Studying with dyslexia - is it possible?

The right strategies are important

Quite a few dyslexics manage to gain admission to university or a university of applied sciences. According to a survey by the German Student Union, 1% of all students in Germany study with dyslexia, and unofficially it is even estimated at 2%. Dyslexia is a disability in which errors occur when absorbing and/or writing texts.

However, these have no connection with the intellectual ability of the students affected. Students with dyslexia generally have a "normal" or even above-average IQ and can often also demonstrate particular strengths: Good problem-solving skills, the ability to develop and argue ideas or a particular artistic inclination. These organisational and compensatory skills are also known in other forms of disability if those affected (can) deal with their disability proactively and constructively.

Compensation for disadvantages

Despite this, dyslexia is still a taboo subject among students and teachers. Those affected are entitled to individual compensation for disadvantages. For example, an extension of time can be granted for written examinations or Bachelor's, Master's, final and seminar papers. In the case of written examinations, the use of a computer with a spell checker or conversion into an oral examination can also serve as compensation for disadvantages.

Compensation for disadvantages should be applied for in good time at the examination office, whereby an expert opinion must be provided as proof.

Note: The psychological diagnosis of dyslexia in students can also be carried out by the Psychological Counselling Service of the University and Student Services Oldenburg, please contact Christina Hocke(christina.hocke@uni-oldenburg.de).

Resources

It can also be helpful to use literature you have read, speech output on a PC or the conversion of documents into audio files. A special PC workstation is available for this purpose in the library of the University of Oldenburg.

The German Student Services Organisation has information on technical and personal support for dyslexia on its homepage.

The Bundesverband Legasthenie und Dyskalkulie e. V. also has some information about studying on its homepage.

Counselling and networking

To raise awareness, the Studierendenwerk Oldenburg has also published a series of posters on studying with non-visible impairments, including one on studying with dyslexia.

The counsellor for disabled and chronically ill students at the Studierendenwerk Oldenburg can provide expert advice on studying. The counsellor also has a list of addresses with special diagnostic and counselling centres for dyslexics in Oldenburg.

The counsellor also promotes the exchange of students with dyslexia and offers to network them with each other, as there are still many "lone fighters".
Nationwide, there is also the interest group Junge Aktive im BVL.

We recommend taking a look at an existing worldwide homepage on the subject of dyslexia.