Students with special needs
The UNIGE supports the inclusion and integration of students with special needs as much as possible. You are a student with special needs, for example because of:
- Motor, sensory and psychic disorders
- Learning disabilities (dyslexia, dysorthographia, dyscalculia, etc.)
- A chronic disabling condition
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
The UNIGE can set up compensation measures designed to alleviate the disadvantages caused by your disorder as to enable you to carry out your studies in optimal conditions. These may include arrangements such as:
- Technical assistance: laptop, programs, magnetic loops, etc.
- Human assistance: exam secretary, help with material and document handling, mentoring (FPSE), the Campus Coach program, etc.
- Exam conditions accommodations: exam duration extension, reduced number of people in the exam room, etc.
These compensatory measures respect the principle of proportionality. They are implemented subject to material availability (e.g. budget, infrastructure), feasibility, and other possible constraints on the part of the UNIGE.
Please note that:
- Accommodations granted during your previous training are not automatically renewed at UNIGE. An evaluation of your condition on the basis of your application must be carried out by the Health Service. A prior notice will be presented to the Commission d’Évaluation des Aménagements pour les Besoins Particuliers (CEBP), which will make a decision.
- Requests for exam accommodations must be addressed to the Health Service, as explained below.
- These accommodations are offered to UNIGE students only.
- Accommodations must meet the criteria for the compensation of disadvantage, which consists in neutralizing or diminishing the limitations caused by the impairment or condition.
- Temporary health problems or momentary impairments caused by an accident are not included in the definition of disability*; hence, they are not accounted for by the « Special needs » facility. In case a student cannot attend an exam, he/she must refer to the regulation of his/her training program and contact his/her Faculty/Center/Institute.
*According to the World Health Organization, « Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations. »
Please read all the information that may concern you below
If you have any questions, you can contact us at besoins-particuliers(at)unige.ch.
The accommodation request form (English version) will be available
- From August 23 to october 30 for the Autumn semester
- From January 23 to March 30 for the Spring semester
If you have already benefited from an accommodation at UNIGE, you do not have to submit a new request, unless you wish to change accommodations, if you change Faculties, or if you begin a new education program (e.g. starting your Master's degree).
If you wish to submit an accommodation request for the first time or if you wish to modify your current accommodations, you must:
- Fill out the accommodation request form (English version) and submit it with the required documents attached in due time:
- From August 23 to October 30 for the Autumn semester
- From January 23 to March 30 for the Spring semester
- Put together a complete application with PDF documents only. The list of documents required for each type of disability is detailed in the following tabs.
- Wait for the receipt confirmation which will inform you of whether your application has been accepted.
Tip: submit your application well ahead of the deadline, which will allow you to complete it if necessary. For accommodations of contrôles continus modalities, you should submit your application at least a month before the deadline.
Suivi de votre demande:
- Une fois votre formulaire de demande d’aménagements et documents électroniques envoyés:
- Si votre dossier est complet, il est examiné par le/la médecin et/ou le/la psychologue qui émet un préavis sur les aménagements adaptés à votre situation.
- Si votre dossier est incomplet, un complément vous sera demandé. Il est de votre responsabilité de fournir les documents demandés dans les délais.
- Aucun document n’est accepté après le délai.
- Votre demande est ensuite présentée à la Commission d’Évaluation qui rend une décision motivée sur la base du préavis émis. La décision est basée sur les documents fournis dans les délais.
- La décision vous est communiquée ainsi qu'à votre Faculté.
A propos des délais: voir l’onglet ci-dessous
There are two deadlines for your application:
- a deadline1 to announce your request for an accommodation by completing the online application form
- a deadline2 to complete your file by sending all the required documents
Deadlines according to semesters and exam sessions
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Deadline 1 to apply online
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Deadline 2to submit the complete file
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January/February 2021 exam session
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25.10.2020
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08.11.2020
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May/June 2021 exam session
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04.04.2021
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18.04.2021
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August 2021 exam session
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04.07.2021
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11.07.2021
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For ongoing controls and examinations during the semester, please complete the online application and provide the requested documents. Your file will be processed as soon as possible (minimum 2 weeks).
