Studying with a disability
ETH Zurich is committed to equal opportunities for students with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses. Various services are designed to enable students to study independently and with equal rights.
NOTICE: If you already have valid reasonable adjustments decree for your study programme at ETH Zurich, please note the change in the implementation of these measures that will take effect in the Autumn Semester 2025. The process will be simplified for you as a student.
- You will no longer need to write to examiners individually for each examination.
- Your reasonable adjustments decree will apply to every performance assessment.
- The examiners will confirm the implementation of the reasonable adjustments measures directly to you, usually four weeks before the start of the examination phase (end of semester/session).
- If you do not receive this confirmation, please contact the examiners directly.
Counselling services for students
Services
The Counselling & Coaching Centre supports Bachelor's and Master's students with the following services:
- Counselling on the use of disability-related aids during the semester
- Counselling on requesting for reasonable adjustments for performance assessments
- Contacting further services (internal counselling offices, external assessment and support centres)
Our services are aimed at people with a recognised disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act.
According to the definition of the Disability Discrimination Act, “a person with a disability is a person who, due to a physical, mental or psychological impairment which is likely to be permanent, finds it difficult or is unable to carry out everyday tasks, cultivate social contacts, move around, obtain an education or training, or work” (DDA, Art. 2(1)).
Making an appointment and preparation
Contact the Counselling & Coaching Centre and arrange a personal appointment. Prepare yourself for the counselling session. Take some time to think about the following questions:
- In which study situations do you experience or fear a disadvantage due to your disability or illness?
- Are compulsory subjects and practical activities in your degree programme affected by your disability? See the programme-specific requirements for Bachelor's degree programmes, and programme-specific requirements for Masters's degree programmes.
- What kind of adjustments do you need?
- Do you already use any disability-related aids? What needs to be taken into account?
If you have medical certificates or other documents that are important for the counselling process, please bring them with you to the consultation. This way, an assessment can be made immediately to determine whether the medical certificate meets all the mandatory criteria.