Special educational support

Do you need special educational support?

Students at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) with documented disabilities who need support in order to complete their studies can apply for special educational support (SPS).

Please contact us as soon as possible regardless of whether you want to apply for a master's degree programme, as a guest student or as an exchange student.

Below, you can find out if you are eligible for SPS and see what kind of support is available.

See the different options for support

Contact the SPS counsellors

Studerende til undervisning i auditorium

Who can apply for SPS?

Danish citizens enrolled on a full degree programme
EU citizens enrolled on a full degree programme

To receive SPS as a non-EU citizen, you must apply for equal status with Danish citizens according to either Danish rules and regulations or EU law (please contact the SU division at the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science if you have any questions).

Apply for equal right status

Contact the Agency (SU)

If you are a non-EU citizen interested in applying for a full degree programme at UCPH, you should contact the faculty that offers the relevant programme. They can inform you about your options.

Contact the faculty

Exchange students and guest students

As an exchange or a guest student at UCPH, you are not covered by the same terms as full-degree students. However, you can still apply for special conditions in class and at exams.

See information about SPS for exchange and guest students (studying at UCPH for one or two semesters).

The following information on this page is only for students who are enrolled on a full degree programme at UCPH.

Meet students who receive support

Contact us

Please book an appointment with an SPS-counsellor. At the meeting, we will help you get an overview of your needs and options for support.

It is important that you book the earliest time available. You are also welcome to send us an email or drop by on South Campus.

In addition, we recommend that you contact your faculty before applying for SPS in order to discuss your situation as a student with a disability. You can ask about what special conditions they can offer you in class and at exams.

Contact the faculties here

Send an email to sps@adm.ku.dk.

Please include your phone number if you want an SPS counsellor to call you.

If it is your first booking:

Register in the booking system by clicking on new customer.
Enter the email and password you want to use for logging in.
You can register in the system and book an appointment here.

If you have logged in before:

If you want to cancel an appointment:

Log into the booking system with the email and password you chose when you registered in the system.
Click on your existing bookings and click on delete.

If you experience problems with the booking system, you can send an email to sps@adm.ku.dk. The SPS counsellors will then help you.

You can meet an SPS counsellor every Tuesday from 9:00 to 12 noon at Karen Blixens Plads 8, by the IT support centre, ground floor at Torvet, room 13A.0.53.

You do not need to book an appointment in advance. Just show up.

Drop-in at Søndre Campus is closed from 17 December 2024 to 14 January 2025.

Please contact us if you have any questions. We are here to help.

What support options are available?

The target group for special educational support is broad and the available support depends on your disability.

To apply for SPS, you must meet the following requirements:

Your impairment must be diagnosed.
You must have documentation of your disability (for example from your doctor or psychiatrist).
You must be enrolled on a degree programme and meet the study activity.
You must be a Danish citizen, covered by an international agreement or have obtained equal status with Danish citizens.

I have hearing or visual impairments

Why can it be difficult to study?

In addition to the more obvious difficulties in relation to seeing and hearing, it may be difficult to study because of:

Problems with concentration and stamina
Missing overview of studies
Challenges in structuring and planning your course of study.

What help can I get if I'm blind or visually impaired?

Assessment of your need for support at the Danish Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted (IBOS)
Aids, such as the IT starter pack for the blind or visually impaired, blackboard camera and cold lights
Digital teaching materials
Secretarial assistance
Mobility hours by an IBOS consultant
Study support hours by a support teacher to, for example, reading graphs
Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read

What help can I get if I'm deaf or hearing impaired?

Sign-language or writing interpreter
Hearing assessment
Aids/support materials
Secretarial assistance
IT starter pack for the deaf or hearing impaired
Study support hours with a support teacher
Program that can make PDFs easier to read

How should I document my visual or hearing impairment?

Hearing impairment: Copies of hearing graph and medical records from hearing clinic or hospital.
Visual impairment: Documentation from an eye specialist/ophthalmologist stating your diagnosis.

I have a physical impairment

The most common form of physical impairment is a movement disability or chronic pain. This may be paralysis, hypermobility, pain in joints/muscles or arthritis. It could also be other serious or chronic diseases.

Why can it be difficult to study?

