Do you need Special Education Support?
Students with disabilities who are enrolled at the University of Copenhagen and suffer from a documented disability that requires special support in order to undertake their studies can apply for Special Education Support (SPS).
Please contact us as soon as possible whether you want to be enrolled in a master's degree program, as a guest student or as an exchange student. Find out if you are eligible to receive Special Education Support below and see what kinds of support are available.
Already a student at UCPH?
If you are already a student at UCPH and wants to know more about SPS, please log on KUnet to find more information.
Who can apply for SPS?
- Danish citizens enrolled in a full degree programme at UCPH
- EU citizens enrolled in a full degree programme at UCPH
In order to get SPS support as a non-EU citizen you will need to apply for equal right status according to either Danish rules or EU law (please contact the Agency (SU) if you have any questions).
However, as a non-EU student interested in a full degree programme at UCPH, you should contact the faculty where you would like to be enrolled. Then they inform you of your options.
Exchange students, guest students at UCPH
As an exchange or guest student at UCPH you are not covered on the same terms as a full degree student. But you can still apply for special conditions in your classes and at exams. See information regarding SPS for exchange students and guest students (studying at UCPH for one - two semesters). The rest of the information on this page is for students who are enrolled in a full- degree programme at UCPH.
Meet students who receive support
How to apply for SPS?
The support is known as SPS. It stands for Special Education Support (specialpædagogisk støtte, SPS in Danish) and can be anything from physical aids to personal support, however, not financial support or academic support for a subject you are struggling with.
To obtain SPS, you must have a diagnosed functional impairment. You can apply for SPS throughout the duration of your studies.
Contact us to get SPS
Please book an interview with one of our SPS-counsellors. At the interview, we will help you get an overview of your needs and opportunities for support.
The meeting will be the same everywhere. The most important thing is that you book the earliest time available. You are also welcome to send us an email or drop by the South Campus.
Besides, we recommend that you also contact the faculty of your programme before applying in order to discuss your situation as a student with a disability. You can ask about what kind of special conditions the faculty can offer you in classes and at exams.
Please contact us if you have any questions. We are here to help.
SPS support
What kind of support is available?
The target group for Special Education Support is broad and the kinds of support available depend on your type of disability. Find out more below.
However, to apply for SPS, you must meet the following requirements:
- Your impairment must be diagnosed.
- You must have formal documentation (for example from a medical specialist or psychiatrist).
- You must be enrolled and actively studying
- You must be a Danish citizen, be covered by an international agreement or be comparable to a Danish citizen.
I have a physical impairment
The most common form of physical impairment is a movement disability or chronic pain. This may be paralysis, hypermobility, pain in joints/muscles or arthritis. It could also be other serious or chronic diseases.
Why can it be difficult to study?
- Problems with concentration and stamina
- Lack of overview of studies and difficulty in structuring and planning
- Problems with specific assignments
- Pain in the musculoskeletal system and rapid fatigue.
What help can I get?
- Dictaphone for recording sound
- Ergonomic chairs, tables, mouse and/or keyboards
- Reading racks
- Computer with reading-aloud programs, etc.
- Secretarial assistance and/or practical assistance
- Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read
Please note that transport to and from your studies is not a part of SPS.
How should I document my physical impairment?
- You must have medical documentation for your physical impairment.
- This could be from your own doctor/GP, a medical specialist, the hospital or e-journals.
- The documentation must show your full name, CPR number and date.
- In the case of chronic or serious illness, the documentation must describe your learning issues or other issues.
- This may, for example, be moving or visual difficulties that have an impact on your participation in your education.
- For progressive disorders, it is important that the documentation is relatively new and covers your current condition.
I have hearing or visual impairments
Why can it be difficult to study?
In addition to the more obvious difficulties in relation to seeing and hearing, it may be difficult to study because of:
- Problems with concentration and stamina
- Missing overview of studies
- Challenges in structuring and planning your course of study.
What help can I get if I'm blind or visually impaired?
- Assessment of your need for support at the Danish Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted (IBOS)
- Aids, such as the IT starter pack for the blind or visually impaired, blackboard camera and cold lights
- Digital teaching materials
- Secretarial assistance
- Mobility hours by an IBOS consultant
- Study support hours by a support teacher to, for example, reading graphs
- Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read
What help can I get if I'm deaf or hearing impaired?
- Sign-language or writing interpreter
- Hearing assessment
- Aids/support materials
- Secretarial assistance
- IT starter pack for the deaf or hearing impaired
- Study support hours with a support teacher
- Program that can make PDFs easier to read
How should I document my visual or hearing impairment?
- Hearing impairment: Copies of hearing graph and medical records from hearing clinic or hospital.
