Doctoral candidates with disabilities or chronic illness

Information on counselling offers, participation benefits and accessability​ at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena

People with various physical disabilities

Illustration: Adobestock.com/GA
People with various physical disabilities

Doctoral candidates and postdocs with disabilities and/or chronic illness face particular challenges in their qualification. This concerns, for example, the financing of the additional needs caused by disability or chronic illness, but also the duration of the doctorate and the standards of the selection procedures.

The Friedrich Schiller University Jena supports you by providing information, counselling and by finding contact persons. In general, you may also be faced with the question of whether or not to mention these limitations in the workplace. The German website "Sag ich's" (Should I tell it)External link can help with this decision. 

  • Individual doctorate counselling

    Doing a doctorate with disability can present some unexpected difficulties, for example in terms of scheduling or funding. The Graduate Academy will be happy to advise you on the individual planning of your doctorate. Please contact Dr. Gunda Huskobla to arrange a consultation appointment.

  • Financing of disability related additional needs

    The BundesteilhabegesetzExternal link (Federal Participation Law) has explicitly introduced "benefits for participation in education" (§75) in 2016. This applies not only to undergraduate students, but also to those pursuing a PhD. The legislator puts it as follows: "Assistance with further higher education may also include assistance during a doctoral programme if it is necessary to achieve the desired career goal" (see FAQ on the Federal Participation LawExternal link, original in German, translated by Graduate Academy).

    In principle, support for people with disabilities and/or chronic illnesses differs according to the form of doctorate:

    1. In the case of a doctorate within the framework of an employment contract with the University of Jena, it is possible to claim benefits for participation in working life, e.g. workplace adjustments or assistantships. The financing of these disability-related additional needs is provided by the University of Jena. It is important that the doctorate as a qualification goal is part of the employment contract.
    2. In the case of a doctorate within the framework of a scholarship, disability-related additional requirements are not usually financed by the scholarship provider. The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation) is the only exception to this rule and covers the costsExternal link if no other support is available. However, the funding period can be extended by one year for all scholarships awarded by organisations for the promotion of talented young people if the applicant has a disability (see German guidelines of the BMFTRExternal link). You can find more general information on scholarships for doctorates and on how to apply for these here. In addition, the ApplicAid initiativeExternal link offers support to doctoral researchers in applying for a scholarship.
    3. In the case of a doctorate without an employment contract or a scholarship, disability-related additional requirements for a doctorate are only financed "in justified individual cases". The social insurance carrier, in this case the Social Security OfficeExternal link, then decides on the financing of these additional requirements.

    Within the framework of the Federal Participation Law, a free advisory service on rehabilitation and participation services was also created: the "Supplementary Independent Participation Advisory Service". This is offered by the regional association "Interessenvertretung Selbstbestimmt Leben in Thüringen". You can find further information hereExternal link(in German).

  • Extension of the duration of the doctorate

    The Academic Employment Law regulates how long academics may be employed in fixed-term positions funded by the university budget. Generally, a period of six years is provided for the duration of the doctrorate. This period may be extended by two years, in case of a disability or a serious chronic illness ( see German Section 2(1), sentence 6External link).

    The duration for which scholarships may be received can be extended on the grounds of a disability and/or a serious chronic illness: Landesgraduierten-Stipendien may be granted for up to two years longer (see German guidelinesExternal link) and scholarships from organisations for the promotion of gifted students for up to one year (see German guidelines of the BMFTRExternal link).

  • Support for research stays abroad

    Doctoral candidates with severe disabilities and/or chronic illness can apply for special funding to finance an Erasmus+ stay abroad. If approved, these will be paid out in addition to the regular funding rates. You can obtain an application for special funding from the International Office of the University of Jena. You can find the contact persons and office hours here.

  • Accessibility at Graduate Academy

    The Welcome and Service Desk for Doctoral Candidates and Postdocs is not wheelchair-accessible and not barrier-free. That's why we also offer you consultation meetings in barrier-free places. Feel encouraged to contact us for an appointment.

    The Graduate Academy makes every effort to ensure that all doctoral candidates can take part in its qualification programme. Unfortunately, not all venues at Jena University are accessible to people with disabilities. If you would like to take part in the qualification programme and have special needs due to health conditions (e.g. hearing, visual and other physical impairments), please write an e-mail to qualifizierung@uni-jena.de. This allows us to ensure that the lecturers can take your needs into account and that the relevant room is accessible to you.

  • Rooms with barrier-free access at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena

    Unfortunately, not all rooms of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena are barrier-free. A list of the barrier-free accessible rooms can be found herepdf, 126 kb · de (in German, as of November 2020).

    If you want to attend an event in a room that is not accessible without barriers, there is the possibility to book a stair lift for the access to the event. Please contact the room administration (raumverwaltung@uni-jena.de).

  • Networking

    Virtual regular's table

    The PROMI - Doctorate InclusiveExternal link project has established a virtual regulars' table for people interested in doctorates and doctoral researchers with disabilities, chronic physical or mental illnesses. The regulars' table offers a space for exchange about working in academia, the challenges of doctoral research, funding opportunities, life at the university, job prospects and other questions and topics that concern you. The regulars' table takes place every two months via Zoom. The language of the regulars' table is German. For more information and the exact dates, click hereExternal link.

    Virtual network of experts

    The "Inclusive Expert Network (iXNet)" is a digital service for academics with disabilities or chronic illnesses provided by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). It supports with network knowledge, information events and a team of advisors for career planning. The network also offers various networking and exchange formatsExternal link. Unfortunately, all offers are only available in German. 

  • Contact persons

    You can address your questions and concerns to the Inclusion Officer de or the Diversity Office of Jena University.

  • More information