Disability services

Students with disabilities, including those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which may affect their studies can apply for disabilities services. This also applies to exchange students.

Treatment of official documents.
The Student Counselling Centre keeps students‘ diagnoses and medical documents following privacy laws and regulations.

Regulation on disability services for study at the University of Iceland, no. 481/2010.

Academic adjustment and support are provided based on documentation from a specialist, student‘s history and counsellor‘s evaluation. According to UI regulations, academic adjustment will not involve a reduction of normal academic requirements.

Examples of academic adjustments (not an exhaustive list):
 

• Accessible class and exam facilities.
• Extended exam time.
• Exam writer.
• Digital study materials.
• Access to a computer lab with specialized computer programmes and facilities.
• Class notes if possible.
• Icelandic Sign Language interpretation.
• Assistance between university buildings on campus on foot, if a fellow student is available. Please note that this does not imply transport with a vehicle, meaning that in bad weather disabled students might have to use taxi services to get between buildings. The Student Counselling Centre does not provide students with personal assistance of any kind, such as personal hygiene.

For the student’s well-being and safety, arrangements must be made in advance if a disabled international or exchange student decides to study at UI.

You have the right to meet with a counsellor to discuss your case and review the agreement if needed.

The agreement is either temporary or long-term based on the documentation received from the student and the counsellor‘s evaluation.

Please note that if you have a long-term agreement and take a break from your studies for one academic year or more you need to re-apply for academic adjustment and support when you resume your studies. 

Exchange students in Erasmus+ programs with disabilities, learning difficulties and/or long-term illness can qualify for extra financial support see here. Erasmus + supplementary grant for disability or illness.

Please be aware that the Disability service does not assist with language barriers. If you face any language difficulties, kindly reach out to your faculty or teacher.

Diagnosis of specific learning difficulties:
You need to present a document of diagnosis from a specialist to receive academic adjustment due to specific learning difficulties.

Medical certificates:
Students need to present documents from a physician or a specialist confirming their illness, disabilities, autism etc. when they apply for academic adjustments and support during their studies and/or examination.

The document issued must contain the following information:

• Explanation of the illness or disability in question
• How the illness or disability affects the student´s mental and/or physical abilities to pursue higher education
• Name and title of the physician or specialist who initially diagnosed the disease or disability and when the diagnosis was made

Exchange students: 
Exchange students who already have an agreement on academic adjustment and support in their studies with their home university can present a confirmation from their university on what support they are receiving. 
You must contact the counsellor of the Student Counselling Centre if the academic adjustment and support you require needs to be organized before the start of the semester:

• Accessible classrooms.
• A sign language interpreter (only in Icelandic).
• Assistance, e.g. going between buildings, assistance in class.
• Adaptation of teaching materials

Informing staff of academic adjustment and support in exams.
You will get the academic adjustment and support outlined in your agreement for all exams held by the Examinations Office.

If an instructor holds an exam without the involvement of the Examinations Office, e.g. in class or take-home exam, then you are responsible for informing the instructor, at least a week in advance, that you have an agreement that entitles you to academic adjustment e.g. extended exam time, smaller exam venue (if you need them in that particular exam). When you confirm the agreement in the University intraweb Ugla you will get a copy that you can show instructors when needed.

If exam conditions are not following your agreement we urge you to inform the invigilator as soon as possible. It is difficult to react to comments after the exam is over.

If exam conditions require special preparations from UI staff please contact us with at least one week's notice at urraedi@hi.is

Exams
Exams are done in multiple ways and using different software. The most common software at UI is Inspera and Canvas.

Inspera
If an examination is taken in Inspera, students will automatically be given extra time following their agreement records. If students have other academic adjustment and support e.g. smaller exam venue, exam writer etc. the student needs to contact the instructor at least a week in advance so that further adjustment can be prepared. 

Canvas
Teaching staff manage examinations in Canvas. For such examinations, students must contact the instructor/faculty themselves if they need academic adjustment and support at least a week in advance so that adjustments can be prepared. 

In Canvas, the instructor will need to set an extended exam time for each student that requires it. This has to be done every time a student takes an exam, whether it is a midterm, partial or final exam.

Please note that if you don‘t inform the instructor with proper notice you may not receive the academic adjustment in your agreement.