Counselling students with special needs

At the University of Tartu, making adaptations is governed by the Study Regulations. According to that, to request adaptations, the student contacts the special needs adviser and presents proof of special needs.

The teaching staff member makes reasonable adaptations in the course for the student if the special needs adviser has prepared a list of adaptations recommended for the student and the teaching staff member is informed of it within a reasonable time from the beginning of the semester; without the adaptations, it would be difficult for the student to achieve the learning outcomes in the course due to special needs.

What is the process of making adaptations?

• The student makes an appointment with the special needs adviser in the booking system of the Counselling Centre.
• The adviser discusses with the student what the difficulties are and what the student can do to support himself/herself. The student submits a document (doctor's certificate, disability certificate, disability assessment decision, etc.) to prove the special need.
• The adviser prepares a draft letter of recommended adaptations and sends it to the student for review.
• If the student agrees with the content of the letter of recommended adaptations, the adviser sends the letter to the teaching staff members in charge of the courses, to the programme director and to the academic affairs specialist.
• The teaching staff in charge informs the staff teaching the course who need to know about the special need and adaptations.
• The teaching staff member considers the recommendations and decides on which adaptations can be made in their course.
• The student contacts the teaching staff in charge to agree on the details.
• The teaching staff informs the student about which adaptations can be made in teaching and studies.
• The adaptations are implemented.

The purpose of the scholarship is to support students with special needs in acquiring higher education. More information can be found on the webpage of the Estonian Education and Youth Board.

Full-time students (excluding doctoral students) whose economic situation has deteriorated or whose capacity to work has diminished are eligible to apply for a need-based special allowance, amounting to 135 euros per month. More information on how to apply for the allowance can be found here.

A student who has a moderate, severe or profound disability or decreased work capability or is a parent or guardian of a disabled child of up to and including 15 years of age will be released from tuition fees on the basis of the student’s application in either full-time or part-time studies, provided the student commences studies full-time in an Estonian-taught curriculum.

Students can apply to be released from tuition fees until 15 September (autumn semester) and 15 February (spring semester).

The application and the document proving the entitlement to the discount must be submitted to the dean's office or the institute of your field.

When applying for release from tuition fees, a document certifying entitlement must be submitted in addition to a duly completed application:

• a student with special needs must submit a disability certificate (issued by the Social Insurance Board) regarding the severity of his/her disability; or, from the 2021/2022 autumn semester, a certificate of decreased working ability (issued by Eesti Töötukassa) can also submitted
• a parent of a disabled child must submit the child’s birth certificate and a decision made by a medical expert regarding the severity of the child’s disability.

More information can be found here.

• You can explore all the buildings of the University of Tartu, including academic buildings and dormitories, through the University of Tartu virtual tour.
• In the main building of the university and the library of the University of Tartu, it is possible to borrow a rollator and a wheelchair for moving around the building. Both students and other visitors can borrow these assistive devices from the cloakroom in the main building and the lending desk in the library. The assistive devices were donated to the university by the Schleswig-Holstein society of the German Red Cross.

Support services at the University of Tartu:

• You can find information about the services offered by the University of Tartu Library for readers with special needs here.
• Students with hearing impairments can borrow a speech recognition device that can be used to convert speech to text. To borrow the device, please contact the special needs advisers.
• Adapted rooms for students with mobility impairments are available in in the student village dormitory at Raatuse st 22.
• Support students are volunteer students who are willing to support students with special needs. If you want to become a support student please contact the Special Needs Adviser.

Support services outside the university:

• Social services, including transport, finding a support person and a personal assistant, etc., are organised by the local government of the person's registered place of residence.
• Students with hearing impairments who have been identified as having reduced work capability can receive free speech-to-text translation services. More information can be found here.
• Paid sign language interpretation services can be ordered here.
• If you need an assistive device, please contact your doctor or the Social Insurance Board.