- Documents MUST be written in English or French.
- It is your responsibility to ask your doctor to issue a medical certificate as mentioned below. Any incomplete medical attestation will be refused.
- The assessment of your situation may require documents not mentioned below that we will ask you to provide us with at a later date.
- If you have more than one condition, you must provide the documents requested below for the conditions in question.
- You will not be given any additional time to provide the correct documents.
- Accommodations are granted subject to material availability (budget, infrastructure, human resources) and other constraints.
- Logopedic assessment less than 3 years old if the assessment was performed before the age of 18; less than 5 years old if it was performed after the age of 18 and includes the results of the tests performed. The filing date of the application is the date on which the delay is calculated.
- If possible: document(s) mentioning the accommodations obtained during your previous training, if you benefited from them (to be requested, if necessary, from your former institution).
The logopedic report is examined by the UNIGE's Logopedic Consultation and deemed to be complete or incomplete in order to decide on the granting of accommodation measures. The examination report must contain the results of the tests carried out and present arguments based on a qualitative and quantitative assessment appropriate to the age and educational level of the student and compatible with the diagnostic criteria for learning disabilities.
In the case of an incomplete logopedic report, an additional assessment must be carried out. This can be done at the University's Logopedic Consultation, via the online application form. The costs are to be paid by the student and invoiced by the Logopedic Consultation as follows:
- analysis of the file: CHF 65.00
- complete check-up: CHF 400
- additional balance sheet: CHF 130/hour
- A recent certificate from the psychiatrist (maximum 3 months) that MUST include the following information:
- details of the tests performed and the results
- diagnosis
- date of diagnosis
- description of the impact of the disorder on your university education
- description of the compensation strategies already implemented by you
- ongoing treatment or care
- description of the expected evolution
- detailed and reasoned proposals for the requested improvements
- If possible: document(s) mentioning the accommodations obtained during your previous training, if you benefited from them (to be requested, if necessary, from your former institution).
- A recent certificate from the psychiatrist (maximum 3 months) which MUST include the following information:
- diagnosis
- date of diagnosis
- description of the impact of the disorder on your university education
- description of the compensation strategies already implemented by you
- ongoing treatment or care
- description of the expected evolution
- detailed and reasoned proposals for the requested improvements
- If possible: document(s) mentioning the accommodations obtained during your previous training, if you benefited from them (to be requested, if necessary, from your former institution).
- Recent certificate from the attending physician (maximum 3 months) which MUST include the following information:
- diagnosis
- date of diagnosis
- description of the impact of the disorder on your university education
- description of the compensation strategies already implemented by you and/or auxiliary means used
- ongoing treatment or care
- description of the expected evolution
- detailed and reasoned proposals for the requested improvements
- If possible: document(s) mentioning the accommodations obtained during your previous training, if you benefited from them (to be requested, if necessary, from your former institution).
- Our advice: apply as soon as possible at the beginning of the academic year so that we can inform you of any missing, incomplete or inadmissible documents. This will give you time to complete your application before the deadline.
- If your disability is significant, apply in the spring prior to your admission to the University.
- The doctor, the psychologist and the Evaluation Commission respect confidentiality. No information related to your disability will be transmitted to your Faculty.
- If your file is incomplete by the deadline, your application is automatically archived. If you would like an accommodation for the next exam session or course period, you must go through the entire process again, i.e., complete an online application and attach the necessary documents.
- Your application is valid for the entire duration of your Bachelor's or Master's degree course at the same faculty, unless you have been notified of another duration.
- If you change faculties, you must submit a new application by following all the steps and respecting the deadlines mentioned.
- If you have benefited from the Bachelor's program and wish to continue your training with a Master's degree, you must submit a new application by following all the steps and respecting the deadlines mentioned.
If you have any questions, you can contact us by e-mail at besoins-particuliers(at)unige.ch.