Studying by itself can be difficult but studying with a support need can sometimes create challenges. Of all our students, 30% reported having “something” and 10% need accommodations to successfully study or work. Did you know that 80% of anything can be invisible?

Support needs include;

– Fluctuating workload due to a chronic condition and/or mental health vulnerability
– Neurodiversity (ADD, ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia)
– A physical disability
– A sensory impairment (auditory and/or visual)

Often there is intersectionality in a student. This means that a student has multiple disabilities and/or support needs. Following a conversation with the Student Support Center (SSC), we have listed some tips below.

As mentioned earlier, there are many students with support needs and often they are invisible. This is why you can turn to various initiatives within the HU for questions and support. Are you already familiar with The Powerplatform? They are explicitly committed to studying+. The Student Support Centre also offers various support groups. Through the Online Support Group, you can find your match.

Even though there is a lot at play, students with disabilities also have talents. Dyslexic students are wonderful visual thinkers, students with ad(h)d are often super creative, and students with caring responsibilities or a chronic illness are, just like top athletes for that matter, often excellent planners. Recognize your talent and use it! What can you do and how can you use your talents for your studies and future work?

Discover your manual: How does it work best for you? What do you need? Where can you gain in your studies? The focus should be on what you actually need, not what you have. You can also keep it general when questions are being asked:

– I have a chronic illness which means that my workload varies,
– I have a different brain which makes me so unable to concentrate,
– I need structure to get to work,
– I like to be at the front of the class to get everything in,
– I use a wheelchair and like not having to move around so much between classes.

Do you have questions about this topic? If so, please contact the Student Support Centre by emailing studentsupportcentre@hu.nl or mail to harriet.rempe@hu.nl from Studeren+

Did you find this interesting? See what else the Network D&I has to offer via Topicals.

Do you have any comments or comments, do you want to share your story or do you want to get acquainted? Please contact us via the contact form. We like to keep in touch.

Niusha Froozesh