Access arrangements are special dispensations that compensate for disadvantages brought about by a candidate's disability or chronic or mental illness; the point is not to give the candidates an advantage over fellow students but to level the playing field, i.e. enabling the students concerned to complete their studies and examinations under conditions that come as close as possible to those encountered by students who are not afflicted by a disability or chronic or mental illness.
Since such compensatory measures must always be adapted to a person's individual needs, there can be no generally binding rules or standard modifications of exam conditions for specific types of disability or chronic illness. In cooperation with teaching staff, the disabilities officer and Examinations Office should work to find the best possible solution for each individual.
Exam access arrangements granted during the degree programme are not indicated on the Bachelor's or Master's degree certificate.
Please do not hesitate to seek advice from the Student Disabilities Officer, Dr Ulrike Bunge. She is bound by the duty of confidentiality, advises neutrally and without obligation, also anonymously if you wish. To make an appointment, call +49 851 509 1154 or send an e-mail to studieren-mit-beeintraechtigung@uni-passau.de.
Students who, due to a disability, a long-term serious or chronic illness or mental illness, are unable to take examinations in whole or in part under the prescribed conditions or to take them within the deadlines specified in the study and examination regulations, may apply for exam access arrangements.
In order to apply for exam access arrangements, the Examinations Office requires various applications and documents from you, which you must submit to the Examinations Office during the exam registration period at the latest:
Please submit these documents by e-mail (nachteilsausgleich_studierende@uni-passau.de), by post or in person (Examinations Office, Ms Christiane Walther, Innstr. 41, 94032 Passau; VW 209) to the Examinations Office.
The chairperson of the Board of Examiners will decide on your application within three weeks. Subsequently, the Examinations Office send you an official notice (Bescheid) of the decision.
In the case of the University-set portion of the first law examination (Erste Juristische Prüfung) (i.e. the non-state exam part of this combined examination) the decision rests with the Dean. For details, see the subject study and examination regulation for your degree programme or the general study and examination regulation of your faculty.
... you must inform those in charge of planning the examinations:
Please refer to the overview provided by the Examinations Office to find out whether an examination is centrally organised or decentralised.
The exam access arrangement must be applied for anew each semester for each exam.
Please also read the guide on exam access arrangements for students with impairments (especially with mental and chronic illnesses).
Students studying to become teachers can submit a signed, letter requesting exam access arrangements.
Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Unterricht und Kultus
Prüfungsamt
Salvatorstr. 2
80333 München
An official medical certificate is always required for the application for exam access arrangements for state examinations. In addition you can enclose a copy of your disabled pass with the application for exam access arrangements.
The official medical report must certify that due to a non-temporary disability and/or chronic illness you will suffer a considerable impairment when taking the assessment. Furthermore, the report should make a recommendation by what percentage the working time should be extended or what other measures should be taken to compensate for disadvantages.
In the case of exam access arrangements for diagnosed dyslexia, the recommendations of the public medical officer are generally decisive. Since spelling and grammar also marked in state examinations, applications for non-assessment of spelling and grammar usually have no chance of success.
Ulrich Lutz (STMBW)
E-mail: Ulrich.Lutz@stmuk.bayern.de
Law students who wish to apply for a exam access arrangements for the First State Law Examination should write a letter of application for exam access arrangements to the Landsjustizprüfungsamt (there is no application form). You can submit the application in writing or by e-mail. You can find the contact details at the Landsjustizprüfungsamt [German content] under the heading "Nachteilsausgleich".
The application must be received at least six weeks before the beginning of the written examination and must be supported by a certificate from a Landgerichtsarzt or a district health authority (Gesundheitsamt)). In principle, the Landgerichtsarzt or the district health authority at the applicant's place of residence (§ 13 JAPO [German content]). The certificate should indicate the nature of the illness and how it affects the student's ability to sit the examination.
It is helpful to bring and present any existing medical documents and official notices of previously approved exam access arrangements from the University (if available) to the official medical examination.
"Persons with disabilities include people who have long-term physical, mental, cognitive or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may prevent them from participating fully, effectively and equally in society." (Art. 1)
This definition also includes episodic, chronic or mental illnesses, such as rheumatism, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, depression or anxiety disorders – if they impair social participation.
(Art. 2 UNCRPD)
The UNCRPD also stipulates non-discriminatory access to higher education for people with disabilities:
States Parties shall ensure that persons with disabilities are able to access general tertiary education, vocational training, adult education and lifelong learning without discrimination and on an equal basis with others. To this end, States Parties shall ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided to persons with disabilities. (Art. 24(5) UNCRPD)
Persons with disabilities are those who have, for a duration of more than six months, been affected by physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction with attitudinal and environmental barriers, are likely to prevent them from participating in society on an equal basis. (§ 2(1) SGB IX)
This definition, too, includes students with chronic and mental illnesses.
No-one may be disadvantaged on the basis of a disability. (Art. 3(3) sentence 2)
They [the higher education institutions] must "ensure that disabled students are not disadvantaged in their studies and that they can make use of the offers of the higher education institution as much as possible without outside help" (Art. 2(4) sentence 2 HRG; unofficial translation).
Examination regulations must take into account the special needs of disabled students in order to ensure equal opportunities for them. (Art. 16 sentence 4)
The higher education institutions shall take into account the special needs of students with disabilities and appoint a representative for students with disabilities whose duties shall be regulated in the institution's constitution. They shall ensure that students with disabilities are not disadvantaged in their studies and that they are able to make use of the university's services without outside assistance as far as possible. (Art. 2(3), sentences 3 and 4)
The examination regulations of the University of Passau state that appropriate measures to compensate for disadvantages must be put in place for students with disabilities or long-term serious or chronic illnesses.