- Visual impairment: Documentation from an eye specialist/ophthalmologist stating your diagnosis.
I'm dyslexic
Why can it be difficult to study?
- Slower reading speed than your fellow students
- Problems learning new course content through reading
- Problems in keeping sentences in your head while writing them down
- Problems in formulating difficult content in writing
- Major differences in written and oral formulation
- Problems in reading and writing in a foreign language
- Uncertainty of spelling
What help can I get?
- Dyslexia test
- IT pack with dyslexia programs for your own computer
- Instructions on how to use the IT pack
- Dictaphone to record sound
- Handheld scanner + C pen
- Digital teaching materials
- Support hours with dyslexia consultant
- Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read
What are support hours?
Note that the video is in Danish.
I have a mental impairment, ADHD or autism
Mental impairments can be, for example, anxiety, depressions, OCD, PTSD, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
If you have ASF (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or ADHD, you can get the same support as students with mental impairments.
Why can it be difficult to study?
- Lack of drive and energy for studying
- Concentration and memory problems during your studies
- Problems with stamina and keeping to the programme
- Problems with structuring your study everyday life, for example in connection with major assignments
- Lack of overview of the programme, syllabus, major assignments and exams
- Difficulties to get started, for example in connection with writing processes
- Feeling of confusion and discomfort in relation to study pressures
- Problems with social isolation
- Finding it difficult to be in social contexts, for example challenges of attending the programme and classes with many people
- Difficult to 'be on', for example, for presentations and group work.
- Challenges in contacting lecturers and fellow students
- Uncertainty about own study capabilities and academic skills
What help can I get?
- Study support hours at the Student Counselling Service
- Student mentor: A UCPH student employed by the Student Counselling Service (
- Academic support teacher: A teacher employed by the Student Counselling Service
- Dictaphone to record sound
- Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read
How should I document my mental impairment?
- You must have medical documentation for your mental impairment or neuro-divergence.
- This could be from your own doctor/GP, a medical specialist, the hospital or e-journals.
- The documentation must show your full name, CPR number and date.
- The statement from a psychologist is not enough; it must be supplemented by medical documentation
I have a neurological functional impairment
A neurological functional impairment could be:
- Brain damage, brain haemorrhage, brain tumour or a stroke
- Long-term effects of concussion
- Epilepsy
- Chronic migraine and chronic headaches
- Inflammation of the nerves, paralysis or sensory disturbances
- Sclerosis
- Cerebral palsy
- Pains, such as facial pain or walking and mobility disorders
Why can it be difficult to study?
- Extreme sensitivity to light or sounds
- Concentration or memory problems
- Difficulty planning, creating structure and overview
- Joint vision problems or difficulty speaking
- Dizziness, walking disorders uncoordinated movements
- Severe migraine attacks
- Constant feeling of fatigue along with headaches and muscle pain
- Difficult to sit still or hypersomnia
- Reduced voice power and facial expressions
What help can I get?
- Clarification and study support hours at the Student Counselling Service
- Student mentor A UCPH student employed by the Student Counselling Service
- Academic support teacher: A teacher employed by the Student Counselling Service
- Dictaphone to record sound
- Assessment at the Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted (IBOS).
- Program that can read texts aloud or make PDFs easier to read
How should I document my neurological impairment?
- You must have medical documentation for your functional impairment.
- This could be from a doctor, a medical specialist, the hospital or e-journals.
- The documentation must show your full name, CPR number and date.
- In the case of chronic or serious illness, the documentation must describe your learning issues or other issues.
- This may, for example, be moving or visual difficulties that have an impact on your participation in your education.
- For progressive disorders, it is important that the documentation is relatively new and covers your current condition.
What are support hours?
What is the process?
How do I get my study aids and my support?
We will contact you as soon as we have received the aids you need. Then you can make an appointment to pick up you aids. You will get the details when we contact you when you are already enrolled in UCPH.
See what happens from booking an interview to receiving Special Education Support (SPS) in the timeline below:
SPS interview at UCPH
Start by booking an interview with a SPS-counsellor at the University of Copenhagen.
You can do this as soon you are offered admission to UCPH. Then we will help you get started with support.
The suppliers will contact you
If needed the suppliers will contact you within 10 days to make sure that you get the right support.
UCPH applies for the recommended support for you
Your aids are ready
You will be notified by your SPS counsellor when you can pick up your aids at UCPH's reception at Krystalgade 25, 1172 Copenhagen K.
Apply for support
Your SPS-counsellor at UCPH applies for the support and/or aids that you have discussed during the interview. You will often recieve some forms that you have to fill out and send back to your SPS-counsellor.
The SPS-counsellor at UCPH sends the application to the suppliers.
