Academic accommodations for students with disabilities and/or chronic health conditions
Students, prospective students and continuing education participants with disabilities or chronic health conditions may be legally entitled to academic accommodations in order to ensure they have equal opportunities in their studies.
What are academic accommodations?
Academic accommodations allow for differentiated treatment to ensure that students with disabilities and chronic health conditions have the same access to education as everyone else. Academic accommodations may be granted in connection with the following conditions:
- Mobility, physical or sensory impairments
- Chronic illnesses (e.g. bowel diseases, tumour diseases)
- Mental health conditions (e.g. depression, bipolar disorder)
- Specific learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia)
- Neurodivergence (e.g. ADHD, autism spectrum, dyslexia)
The above list is not exhaustive. The academic accommodation measures are defined jointly by the students, the academic accommodations advisory service and the Schools. Academic accommodations must not result in different learning objectives or confer advantages. The measures must also be proportionate to the respective diagnosis and be feasible for the Schools to implement.
Should you have any questions or if anything is unclear with regards to academic accommodations, please contact us at barrierefrei@zhaw.ch. You can also find further information on academic accommodations in the Regulations on Academic Accommodations.
How can I apply for academic accommodations?
1. Submit an online application
Complete the online application form at the bottom of this page and submit it on time to the academic accommodations advisory service. The online application is non-binding and does not yet entitle you to an academic accommodation or corresponding measures. These are only defined after your application has been reviewed by the academic accommodations advisory service.
Your online application must contain a clear request including the relevant reasons. Evidence of your disability or chronic health condition (issued by a professional or specialist office) must also be submitted. This must explain how your disability or chronic health condition disadvantages you in pursuing your studies. We also kindly ask that you send us a copy of any academic accommodations you have received in the past.
A consultation is recommended, but is optional. If you have already been granted academic accommodations (from past semesters / other degree programmes / other universities), you can also select the option “without consultation” during the registration process. You and the academic accommodations advisory service do, however, have the option to initiate a consultation at any time, if required.
2. Review by and consultation with the academic
Your online application and supporting documents will then be reviewed. Should you wish for a consultation, you will receive an invitation for a meeting. The academic accommodation measures will be determined together with you and your School and documented in writing.
3. Submission to the School
After reviewing your application and the submitted supporting documents, and following a possible consultation and your reconfirmation of the measures, the academic accommodations advisory service will submit your application with a recommendation to the responsible School.
4. Decision and information
The School – generally the programme director – decides on the measures and informs you in writing. If the measures are modified or rejected, you will receive preliminary information and have three options:
- You can ask for the academic accommodations advisory service to mediate in an attempt to find an amicable solution with the School. The academic accommodations advisory service can then submit a revised application.. Should the revised application also fail to gain approval, you will receive a ruling from the School including instructions on how to appeal.
- You can inform the School that you are in agreement with the announced modification or rejection in accordance with the preliminary information provided to you. Those measures will then be implemented without further notice.
- You can inform the School that you wish to proceed with the application you had submitted. In this case, the School will then provide a ruling with instructions on how to appeal.
The Regulations on Academic Accommodations govern the applicable rights and obligations as well as the associated procedures and responsibilities. The academic accommodations advisory service recommends that you read the regulations before submitting your online application. You can find the regulations here.
Deadlines
Please note that it takes time to review your online application, advise you and coordinate with your School. We therefore ask that you complete the online application as early as possible and within the deadline to ensure that enough time remains to review, advise and prepare the application for your School.
The binding deadlines for each School can be found on the intranet of the respective School and below:
Online application form
Please complete the online application form below so that your request for academic accommodations can be reviewed.