Accessibility

Every winter semester, Bielefeld University's general student survey captures the current opinions and attitudes on various topics of students enrolled at Bielefeld University. Every two years, this also includes questions on the topic of disability and chronic illness.

In the winter semester 2024/25, 3181 students took part in the survey on disability and chronic illness. 28% of students reported at least one disability or chronic illness. In comparison: In the winter semester 2022/23, 25% of students did so.

The largest group of participating students (16%) reported a mental impairment/illness. The second and third largest groups indicated attention deficit/hyperactivity and/or developmental disorders (8%) and chronic somatic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, rheumatism or MS (8%).

Further information on disability or chronic illness:

• Other: 3.4%
• Visual impairment/blindness: 1.4%
• Mobility and movement impairment: 1.1%
• Partial performance disorder (e.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia): 1.1%
• Hearing impairment/deafness: 0.6%
• Speech or language impairment: 0.5%

38% of students with a disability or chronic illness feel that their studies are impaired to a (very) high degree and 28% to a medium degree. In comparison: In the winter semester 2022/23, 40% of students felt that their studies were impaired to a (very) high degree and 23% to a medium degree.

Further information on the student survey at Bielefeld University and a summary of the results of previous surveys can be found here.

Services offered by the ZAB

The Accessibility Services (ZAB) offers prospective students and students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses various support services from starting their studies to doing a doctorate. In order to enable more people to access our services, we are constantly communicating, developing and expanding them. Further information can be found on the ZAB student portal.

The ZAB student counselling service offers students and prospective students voluntary, confidential and independent advice on all topics relating to barrier-free study.

With its student workrooms, the ZAB supports independent study for students with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses who are dependent on assistive technologies or a particularly low-impact environment.

The ZAB's peer mentoring programme supports first-year students in finding their feet at Bielefeld University, getting to know students in a similar life situation and exchanging experiences during their studies.

The networking group for people on the autism spectrum at Bielefeld University offers students and staff the opportunity to exchange ideas with other people on the autism spectrum on the Bielefeld campus.