Studying with a disability

Studying at Erasmus University Rotterdam can present extra challenges if you have a disbility or support needs. You are not alone. On this page, you can read about the provisions available and who you can contact for advice.

Whether it concerns a disability, chronic illness, psychological complaints, special family circumstances, or caregiving: together we will look at what support suits your situation.

What are support needs?

You have support needs if you require extra help or adjustments to study effectively. Support needs can, for example, arise from:

Dyslexia or dyscalculia.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
AD(H)D.
A chronic illness.
A hearing impairment.
A visual impairment.
A physical disability.
Non-acquired brain injury (NABI).
Psychological complaints.

If you have support needs, you can ask the university for extra provisions or adjustments. This is more common than you might think. More than 20 percent of students at Erasmus University Rotterdam indicate that they study under special circumstances, for example due to a disability.

Special family circumstances, caregiving, parenthood, or elite sports can also mean that you need extra support. Discuss this in the first instance with your study advisor, so you can look at what is possible together.

Provisions at Erasmus University Rotterdam

The provisions below are examples that can help you follow your studies as effectively as possible. The specific options and procedures may vary per degree programme. Therefore, always contact your study advisor or team SMF if you are in doubt.

Are you an international student previously using provisions in your home country? Please be aware that each university has its own regulations, facilities, and procedures for granting support. Therefore that not all accommodations provided elsewhere may be available or applicable at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

We encourage you to reach out to your study advisor as soon as possible to discuss your specific needs. Together, we can explore which suitable alternatives and support measures are available within our educational framework to help you succeed in your studies.

Exam provisions

Exam provisions are adjustments that better enable you to take exams. Some examples of exam provisions are:

30 minutes extra time.
Taking the exam in a smaller room.
Extra toilet visits.
Software, such as Readspeaker TextAid (text-to-speech), SuperNova (magnification), or Dragon (speech-to-text for answers).
Large screen.
Use of an ergonomic mouse and/or keyboard.

Applying

You can apply for exam provisions via OSIRIS Case (OSIRIS Zaak).
The examination board of the faculty where you are studying will assess your request.

Questions about your application

Do you have questions about the application or the decision? Contact the study advisors of your degree programme. They can think along with you about your situation and the next steps.

Request exam provisions

Educational provisions

Educational provisions are adjustments made while attending classes. Some examples include:

An adjusted attendance requirement.
Switching tutorial groups.
Receiving PowerPoint slides in advance.
Adjustment of deadlines for assignments or papers.
An individual assignment instead of a group assignment.
Access to lecture recordings.

Please note: what is possible varies per degree programme.

Applying

Where you apply for an educational provision varies per degree programme. Sometimes you do this with the study advisor, sometimes with a lecturer, course coordinator, or programme director.

Questions about your application

Would you like to know what is possible for you? Contact the study advisor of your degree programme. Together you will discuss which educational provisions are available and suit your support needs.

Campus provisions

Sometimes you need provisions to make the campus more accessible. Examples include:

A mobility pass for access to certain wheelchair lifts and (revolving) doors.
A parking license.
A locker for your belongings.
Listening to the lecture audio with MobileConnect or via a hearing loop system.

More information about these provisions and the physical accessibility of campus Woudestein can be found on the 'Physical accessibility' page of Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Applications and questions

For questions about or applying for these campus provisions, you can contact team Studying with a disability (SMF).
Do you use a (manual or electric) wheelchair and want to study at Erasmus University Rotterdam? Please contact team Studying with a disability (SMF) to schedule an appointment, so we can assist you properly.

Contact team SMF

Provisions outside the university

In addition to provisions at Erasmus University Rotterdam, there are also schemes outside the university.

In some cases, you can get support for work or education through the UWV. For example, communication aids, interpreter hours for a writing or sign language interpreter, or mobility aids.
Are you experiencing study delay due to a disability? In some situations, you may be eligible for financial provisions, such as an extension of the performance grant from DUO. You always apply for this scheme through a student counsellor. Do you want to know if you qualify for one of these schemes? Please contact the student counsellors of team SMF via smf@eur.nl. They can look into this with you.

You are not obliged to report your disability to Erasmus University Rotterdam. However, without a report, the university cannot take your situation into account and you will not be able to use extra provisions or support.

