Representation of students with disabilities
and chronic illness (VORSCHUB)
It should be possible for everyone to study at RWTH Aachen University without restriction. People with chronic illnesses and disabilities should have the same opportunity as everyone else to study at the university and complete their desired degree. In doing so, you will be supported by us, the representation of students with disabilities and chronic illness (VORSCHUB for short). Our office exists since 2016 and replaces the former Representation of Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illness and that of the Subject Area Disability Issues Students.
We advocate for the interests of students – from barrier-free access to lecture halls to compensation for disadvantages and individual and confidential counseling. In addition, we provide students with study assistants who can accompany them in everyday university life. We want to contribute to students being able to study under good and individual conditions and to feel well taken care of and comfortable at RWTH Aachen University.
For questions about studying with disabilities and chronic illness, we are of course also the contact point for all RWTH staff and lecturers.
Further down on this page you can also find an overview of documents with useful info.
Accessibility feedback
In this form you can submit feedback and comments about accessibility at RWTH!
RWTH Navigator
With the RWTH Navigator you can find barrier-free toilets. Please note that baby changing rooms are the same as accessible restrooms.
Our consultation
We are offering our consultation online via E-Mail, telephone or Zoom – even in urgent cases. We also do face-to-face consultation on the AStA (Pontwall 3 52062/Aachen).
Everything important about our consulting is also presented again in our flyer.
Consultation hours:
| Thu. 10:00 – 12:00 |
Click here for the Zoom Meeting.
Meeting-ID: 9610 7259 338
Consultation topics
- health-related difficulties in studies
- Compensation for disadvantages in examination performance
- Support by study assistants
- Relaxation room for rest between events
- Support group
- Hardship applications
- Semester off due to illness
- Reimbursement of the semester ticket
- BAföG special regulations
- Living in a dormitory with a disability or illness
Contact for consultaion
E-Mail: Vorschub-beratung@asta.rwth-aachen.de
Telephone: +49 15162559735
contact for all other matters
Contact
E-Mail: vorschub@asta.rwth-aachen.de
Telephone: +49 1517 0432206
Representative for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses
My name is Philip Balcar and I am studying industrial engineering with a specialization in civil engineering for my bachelor’s degree. I am 23 years old and come from the Allgäu. I am always in a good mood, love to read and am always happy to meet new people.
Since February 2021, I am part of VORSCHUB and therefore the voice for students with chronic illness and disabilities in the Senate and the Student Parliament.
If you have any questions about compensation for disadvantages, hardship applications and financing options, or if you need a sympathetic ear, just write an email or come to our consultation. You can reach me at pbalcar@asta.rwth-aachen.de or at 0151 70432206.
My name is Alessa Stemmer, I am 21 years old and I study social sciences in the bachelor’s program. After working as a health and nursing assistant, I have been the deputy representative for students with chronic illness or disability at VORSCHUB since May 2022.
Apart from my enthusiasm for sports, I also enjoy going to cafés, for example.
If you have any questions, concerns or other issues, for example about counseling, please feel free to contact me. You can reach me at astemmer@asta.rwth-aachen.de or at 0175 1668342.
Downloads
Compensation for disadvantages
The disadvantage compensation means the attempt to support students with disabilities or chronic illnesses according to their potentials instead of disadvantaging them. Here you can find a detailed explanation of the disadvantage compensation as well as instructions on how to apply for it.
Studyguide
Our study guide provides a compact compilation of the assistance offered, counseling centers and other important information for students at RWTH.
Study Guide
Form Compensation for disadvantages
You can present this sample template to your doctors as a guide so that they know how best to formulate your compensation for disadvantages.
Financing options for studying with an impairment
Here you will find a brief overview of funding options for studying with an impairment.
Inclusion assistance, study assistants
Here you will find an overview of the dokuments which are necessary in order to apply for integration assistance from the responsible service provider (Landschaftsverband Rheinland). One form of support can be a study assistance, which helps students to better organize and structure their daily study routine.
Distress phone numbers
Here is a list of the most important emergency numbers and a brief guide on how to best communicate an emergency situation. Wondering what the University Guard actually does? Then you can learn more about it here:
https://www.rwth-aachen.de/cms/root/Die-RWTH/Sicherheit/~epg/Hochschulwache/
The hardship application (Härtefallantrag)
Another special application is the hardship application, which aims at the immediate admission to a study program, for example with the reason that the student suffers from an illness with a tendency to worsen. In addition, there is the from “Hochschulstart”, a site through which many application procedures for studies run, as well as instructions on how to apply for the hardship application.
Admission to a Degree Program Exceptional Circumstances
Request for a vacation semester
There can be various reasons why you want or need to apply for a vacation semester (illness, an internship or study abroad, etc.). You can submit the prefabricated application to the Office of Student Affairs and normally receive a leave of absence for one semester.
Devices in the library, quiet room
There are regulations at RWTH Aachen University that are intended to make studying a little easier for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses. On the one hand, there is a “special status” of the library, which allows you, for example, to apply for increased loan periods.
In addition, there is a “quiet room”, which is not open to the public and offers students a relaxation or learning environment.
Restrooms
Here you can find orientation information about the restrooms in the RWTH buildings.
Parking zones
Here you will find information about all parking areas at the RWTH.
Handout barrier-free living
In this document VORSCHUB has compiled information about barrier-free living in Aachen. For further information and individual questions, students can contact vorschub@asta.rwth-aachen.de.
If you have any questions or comments about VORSCHUB feel free to write us via our contact formular: