Special circumstances and possible accommodations

Do you need extra attention or guidance during your studies? For example, because you have ADHD or dyslexia, or because you are an elite athlete as well as a student. Perhaps you have an illness or you are someone's caretaker. Together, we will look at which adjustments and accommodations are necessary and possible.

What are special circumstances?

Special circumstances can cover many situations, but in general, they refer to circumstances that happen to you and over which you have little or no control. For the majority of students dealing with special circumstances, this often concerns a visible or invisible disability or chronic illness. Examples include Crohn’s disease, diabetes, ADHD, dyslexia, or depression. But it can also involve a temporary situation, such as being pregnant, having mononucleosis (glandular fever) or needing surgery. Family situations also count, such as caring for a family member who is ill or experiencing a death within your family or circle of friends. All of these situations can make studying temporarily or longer-term more challenging or not as self-evident.

What are the options?

Students have their own story and needs. One student might need extra time for exams, while another student might need a quiet place to take a test. The possibilities also differ per programme, because ultimately, you must meet the final qualifications of your study programme. Below we mention a few examples, but the main question is always which accommodations or arrangements suit you and are feasible within your programme. You will discuss this with the special needs officer of your programme and/or the student counsellor at Hanze Student Support. This can be done before you start your studies, but also later. Do you have ideas about what could help you? Or have you had good experiences with certain accommodations in your previous education? Be sure to share these with your contact person or student counsellor preferably before starting your study.

What accommodations may you be entitled to?

Exam accommodations
You may receive an extra half hour for a test, take your exam in a room with fewer students, or use text-to-speech software.

Study accommodations
Study accommodations such as an accessible campus and/or digital learning environment are available to all students, as is software like text-to-speech. But it can also involve occasional accommodations such as adapted furniture or a parking permit.

Adjusted study programme or schedule
For example, you may receive an adapted assignment, the possibility to postpone courses, the option to attend classes at a different time, or (partial) exemption from attendance requirements.

Courses and guidance
In addition to the guidance from your academic counsellor, which all students receive, you can also receive extra support from a special needs officer or a student psychologist. You can also participate in Hanze Student Support courses, such as study groups for students with ADHD or ASD, or courses on reading, math and writing skills for anyone with or without dyslexia/dyscalculia but who struggles with reading, math or writing.

Financial support
Are you taking longer to complete your studies due to circumstances? Or are you unable to work because of a disability or illness? There are also financial arrangements to support you, both from Hanze and from DUO, the municipality or private funds. Read more on Knowledgebase - Student | MyHanze about the available options.

Language support
Is Dutch not your first language? You can receive extra language support. This means that in your first year, you will get extra time for exams and are allowed to use a dictionary. There are also language courses you can take. Your academic counsellor can provide more information at the start of your studies and arrange these accommodations for you.

Accessible education
Accessible education concerns both digital and physical accessibility; both the Brightspace learning environment and lecture halls must be accessible and usable for everyone. On the “Contact and Locations” page, you can find an overview of the accessibility of Hanze buildings. If you experience problems with accessibility, contact the student counsellors.

Unhindered studying – support outside Hanze
Support is not only available within Hanze; other social organisations may also provide assistance. For certain situations, accommodations can be requested from the UWV, or you can seek help from the WIJ teams in Groningen. You can also find a lot of useful information on the “Unhindered Studying” website.