Wolf Hertlein
As the representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses at TU Darmstadt, I am here to assist you: individually, solution-oriented, and confidentially.
Services and Approach
As a student with a chronic illness or disability, you are pursuing your studies under challenging conditions. Together with the relevant departments at TU Darmstadt and in collaboration with you, I work to ensure you have the best possible study experience.
My counselling services are for students at the TU and for admitted applicants with disabilities or chronic illnesses. The confidential and non-binding advice includes, for example, the organisation of your studies, but especially the possibilities of disadvantage accommodations in examinations.
I do not make any decisions, but I do make recommendations and help students in organizing their studies if required.
I am also an advisor to academic departments and the TU Darmstadt as a whole on issues of inclusion of students with disabilities.
In our collaboration, I emphasize a constructive, open, accepting, and cooperative approach. If you have any requests for communication with me, please contact me!
Reasonable accomodation (Nachteilsausgleich)
The TU grants students with proven disabilities or chronic illnesses specific reasonable accomodation in examinations. Students affected should therefore carefully consider, in consultation with their doctors or with my assistance, what accommodations they need to mitigate their personal disadvantages in exams. Adjustments to examination conditions are granted on an individual basis and can be requested from the relevant Office for Student Affairs with the necessary supporting documents.
Section 24 of the General Examination Regulations at the TU states the following
- “…The nature and severity of a disability or illness of candidates must be taken into account in the examination procedure. Reasonable accomodation (Nachteilsausgleich) must be provided if the candidates can substantiate that taking an examination as prescribed in the degree programme regulations is not possible or under great difficulties only due to an impairment (disabilities and/or serious or chronic illness). When organising academic studies and examinations, the concerns of [these] persons […] are to be taken into account.”
- The legally binding document is the German version.
Applicants with disabilities or chronic illnesses can submit special applications during the application process for a study place.
Studying with Disabilities
At TU Darmstadt, as at other universities, there are probably numerous students with disabilities and chronic illnesses. However, most of these impairments are not externally visible. The most common impairments among students are mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety disorders. Exact figures are not known for the TU.