Problems with concentration and stamina
Lack of overview of studies and difficulty in structuring and planning
Problems with specific assignments
Pain in the musculoskeletal system and rapid fatigue.

What help can I get?

Dictaphone for recording sound
Ergonomic chairs, tables, mouse and/or keyboards
Reading racks
Computer with reading-aloud programs, etc.
Secretarial assistance and/or practical assistance
Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read

Please note that transport to and from your studies is not a part of SPS.

How should I document my physical impairment?

You must have medical documentation for your physical impairment.
This could be from your own doctor/GP, a medical specialist, the hospital or e-journals.
The documentation must show your full name, CPR number and date.
In the case of chronic or serious illness, the documentation must describe your learning issues or other issues.
This may, for example, be moving or visual difficulties that have an impact on your participation in your education.
For progressive disorders, it is important that the documentation is relatively new and covers your current condition.

I'm dyslexic

Why can it be difficult to study?

Slower reading speed than your fellow students
Problems learning new course content through reading
Problems in keeping sentences in your head while writing them down
Problems in formulating difficult content in writing
Major differences in written and oral formulation
Problems in reading and writing in a foreign language
Uncertainty of spelling

What help can I get?

Dyslexia test
IT pack with dyslexia programs for your own computer
Instructions on how to use the IT pack
Dictaphone to record sound
Handheld scanner + C pen
Digital teaching materials
Support hours with dyslexia consultant
Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read

What are support hours?

If you are dyslexic, you can receive study support hours at KVUC’s writing center. The study support is planned according to your needs.

You will have a permanent counsellor at KVUC. Together, you can focus on strategies and methods related to reading and writing. You can also receive support in structuring your study work. For example, by planning oral and written exams together.

In the video below, you can hear KVUC explain their support hours. The video is both for you who suspect you are dyslexic, and for those who already know you are (note that the video is in Danish).

I have a mental impairment, ADHD or autism

Mental impairments can be, for example, anxiety, depressions, OCD, PTSD, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

If you have ASF (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or ADHD, you can get the same support as students with mental impairments.

Why can it be difficult to study?

Lack of drive and energy for studying
Concentration and memory problems during your studies
Problems with stamina and keeping to the programme
Problems with structuring your study everyday life, for example in connection with major assignments
Lack of overview of the programme, syllabus, major assignments and exams
Difficulties to get started, for example in connection with writing processes
Feeling of confusion and discomfort in relation to study pressures
Finding it difficult to be in social contexts, for example challenges of attending the programme and classes with many people
Difficult to 'be on', for example, for presentations and group work.
Challenges in contacting lecturers and fellow students
Uncertainty about own study capabilities and academic skills

Hvilken hjælp kan jeg få?

Study support hours at the Student Counselling Service (link in Danish)
Student mentor (link in Danish): A UCPH student employed by the Student Counselling Service
Academic support teacher (link in Danish): A teacher employed by the Student Counselling Service
Dictaphone to record sound
Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read.

How should I document my mental impairment?

You must have medical documentation for your mental impairment or neuro-divergence.
This could be from your own doctor/GP, a medical specialist, the hospital or e-journals.
The documentation must show your full name, CPR number and date.
The statement from a psychologist is not enough; it must be supplemented by medical documentation
Documentation of anxiety or depression must not be more than 1 year old.

What are study support hours?

I have a neurological functional impairment

A neurological functional impairment could be:

Brain damage, brain haemorrhage, brain tumour or a stroke
Long-term effects of concussion
Epilepsy
Chronic migraine and chronic headaches
Inflammation of the nerves, paralysis or sensory disturbances
Sclerosis
Cerebral palsy
Pains, such as facial pain or walking and mobility disorders

Why can it be difficult to study?

Extreme sensitivity to light or sounds
Concentration or memory problems
Difficulty planning, creating structure and overview
Joint vision problems or difficulty speaking
Dizziness, walking disorders uncoordinated movements
Severe migraine attacks
Constant feeling of fatigue along with headaches and muscle pain
Difficult to sit still or hypersomnia
Reduced voice power and facial expressions

What help can I get?

Clarification and study support hours at the Student Counselling Service (link in Danish)
Student mentor (link in Danish): A UCPH student employed by the Student Counselling Service
Academic support teacher (link in Danish): A teacher employed by the Student Counselling Service
Dictaphone to record sound
Assessment at the Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted (IBOS).
Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read

How should I document my neurological impairment?