If you have been given an assessment
The suppliers prepare a report with descriptions of the recommended aids and support. The report can be used as documentation for dispensation applications and application for additional support.
Notification in your e-Boks
SPS interview at UCPH
Start by booking an interview with a SPS-counsellor at the University of Copenhagen. You can do this as soon you are offered admission to UCPH. We will help you get started with support.
Remember to prepare for the interview by reading everything on this page. Then we will talk about what is important for you and your needs.
Message in your e-Boks after 3-6 weeks
Your SPS-counsellor at UCPH applies for the support and/or aids that you have discussed during the interview. 3-6 weeks later, you will be notified via e-Boks when your application has been processed. The SPS-counsellor at UCPH sends the application to the suppliers.
The suppliers will contact you
The suppliers will contact you within 10 days to arrange for aids/an interview or assessment, if relevant. It may be that we recommend more assessments.
If you have been given an assessment
The suppliers prepare a report with descriptions of the recommended aids and support. The report can be used as documentation for dispensation applications and application for additional support.
UCPH applies for the recommended support for you
Notification in your e-Boks
Any aids and materials are ready
You must make an appointment to pick up your aids from the UCPH Student Centre.
What will we do?
At UCPH, we do not have our own team of psychologists, support teachers, mentors etc. In fact, the only support that we have on campus is the local student counselling services, who can help you to apply for special conditions on your education (e.g. extra time for exams).
Our process
The SPS-counsellors apply for a grant for you from the state of Denmark (the Agency of Education and Quality).
If they approve your grant, UCPH will ask external suppliers (like the Student Counselling Service, in Danish: Studenterrådgivningen) to help you.
Waiting time
You must be prepared to wait for up to two to three months upon your arrival in Denmark before the support is fully established. This is because we can only apply for a grant for you once you have a Danish CPR number. You must arrive in Denmark and find a place to live before you can file an application for a CPR number.
So, as an international student with disabilities, you must be prepared for some waiting before the support is established due to waiting time with case processing at the Agency and at the suppliers.
Education, exams and study environment
Contact the right faculty or institure
Contact persons at the faculties can help and guide you regarding specific facilities and academic matters such as:
- Classrooms and accessibility
- Specific limitations that may restrict your possibility for completing a specific educational programme
- Dispensations relating to exams, study activity requirements, completion time, choice of study and alternative study plans academic supportive persons once you have been granted SPS.
Faculty of Humanities
Please contact the institute, which your educational programme belongs under. There is a list (in Danish) of student counselling at each institute.
Faculty of Science
Forest and Landscape College
Faculty of Law
Student and Careers counselling, studiekontakt@jur.ku.dk.
Faculty of Social Sciences
Faculty of Theology
Student counselling, +45 35 32 39 61 / studentcounsellor@teol.ku.dk.
School of Oral Health Care
Housing for students with disabilities
Housing Foundation Copenhagen offers special attention to people with disabilities. Students with special needs applying for housing through Housing Foundation Copenhagen will be asked to provide information in regard to their disability in the online booking system and to provide documentation. For further information please contact Housing Foundation Copenhagen at: contact@housingfoundation.ku.dk.
Advice and assistance for students with disabilities outside the university
At the University of Copenhagen we will do all we can to help and assist you, but there are some situations for which we cannot provide solutions at this time. If you need a helper/assistant, the University can help connect you with a relevant entity. However, the University cannot cover the costs of the support. As a rule, prepayment is required.
Special education support for exchange and guest students
As an exchange or guest student at UCPH, you can apply for special conditions in class and/or exams, apply for permission to use aids from home, or you can receive guidance regarding purchasing relevant aids through private companies in Denmark.
Usually, students can apply for financial support through their home university. Please contact your home university coordinator about financial funding.
How to apply for special conditions in class or permission to use aids
- Contact International Education at UCPH at int-admission@adm.ku.dk as soon as possible (preferably before you apply and before you have been accepted).
- Make sure that you can document your impairment or illness.
- International Education will help you get in touch with the right people at the relevant faculty/faculties so that you can receive the support you need.
How to receive guidance regarding purchasing relevant aids through private companies in Denmark
Please contact the Special Education Support Office at sps@ku.dk and let them know what type of aid you will need to purchase.
Want to know more?
You will be able to get more information about deadlines and documentation after you have been accepted to UCPH.
Read more about student support, student counselling and well-being.
The rest of the information on this page is for students who are enrolled in a full degree programme at UCPH.
Feel free to send us an e-mail if you have any questions.
Email: sps@adm.ku.dk
You do not need to book an appointment, you can just come by to meet us. Find us next to the IT Support Centre at Karen Blixens Plads 8, ground floor on the main square, room 13A. 0.53.
However, we recommend that you contact the faculty of the programme you are applying to.