Studying with Disabilities - Individual and Confidential Support at the FHP
Students who choose to study at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam benefit from future-oriented degree programmes and individual support. People with disabilities are often dependent on support in order to participate in society and organise their lives in a self-determined way. At the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, we support you on this path in an individualised and degree-oriented manner.
Goals
Our aim is to systematically identify barriers and take them into account when designing teaching, examinations and study organisation - this includes, among other things
- Planning and target-oriented organisation of studies taking into account one's own disability and/or chronic illness (no programme-specific student advisory service), especially in complex situations and in cases of conflict
- Easily accessible application channels in text form
- Realistic organisational deadlines
- Recognition of different types of evidence, such as medical/psychological reports or assessment notices
- In the case of permanent impairments, we review longer authorisation periods
- Individualised study planning - also in the event of an illness-related interruption of studies and re-entry
- Dealing with the disability and/or chronic illness in contact with our lecturers
Counselling and support
Do you have a disability, a chronic illness or a mental impairment - and are wondering how you can study well with it? We provide you with confidential and individual advice: from organising your studies and compensating for disadvantages to difficult situations in everyday student life.
Important: Counselling is not a substitute for therapeutic or medical treatment.
Confidential counselling & support
We offer individual and confidential counselling for students with disabilities, chronic illnesses or mental impairments and support you with:
- Compensation for disadvantages and hardship applications
- Organisation of inclusive studies
- Starting and returning to studies
- Questions about dealing with lecturers
Do you have an acute crisis?
In acute medical crises or a mental state of emergency, please contact your psychotherapist, doctor or psychologist.
In acute crises, the Berliner Kriesendienst is a low-threshold contact point - around the clock, free of charge and anonymous if you wish. Counselling is available by telephone, in person or by video; in particularly difficult situations, the crisis service will also come to your home.
Disadvantage compensation
Do you feel a multiple burden? The combination of study requirements, managing your own health situation (with medical and therapy appointments), perhaps a part-time job on top of that to finance your life, leads you to a mental dead end?
Get in touch with us!
On the 4th of November 2025, the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) adopted an updated recommendation on compensation for disadvantages. This is in response to the increasing number of students with health impairments.
Disabilities or chronic illnesses should not be a disadvantage. Studying with a disability can sometimes present you with a number of challenges - especially if tightly structured study programmes do not suit your time constraints. Compensation for disadvantages, the decision of which is the responsibility of the respective examination board, is intended to help you in stressful situations and compensate for existing disadvantages.
Equal opportunities for all students to participate in examinations and study programmes is a central requirement of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.