You must have medical documentation for your functional impairment.
This could be from a doctor, a medical specialist, the hospital or e-journals.
The documentation must show your full name, CPR number and date.
In the case of chronic or serious illness, the documentation must describe your learning issues or other issues.
This may, for example, be moving or visual difficulties that have an impact on your participation in your education.
For progressive disorders, it is important that the documentation is relatively new and covers your current condition.

What are study support hours?

How to apply for SPS

SPS is short for special educational support and can be anything from aids to personal support, however, not financial support or study help with subjects you are struggling with.

To be granted SPS, you must have a diagnosed functional impairment. You can apply for SPS throughout the duration of your studies.

See the video with Tanja who is SPS counsellor at UCPH. In the video, she explains how you apply for SPS.

How do I get my aids and support?

In the timeline below, you can see what happens from when you book a meeting to you receive SPS.

1
SPS meeting at UCPH
You can book a meeting as soon you are offered admission to UCPH. Then a SPS counsellor will help you get started with your support.
Book a meeting
2
Apply for support
Your SPS counsellor at UCPH applies for the support and/or aids that you have discussed during the meeting. You will often recieve some forms that you have to fill out and send back to your SPS counsellor.

The SPS counsellor at UCPH sends the application to the suppliers.
3
The suppliers will contact you
If needed the suppliers will contact you within 10 days to make sure that you get the right support.
4
If you have been given an assessment
The suppliers prepare a report with descriptions of the recommended aids and support. The report can be used as documentation for dispensation applications and application for additional support.
5
UCPH applies for the recommended support for you
The SPS counsellor at UCPH applies for the recommended support.
6
Notification in your e-Boks
When your application has been processed, you will receive a message in your e-Boks. It often takes 3-6 weeks from you start the process until you are notified.
Please note that it may take a few months before your support is fully up and running.
7
Your aids are ready
You will be notified by your SPS counsellor when you can pick up your aids at UCPH's reception at Krystalgade 25, 1172 Copenhagen K.

[Translate to English:] Studerende til holdundervisning

What will we do?

At UCPH, we do not have our own team of psychologists, support teachers, mentors etc. In fact, the only support that we have on campus is the local student counselling services, who can help you to apply for special conditions on your education (e.g. extra time for exams).

Our process

The SPS counsellors apply for a grant for you from the state of Denmark (the Agency of Education and Quality).

If they approve your grant, UCPH will ask external suppliers like the Student Counselling Service.

Waiting time

You must be prepared to wait for up to two to three months upon your arrival in Denmark before the support is fully established. This is because we can only apply for a grant for you once you have a Danish CPR number. You must arrive in Denmark and find a place to live before you can file an application for a CPR number.

File an application for a CPR number

So, as an international student with disabilities, you must be prepared for some waiting before the support is established due to waiting time with case processing at the Agency and at the suppliers.

Contact the right faculty

Contact persons at the faculties can help and guide you regarding specific facilities and academic matters such as:

Classrooms and accessibility
Specific limitations that may restrict your possibility for completing a specific educational programme
Dispensations relating to exams, study activity requirements, completion time, choice of study and alternative study plans academic supportive persons once you have been granted SPS.

Contact the faculties here

Housing for students with disabilities

Housing Foundation Copenhagen offers special attention to people with disabilities. Students with special needs applying for housing through Housing Foundation Copenhagen will be asked to provide information in regard to their disability in the online booking system and to provide documentation. For further information please contact Housing Foundation Copenhagen at: contact@housingfoundation.ku.dk.

Advice and assistance for students with disabilities outside the university

At the University of Copenhagen we will do all we can to help and assist you, but there are some situations for which we cannot provide solutions at this time. If you need a helper/assistant, the University can help connect you with a relevant entity. However, the University cannot cover the costs of the support. As a rule, prepayment is required.

If you want this helper/assistant or someone else to have the opportunity to talk to us about your application – or if they need to pick up your aids – you must give the SPS counsellors permission to exchange information with them by filling out a power of attorney and send it to the SPS counsellors.

Download and fill out this power of attorney