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More detailed and practical information

Dear students,

We have prepared detailed information for you regarding the register of students with special needs and the possibilities of support at our faculty. The following overview has been prepared in cooperation with our students with a physical disability.

Is my diagnosis included in special needs?

This question is often asked by the students whose handicap or disorder may be less obvious. Some students may worry that the contact person will not understand their struggles, that their personal medical records would be accessible by everyone, or that they will be a burden to other people.

Do not worry about these things. The faculty works on possibilities of support for students with special needs and provide them with equal access to education. The access to the register of students with special needs is limited to only a couple of employees and it is only up to you whom you will inform about your situation (especially teachers). Do not hesitate to contact our contact person and discuss your situation. It is always better to communicate your situation in advance rather than deal with a problem later on, especially because you cannot foresee all the situations that can occur during your studies.

The role of the contact person is not to say what you are entitled to (or are not). If dealing with psychological disorders, you even do not have to say your specific diagnosis during the first communication. In general, we distinguish visual, hearing and motor impairments, specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder and chronic somatic diseases. To assess your situation, there are specialized departments at Charles University. The contact person’s task is to assign a student with the right department according to their specific situation.

Being including in the register of students with special needs – step by step

  1. Make an appointment with the contact person

The first meeting is short, and it serves you to get acquainted with the administrative procedure. You should bring your medical report. The contact person will ask you to sign an informed consent.

  1. Functional diagnosis (FD)

The contact person will arrange FD for you at one of the specialized departments of Charles University. After that, a professional of this department will contact you to make an appointment.

  1. Second meeting with the contact person

You will make a second appointment after the functional diagnosis. You will bring two reports from FD. Based on the recommendations from the diagnosis, you will discuss what should be changed in the conditions of your studies with the contact person (see What services are offered to students with special needs?).

  1. Being included in the evidence

The contact person will provide the Department of Study Affairs with your documentation and the department will register you as a student with special needs.

What is an informed consent?

The informed consent is a form. By signing this form, you agree that your medical information will be included in the student information system (SIS). The form will be given to you by the contact person.

What is functional diagnosis?

  • It is a consultation with a professional about difficulties you may face during your studies. The aim of FD is to identify your needs and to find appropriate changes to suit your situation.

  • FD is provided by specialized departments of Charles University. The contact person will choose and contact a suitable department for you.

  • During the consultation (FD) you will be asked how does your impairment influence your studies and what do you think are changes that can help you. The university study programmes are quite different from those at secondary level, it is therefore possible that you may need different changes than before. Remember to ask what other changes have other students with special needs done – maybe you will find something useful that you have not thought about.

  • The output of FD is an assessment report. It includes information about the changes you are entitled to, and it serves you as a document for changes in the conditions of your studies. You can use this report also during communication with your teachers.

  • Bring two copies of the assessment report to the contact person. You will keep one copy.

  • We recommend you scan the report so you can send it to your teachers when communicating with them about your needs. In case you do not feel comfortable talking about your situation, you can use e-mail communication as an easier way of communication and discussion of your needs without other people hearing anything.

What services are offered to students with special needs?

The most common services used by the students at the Faculty of Science are

  • Assistance with applying for an individual study plan

  • Support when communicating with teachers

  • Different ways of passing exams and other requirements

  • Contacting an interpreter, transcriber, someone to write notes for you

  • Mediating assistance services

  • Converting study literature into digital form

  • Assistance with individual issues during studies

Printing and copying study materials for free

Digitalization of study materials

The device rental

You can borrow study equipment for free, you only need to sign a document. Usually, the equipment is provided for one semester with the possibility to prolong the period. The service is provided by the Carolina Centre (Celetná 20, Praha 1). More information is here.

Assistance during your studies

If you need any kind of assistance (notes from lectures, preparation for lectures/exams, acquiring study materials, tutoring, etc.), register at the information centre of Charles University in the database of clients of the assistance programme, see the website Assistance during your studies.

Please be ware, that the registration in this database is done in order for you to get the service paid by the university. It does not mean that the university is always able to provide you with the services you need. The best way for you is to find an assistant yourself (the contact person can also ask your fellow students), for instance you can ask your classmates to help you with notes from classes. You can then ask the person and explain yourself your situation.

It is common that the students discuss their needs with the contact person and then find themselves the services they need (for instance interpreting or transcribing). The offer can be found at the following websites:

The Czech union of the deaf

The association of the deaf and hard of hearing people in the Czech Republic

What should I do if I have problems?

If you have any problem or you are not sure how to deal with different situations, contact the Centrum Carolina.

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