Counselling students with special needs
Students with special needs are students of the University of Tartu, whose physical or psycho-social special need create the necessity to change or adapt the content of studies arising from the curriculum, organisation of work or study environment in order to guarantee an opportunity for maximum participation in the study process and individual development.
The University of Tartu supports students with special needs upon entering the university, participating in studies, making exams and tests, providing study materials as well as creating a suitable social and physical environment. The objective of providing support services is to help students with special needs to cope independently, support their social integration and equal opportunities and promote efficient involvement in studies.
Access to the buildings of the University of Tartu
During the summer of 2009, a group of most competent Estonian specialists mapped the buildings of the University of Tartu that can be accessed by wheelchair and made suggestions for reducing or eliminating shortcomings. The mapping results are available at liikumisvabadus.invainfo.ee.
Support services
University of Tartu Library
Tartu Student Village
Support students
Primus Program scholarship
The University of Tartu Library offers home service for members with special needs; volunteers can actively participate in the service. The visually impaired can also use a special screen reading program JAWS and TV reader that enables to enlarge the text by up to 46 times. Audio and digital study materials are also recorded.
Student Village: there are rooms adjusted for persons with reduced mobility in the dormitory of the Student Village located at Raatuse 22.
Support students who help other students with special needs have been active since the academic year 2009/2010. Support students are volunteer students who are willing to support people in need. Their help need not be enormous, a small good deed will do, such as bringing a book from the library. Support students have the opportunity to improve their skills at the annual training courses organised for them.
Program Primus enables students with special needs to apply for a scholarship to pay for single as well as periodic support services related to university studies. The support services include:
- sign language interpreter;
- transport (incl. social transport, taxi for the disabled);
- personal assistant;
- copying study materials;
- other justified services or expenses.
In the application, the scholarship applicant must describe the service needed and its estimated capacity, and add documents proving the special need (certificates of the degree of disability and additional costs and permanent disablement). Students with special needs who study in partner higher education institutions of the Primus program can apply for the scholarship (incl. part-time students). The size of the scholarship depends on the study load. The instructions and application form for the provision of support services for students with special need are available at primus.archimedes.ee/erivajadusega-oppija. Foreign students should contact Liana Martin, as the application form is in Estonian. It should also be kept in mind that students do not have the right to receive the scholarship when they are getting similar assistance from a foreign government, international or intra-governmental organisation or representation of the cooperation program or home university. The completed application with the required additional documents should be submitted to Archimedes Foundation via the electronic application environment or on paper to Liana Martin (Tartu, Ülikooli 18-102). The Primus Program is organised by the Archimedes Foundation. The program is supported by the European Union through the European Social Fund.
Other support services and scholarships are also being established for students with special needs. Information about all students with special needs studying at the University of Tartu is really necessary for improving the study environment and promoting support services. Therefore, we request that all students with special needs inform the student adviser of the study department that deals with support services and students with special needs about themselves so we could help the studies go smoothly. Suggestions for further development of support services and scholarships are always welcome!
Additional information from student advisor: Liana Martin Ülikooli 18-138 phone 737 5627 liana [dot] martin [ät] ut [dot] ee