Studying with a disability

Disability Services will be at the Welcome Fair on Friday August 30, from 1 to 4 p.m. Please come by to chat with us and ask any questions you might have about studying with a disability at Stockholm University!

You can apply for disability study support if you have a medically documented long-term disability. A disability is considered long-term if it has been or is expected to be present for at least 6 months. Long-term disabilities may include:

• specific reading disorder/dyslexia
• ADHD, ADD and autism spectrum disorders
• mental health conditions
• vision and hearing impairments
• mobility impairments
• long-term medical conditions

Temporary injury or illness

Disability study support does not cover temporary injuries, short-term illnesses, or full-time sick leave.

How you apply for disability study support differs depending on whether you are attending Stockholm university as a Swedish citizen, as an exchange student or as an international student organizing your studies in Sweden independently. Please see the links below to find information relevant to your situation.

Apply for support as a Swedish citizen

Apply for support as an exchange student

Apply for support as a free moving international student

You receive a certificate

When the coordinator has approved your application for support, you will receive a certificate in Nais. You will get an email when your certificate is ready and you may then download it from Nais.

Your certificate is a document detailing your recommended and decided adjustments. The decided adjustments are adjustments that the coordinator has decided on, the recommended adjustments are ones that the department will decide on. The certificate also states how long it is valid for.

Share the certificate with your department

When you have received your certificate, share it with the contact person at your department to learn more about how the support will work in practice. 

If your needs change

If your needs change and you wish to discuss your adjustments again, please contact your coordinator.

If you need to extend or renew your certificate

If your certificate is still valid, please contact your coordinator to have it extended.

If you certificate is no longer valid, you need to make a new application in Nais.

The different types of support and adjustments provided at Stockholm University are presented below.

Please note that individual aids such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, and voice recorders are acquired independently or via the county. The university can also not help you with personal assistance or transportation services.

Examination adjustments

Extended time, taking exams in a separate room or smaller group, or using a computer with assistive software are examples of examination adjustments that may be recommended for you. Written examinations with adjustments can either take place at your department or at facilities provided by Examination services. 

More information about Examination services

Note-taking support

If you are recommended note-taking support, you will receive notes from lectures and seminars from a fellow student. Note-taking support is not a replacement for attendance, meaning that you will only receive notes from lectures and seminars which you attend.

Note-taking support is dependent on there being a fellow student on your course who takes on the job as note-taker. An alternative to note-taking support is a recommendation to be allowed to record lectures in sound format for personal use.

Course literature in alternative formats

If you have a disability that makes it difficult to read printed text you can get access to course literature in alternative formats through a talking books account in Legimus. Alternative formats include talking books, e-textbooks and Braille books.

The University Library can help you register a talking books account and instruct you on how to use Legimus. Contact the University Library at talbok@su.se to make an appointment or if you have questions about course literature in alternative formats. 

More information about talking books at the University Library

Mentor

If you have a documented executive function deficit, you may be granted mentor support for a period of time. You meet with your mentor once a week for three months for support regarding planning and organising your studies. The aim is to provide you with tools to help you conduct your studies independently. 

Resource rooms

There are four resource rooms at the Frescati Library and five resource rooms at Albano that may be booked for individual study sessions. The resource rooms have computers equipped with text-to-speech and spell-checking software.

You may reserve the rooms for a maximum of 4 hours per week, and for at least 2 hours each time. You will need an access card to open the resource rooms. If you do not have a valid access card, please contact your coordinator.

Please note that the four resource rooms at the Frescati Library are temporarily closed for renovations and are expected to reopen on September 2.

Book a resource room via TimeEdit

Sign language interpretation

As a registered student you can get a sign language interpreter for every situation that is related to your studies. 

More information about studying with an interpreter

Interpretation between students

Transcription by a writing assistant

If you have a disability that makes it difficult to write by hand or on a computer you may be recommended transcription performed by a writing assistant during written examinations. Transcription means that the writing assistant will write down what you say.

Assistance for students with visual impairment

If you have a severe visual impairment, you may be recommended assistance from a fellow student during elements of teaching where assistive software fails to compensate for the impairment.

Accompanying person

If you have a severe visual impairment, you may be recommended an accompanying person during a limited time. The accompanying person will escort you to unfamiliar teaching premises. If you need help learning frequent routes ahead of your studies, please contact Syncentralen in Stockholm.

Text-to-speech software

As a student at Stockholm University, you have access to the text-to-speech computer software ClaroRead Plus. The software reads digital text aloud and can be used to listen to text in articles, documents, e-mails, and on websites. You can install the software on your private computer (PC or Mac) for free via the University website. If you have installed the software and would like a demonstration of how it works and can be used, you may email cecilia.widlund@su.se to make an appointment.

Information on how to install the text-to-speech software

Housing

The Housing Office provides accommodation to certain categories of international students at Stockholm University. Not all international students are eligible for housing and there is no housing guarantee for those who apply. A majority of students need to find housing on the private rental market.

More information about housing for international students

Support outside the university setting

Stockholm University cannot assist you with transport service, technical equipment, medical assistance or other support outside the university setting. This support is the responsibility of the Social Welfare System in the municipality of your residence.

Bringing medicines to Sweden

You can bring your medicines with you when coming to Sweden, as long as you need them for medical reasons. However, the amount of medicine you can take with you is regulated and may vary depending on where you're travelling from. Please visit the Swedish Medical Products Agency webpage linked below to read about the rules that apply when bringing medicines to Sweden:

Information about travelling with medicines from the Swedish MPA

Adaptations of facilities

If the facilities need to be adapted, or if you encounter obstacles in the University’s facilities, you are welcome to contact servicecenter@su.se.

Accessible toilets, entrances and lifts

Please contact your department's study counsellor for information on accessible toilets, entrances and lifts located at or near your department.

Accessible parking

Please contact the department’s study counsellor for information on accessible parking spaces close to your department. A parking permit issued by the municipality is required to be able to use parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities.

Relaxation rooms

Relaxation rooms can be found in Studenthuset, Södra huset and Albano. 

Please contact Infocenter if you need access to a relaxation room in Studenthuset.

Opening hours and contact details to Infocenter

Please contact Service Center Frescati Södra if you need access to a relaxation room in Södra huset and Service Center Albano if you need access to a relaxation room in Albano.

Opening hours and contact details to Service Centers

Photo: Clément Morin

If you are working as a note-taker, exam invigilator, etc., to support students with disabilities, you can find useful information about your job and wages on the page linked below. You will also find the forms that you need to submit to receive your wages.

Information and forms for note-takers, exam invigilators, etc.