulations, students can apply for academic adjustments due to disability or chronic illnesses.

Examples

Under examination conditions:

% more writing time for exams until the end of this semester or until the end of bachelor’s/ master’s studies
Possibility to take ... breaks of ... minutes for all exams until the end of bachelor’s/master’s studies
A separate examination room which can be shared by a few other participants
Extended examination time or additional breaks or a separate room (individual room and proctor) for examinations (e.g. for limited ability to concentrate; for physical limitations or disabilities; for diabetics who need to check their blood sugar levels during the examination times; for students with chronic intestinal illnesses additional or longer use of restrooms
Use of technical aids during exams (e.g. laptop)
Use of personnel aid during oral exams (e.g. sign language interpreter)
Written supplements to oral examinations or replacement of oral examinations with written examinations for students with hearing or speaking impairments, in some cases also for mentally ill students; oral examination not open to the public; presence of a person the student trusts and/or support from a study assistant, e.g. in the case of speech impediments and psychological disorders
Oral instead of written exams, e.g. for visually impaired students or students with limited hand-arm motor skills

Under study conditions:

...% more writing time for term papers until the end of summer/winter semester 20...
Written papers instead of presentations (e.g. for hearing and speech impairments, concentration disorders, possibly also with an individual discussion about the paper with the instructor)
Modification of the attendance requirements in courses (e.g. replacement with other work such as an additional term paper, replacement with proof of participation in another course on the same topic)
Modifications of practical examinations, if necessary the use of assistants and additional aids and/or replacement with a theoretical examination, e.g. office internship instead of internship at a construction site for students in wheelchairs

Good to know

Such adjustments are settled by fixing another appointment, an extended period or timeframe, a different location, a different form, permission for auxiliary tools or persons, or in any other appropriate way.
The modified coursework or exam must be equivalent to the original requirement.
The medical diagnosis does not need to be included.
Your use of any academic adjustments is not recorded on your certificates or transcript of records and is voluntary.
You are not required to make use of a granted application for academic adjustment.

Downloads

Sample application form (docx)

Sample application form (pdf)

1. Seek advice

Should you have any doubts or questions regarding the application for academic adjustment please do not hesitate to contact us.

2. Fill out the application form

You can use the application form provided by your examination board, which you can find on your institute’s website. You can find the link to the examination board on the overview pages for the degree programs.

If such a form is not available, you may submit your application with our sample application form.

What to include in your application:

Please describe your symptoms and how they impact your ability to study. For example, you may experience a “reduced ability to concentrate” due to an illness or as a side effect of medication you are taking. Your medical diagnosis does not need to be included.

Include possible academic adjustments which would compensate for your individual impairment(s).
Students can request one or more modifications to coursework and/or assessments.
You must include the module(s), semester, and type of degree program (bachelor’s/master’s), for which you require academic adjustment.
Sign and submit your application together with the supporting documents.

3. Submit your application

Please send your application and supporting documents from your TU email account as a PDF file directly to the examination board. You can find the link to the examination board on the overview pages for the degree programs.

4. Inform each lecturer about the approved application

Your application will either be approved fully as submitted or the form(s) of academic adjustment(s) will have been modified and this modification approved. You may then make use of the academic adjustment. If the modification does not compensate for disadvantages, however, please contact our advising team.

If you would like to make use of the academic adjustment, you must inform each lecturer independently in the courses in which you wish to take examinations of the approved academic adjustment and agree on modified study and examination conditions. Otherwise the right to academic adjustment does not exist.

Please contact our advising team if your application is denied.

Please not, you don`t need to name your diagnosis. Instead, the symptoms of the illness and their effects on the student’s ability to perform should be described in detail.

A disability ID is not required and is not sufficient on its own.

The medical certificate or statement must contain the following:

The estimated duration of the illness
Medical findings/symptoms of the illness (understandable for laypersons)
The impairment resulting from the illness (including, for example, side effects of medication, extent of treatments at the expense of time for study)
Recommendation for one/multiple compensations for disadvantages and their scope, e.g. …% more time for written exams; ensuring … breaks each lasting … minutes during exams (which are longer than 90/…min)
If applicable, a recommendation to permit aids in the form of …
Date of medical examination, stamp and signature of the physician/psychotherapist