Special needs
CAUTION: some information may be out of date, page under construction!
The UNIGE supports the inclusion of students with special needs
If you are a student with special needs, you can benefit from the compensation measures put in place by the University to reduce the disadvantages caused by your disorder and to allow you to complete your academic training in good conditions. These measures respect the principle of proportionality. They are implemented subject to material availability (e.g. budget, infrastructure), feasibility and other possible constraints of the UNIGE.
Click on the following box, corresponding to your disorder, so that you can provide us with the necessary documents for your record.
Possible measures:
- Accommodation of examination conditions: one-third time increase, use of a computer provided by the UNIGE, tolerance for spelling mistakes, voice synthesis software, etc.
- Accommodation of study conditions:
- Technical assistance (softwares, access to magnetic loops, etc.)
- Human assistance: help from another student for handling documents, mentoring (FPSE), coaching
- Study plan accommodation: part‑time studies. Please directly contact the dean’s office of your faculty/centre/institute or contact the academic advisors.
Nota bene:
- We do not have small rooms available to limit noise during the examination
- Examination terms and conditions cannot be changed: an oral examination cannot be replaced by a written one and vice versa
- The maximum amount of extra time allowed is one-third in a sitting exam
- No additional time is allowed for the return of homework
- No extra time is allowed in the case of an 8‑hour examination
How to CORRECTLY APPLY FOR ACCOMMODATION (Read until the end)
An advice: submit your application request before the deadline, so that you can complete it, if necessary, before the following meeting of the Commission for the Evaluation of Special Needs Accommodations (CEBP in French).
- The Commission for the Evaluation of Special Needs Accommodations (CEBP) meets 4 times a year (end of september, mid‑november, mid‑february, mid‑april).
Dates for the academic year 2024/2025:
1st deadline for your documents: 1 September 2024 for the 24 September 2024 CEBP
2nd deadline for your documents: 13 October 2024 for the 12 November 2024 CEBP
3rd deadline for your documents: 19 January 2025 for the 18 February 2025 CEBP
4th deadline* for your documents: 23 March 2025 for the 15 April 2025 CEBP
*Does not apply to students at the Faculty of Medecine
- The accommodation measures granted in your previous educational or academic background are not automatically renewed at the UNIGE, since the criteria for granting them may be different.
- Examination accommodations must meet the criteria of compensation for disadvantage, which consists of neutralising or reducing the limitations caused by an illness or a disability. For example, the use of a laptop computer during an exam is granted to a student who has difficulty, due to his or her handwriting disability.
- Temporary health problems, as well as momentary incapacity resulting from an accident, are not covered by the Special Needs program since they do not fall under the definition of disability (permanent or lasting impairment). As a result, if you cannot take an exam due to an illness or an accident (for example, if your arm is in plaster), you must refer to the study regulations of your course and present a medical certificate to your faculty.
- An accommodation request can only be made via the online form on an ongoing basis throughout the year (French/English version).
- Accommodations are given only for the courses mentionned in the application. If you are taking an exam at a faculty other than the one you are registered at, please mention it clearly. If not, you take the risk of not being granted accommodation for the examinations at the second faculty.
- Your request is valid for the entire duration of your bachelor’s or master’s course among the same faculty, unless you have been notified of another duration.
- For continuous examinations’ accommodation, remember to submit a complete file at least one month in advance.
- It is your responsibility to ask your doctor/psychiatrist/speech therapist to provide you with a medical report or assessment as specifically mentioned above under the various boxes corresponding to your disorder. Any non-compliant document will be refused.
- If you have more than one disorder, you must submit the documents requested above for all the disorders concerned.
- You will not be granted any additional time to produce compliant reports and assessments.
- In case you submit an incomplete file, your application will be evaluated on the basis of the documents provided.
- If you are experiencing financial problems and have your assessments done by the Pôle Cité of the FPSE, a financial assistance to cover the costs of the required assessments is possible after examination of your situation. The “One-time Aid” request for the “Bilan Besoins Particuliers auprès des consultations spécialisées” must be made via the online “Financial-Service” platform. You must wait for the confirmation of the “Financial-Service” before making an appointment with the dedicated consultation.
- The doctor, the psychologist and the CEBP are subject to the duty of professional secrecy. No information about your health condition is transmitted to your faculty.
- We are not allowed to exchange information with parents or relatives of adult students. The student is our only interlocutor.
- If you have any questions, you can contact us by email at .
How can I apply for an exams’ accommodation?
If you have already benefited from an accommodation at the UNIGE, its period of validity is mentioned in the decision document that was sent to you. You do not need to make a new request, except:
- If you wish to have a different accommodation
- If you change faculty, meaning if you start a new course
- When you move from a bachelor’s to a master’s degree
For your first examinations’ accommodation request at the UNIGE or if you wish to change the accommodation already obtained at the UNIGE, you must:
- Complete the online accommodation request form (French version/English version) and attach the required documents
- Put together a complete file with PDF documents only. The list of documents to be provided for each type of disability is listed above under the various boxes corresponding to your disorder
- Wait for the acknowledgement of receipt informing you of the eligibility of your application
- The documents must be:
- Written in french or in english
- Typed
- In PDF format (no jpegs)
How to have A follow‑up on my application for exams’ accommodation?
Once you have sent your accommodation request form as well as your electronic documents, you will receive an email receipt.
- If your file is complete:
- It will be examined by the doctor and/or the psychologist who will issue a notice on the accommodation adapted to your situation.
- You may be asked to submit an additional assessment. The latter can be done by external professionals or by the specialist consultations of the Pôle Cité FPSE.
- Your file will then be presented to the Comission for the Evaluation of Special Needs Accommodations (CEBP) which will deliver a decision based on the notice issued by the Health Pole and on the documents provided.
- The files are evaluated as is, i.e. with the documents provided. If the file is incomplete and/or does not comply with the requirements, you run the risk of having your application rejected and having to submit a new file.
- The final decision regarding your ajustement will be communicated to you by e‑mail and registered letter and by e‑mail to the academic advisers of your faculty.
- If your file is incomplete: you may be asked to submit additional documents. It is your responsibility to provide the requested documents within the deadline.
Summary of the application process for students with special needs
