Accessibility Services
ZAB Student Counselling Service
Almost every 5th student at Bielefeld University has a disability, chronic or mental illness.
We support you with hurdles that occur during your studies and inform you about your rights. Even if you are still studying and would like to inform yourself, you can contact us. We will be happy to advise you.
We offer voluntary, confidential, independent counseling for students and Prospective students on all topics related to accessible study. This is based on resource- and solution-oriented counseling approaches. You do not need to present a medical certificate or medical diagnosis to participate in counseling. If you wish, you can also contact us anonymously.
Possible topics for counseling are:
- Admission to studies
- Disadvantage compensation
- Financing your studies
- Accessibility of housing
- (Technical) aids
Even if you are not sure whether you are in the right place with your request, you can contact us. We will refer you if necessary. We do not offer psychological counseling at the ZAB.
Types and frequencies of impairments
In the winter semester 2018/19, 18% of students at Bielefeld University stated that they were studying with a disability, chronic illness or mental illness. Of these were:
43.6% mental illnesses
26.3% chronic-somatic illnesses
10.3% other
9.7% visual impairments
3.7% partial performance disorders
3.6% movement impairments
1.6% Hearing impairments
1.3% Speech/language impairments
Source: Student survey Bielefeld University WiSe 2018/19.
Representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses
The representative for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses represents the interests of students with disabilities, chronic illnesses or mental illnesses at the university.
This primarily relates to the design of teaching and study conditions. In addition, the representative is committed to the compensation of disadvantages due to disability or illness in the approval and admission to the study program and in examinations during the study program.
Since 2020, Mr. Michael Johannfunke has held the office of Representative for Students with Disabilities or Chronic Illness. He was nominated by the students, elected by the Senate and represents the interests of students with disabilities, chronic or mental illness in the university context. He is particularly committed to barrier-free approval of higher education at Bielefeld University.
Mr. Johannfunke coordinates the ZAB - Zentrale Anlaufstelle Barrierefrei. The main topics of the ZAB are Accessibility in studying and teaching and raising awareness for disabilities, chronic and mental illnesses at Bielefeld University. Contact can be made via the following e-mail address: zab@uni-bielefeld.de