Compensation for Disadvantages

What is Compensation for Disadvantages?

Individual compensation for disadvantages is not a preferential treatment but a contribution to inclusion and equal opportunities. Students with disabilities/chronic illnesses and women on maternity leave have the right to compensation for disadvantages, as stipulated in all examination regulations in force at the Faculty of Arts. Please also consider the relevant FAQ regarding maternity protection.

In principle, students must be capable of acquiring the competencies and qualification objectives required by the respective examination regulations and demonstrating them through examinations. Compensation for disadvantages does not modify "what is being tested" but only "how it is being tested." This means that the form and conditions for acquiring these skills and the corresponding performance assessments can be modified, but not the performance goals themselves.

Consultation Services

For specific advice on applying for compensation for disadvantages at the Faculty of Arts, students should contact Dr. Laura-Marie Schnitzler from the Examination Office. For this purpose, we offer office hours and telephone consultations, which you can find on our contact and advice page. Further general information on the topic of compensation for disadvantages can also be found on the "INCLUSIVE Studying" page of the representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, Ms. Marion Becker.

Application

Please use the appropriate form for the "Application for Compensation for Disadvantages Due to Chronic Illness, Disability or Maternity Leave" and submit it via the special contact form.

Please submit the application for compensation for disadvantages to the Examination Office as early as possible before the relevant examination dates—approximately 8 weeks in advance. This ensures that the application can be reviewed in a timely manner, and the department has sufficient time for implementation. The examiners need to be informed of the compensatory measures four weeks ahead of the date to guarantee that measures can be implemented.

Be sure to include a current (not older than six months) medical report that specifies how your chronic illness/disability affects your ability to perform in examinations. Ideally, the report should already provide recommendations for compensation.

ERASMUS and Global Exchange students, who already have a compensation for disadvantages from their home university, should contact Dr. Laura-Marie Schnitzler directly and submit the information of their compensatory measures (if applicable, translated to German or English). We will try to replicate the measures here at the University of Bonn.

Possible Measures

• Extension of exam writing time
• Breaks
• Separate room
• Modification of exam formats (note: only possible if it does not affect the learning objective)
• Approval of necessary aids (such as laptops for typing)
• Other individual measures are possible

Data Protection

Your application will be treated confidentially in the Examination Office. If the application is approved, students will receive an official notice of their compensation for disadvantages by mail to the address they have on file with the Student Secretariat. The notice will outline the individually granted measures for compensation, but it will not contain a medical diagnosis or other personal data. Students can present the notice to their program management and respective instructors if they wish to take advantage of any of the measures. The degree certificate and other official documents from the Examination Office will not reference the compensation for disadvantages.

Further Resources

In honour of the 2024 Mental Health Day, this flyer offers a list of contact points for students struggling with their (mental) health, offering an overview of internal support structures within the university as well as external ones.

Download the flyer here.

All institutes have a liaison lecturer. Please consult the institutes' websites for further information.