Studying with a disability
If you’re a student at Maastricht University (UM) and have a physical, psychological or sensory disability, a chronic illness or another condition such as dyslexia, ADHD, autism or Crohn's disease, we offer a variety of services and facilities you can apply for to support you in your studies.
We recommend that you apply for support as early as possible, even before you start your studies at UM, as it can take approximately six weeks to arrange services and facilities once you apply for them.
Disability Support
To access support, such as extra exam time, smaller exam rooms and assistive technology, please contact Disability Support. A member of our Disability Support team will assess your needs and explore the best solutions for you.
Learn how to apply for disability support
Please note that the services and facilities available differ per faculty or educational unit.
The disability or chronic illness will not be listed on your diploma.
Watch our video to find out more!
Assistive technology
We offer the following text-to-speech (read aloud) software for students who qualify:
- ReadSpeaker TextAid: This online text-to-speech program helps you with reading and understanding text by providing an audible version of your documents as well as features such as text highlighting and a reading ruler for additional auditory and visual support.
- ReadSpeaker for TestVision This add-on assists in reading aloud exam questions and documents during digital exams.
Financial support
Support may be available to you from Hoger Onderwijs Toegankelijk or the Dutch municipality where you reside. If you live in the Maastricht region and your disability or chronic illness prevents you from working, you may qualify for a study allowance, or 'studietoeslag' (in Dutch). See the ECIO factsheet (in Dutch) for more information.
If your studies are delayed due to your disability or chronic condition, you might be eligible for financial support from the UM 'Profileringsfonds' to help cover the extra costs.
Read more about the general possibilities for financial support during your studies
Special housing requirements
If you have special housing requirements (e.g. wheelchair accessibility or a lift) due to a physical disability or chronic illness, please contact Disability Support well in advance to notify us of your needs. Please provide a medical statement and a detailed description of any housing modifications you require. Disability Support will submit your request to Maastricht Housing.
Students with autism (ASD) may be eligible for a student room at a Jados facility (link in Dutch) in the city centre.
Inclusive internships
Through our Career Services office, UM offers a variety of programmes, workshops and lectures to help you prepare for your career. They can also help you find inclusive internships and voluntary work. ECIO, the Dutch expertise centre for inclusive education can also help you gain social work experience and learn tips for finding inclusive internships (in Dutch).
Accessibility: physical and digital
At UM, we are fully committed to being inclusive and to making our locations and information easily available to everyone. For more information, see:
If you would like to report an issue with the accessibility of a UM location or digital environment or if you have suggestions for improvement, please send an email to access-UM@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Psychological and wellbeing support
If you're experiencing stress or other challenges while studying, UM offers a range of initiatives, activities and programmes to support your wellbeing. These include psychological services and referrals, peer support, stress management workshops and even informal community dinners. Find the right support for you:
- Psychological support
- Wellbeing initiatives
- Student chaplaincy (InnBetween)
UnliMited Network
UnliMited is a network for and by students and employees with disabilities or chronic conditions, under the umbrella of the Taskforce Obstacle-free studying and working at UM.
Join us and become a part of our active community that aims to create an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone at UM.
Help promote empathy in healthcare
The Patient as a Person Foundation (Mens Achter de Patient) invites students with a disability or chronic illness to share their stories with future healthcare professionals, promoting empathy in patient care. If you would like to contribute, email info@mensachterdepatient.nl
Continuous improvement of inclusive education
Since Rianne Letschert signed the ‘Declaration of intent of Dutch institutions for higher education’ regarding the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2020, UM has actively been improving the inclusivity of our education.
You can also read about conversations between Rector Magnificus Pamela Habibovic, Disability Officer Sigrid Péters and students Carolina, John and Sjoerd regarding the progress made and what opportunities still exist (in Dutch). And check out the results of 2023 student survey.