Therefore, discuss your support needs with the study advisor of your degree programme. Together you will look at what support at Erasmus University Rotterdam suits your situation.

You apply for exam provisions via OSIRIS Case (OSIRIS Zaak). The examination board of your faculty will assess your request. On the 'Requesting provisions' page, you will find more information about the procedure at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Do you need help with your application? Please contact the study advisors of your faculty. They can look at your situation and think along about what is appropriate.

Apply for exam provisions as early as possible, preferably well before your first exam period at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Processing your application takes time, and sometimes additional information is required.

Therefore, first read the information on the 'Requesting provisions' page and ask your study advisor for advice if you are in doubt.

The validity period of exam provisions depends on your situation and your degree programme at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Have you already been granted exam provisions? In OSIRIS Student, you can see which provisions you have and until when they are valid. For this, look at step 4 on this page.

Approximately thirty days before an exam provision expires, you will automatically receive a message about this via OSIRIS.

Have your exam provisions expired? Then you can submit a new request via OSIRIS Case (OSIRIS Zaak). Do this on time, so there is enough time to assess your application before your next exam period.

Are you starting a master's after a bachelor's, switching to another study programme, or going to follow an extra study programme at Erasmus University Rotterdam? If you previously had exam provisions, check in OSIRIS Student until when your provisions are valid.

If your provisions are still valid, you do not need to submit a new request. If they have expired, submit a new request via OSIRIS Case (OSIRIS Zaak).

With dyslexia, ADHD, or ASD, you can always apply for thirty minutes of extra exam time. You will then take your exams in a smaller room.

Do you need more exam provisions? Please contact the study advisor of your degree programme.

At Erasmus University Rotterdam, virtually all exams are taken on a Chromebook or desktop PC by default.

Do you need specific provisions for digital exams? Discuss this with the study advisor of your degree programme.

In OSIRIS Student, you can see shortly before the exam in which room you will take it. If you take your exam in the Exam Centre, you can scan a QR code on the spot to see which hall you need to be in.

Access to lecture recordings can be an educational provision. The options are limited and vary per degree programme at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Discuss with your study advisor what is possible within your degree programme.

Text-to-speech software can help if you have difficulty reading, for example with dyslexia. In some cases, you can gain access to the text-to-speech software ReadSpeaker TextAid for self-study through Erasmus University Rotterdam.

Contact team SMF to apply for this.

Do you need a locker for your belongings due to your disability, for example because you experience pain symptoms or use a wheelchair?

Please contact team SMF.

Are you dealing with limited mobility? For example, do you use a wheelchair, or do you have difficulty walking up stairs? On the 'Physical accessibility' page, you will find comprehensive information about the accessibility of campus Woudestein of Erasmus University Rotterdam. There you can read about adapted routes, lifts, accessible entrances, and parking spaces, among other things.

Do you have questions or specific requests, for example about a mobility pass or access to certain doors or lifts? Or would you like a tour of the campus? Then contact team SMF. They will think along with you to find a suitable solution.

Contact with team Studying with a Disability (SMF)

Team Studying with a Disability (SMF) of Erasmus University Rotterdam is there for (prospective) students studying with a disability or support needs.

You can contact team SMF for:

Personal advice about your situation.
Questions about exam, educational, and campus provisions.
Guidance with applications to DUO or the UWV.

How to get in touch

Send an email to smf@eur.nl.
Or make an appointment with an SMF student counsellor via the 'Make an appointment' page.

Together we will look at what steps you can take so that you can study as effectively as possible at Erasmus University Rotterdam with your disability or support needs.

Ms. M. (Marlijn) Wagenaar MSc
Student Counsellor for students with a disability
Available on:
Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri
Email address
smf@eur.nl
Ms. C. (Carine) Verhoef - van Dorst MSc
Coordinator Student Ambassadors Studying with a disability
Available on: absent
Email address
smf@eur.nl
Ms. J. (Joëlle) Schut MSc
Student Counsellor for students with a disability
Available on:
Mon to Fri
Email address
smf@eur.nl
Ms. L. (Leonie) van Winden MSc
Student Counsellor for students with a disability
Available on:
Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri
Email address
smf@eur.nl

Studying with a disability of support needs

What are support needs?