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SPS – This is how it works

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Exam preparation, new social relationships, pressure of expectations, uncertainty. There can be many experiences associated with student life that require a bit of extra adjustment. For people with disabilities, there may be additional obstacles to overcome. Fortunately, support is available through the special educational support scheme. The special educational support scheme (SPS) offers students with physical or mental disabilities a range of support options. The aim is to ensure that these students can complete their education on an equal footing with others.

Table of contents

How many have a disability?
What can an SPS scheme help me with?
Who can apply for SPS?
How does one apply for SPS?

SPS

How many have a disability?

About 11% of students in higher education are registered with a disability either in the SPS or disability SU system. This is approximately 30,000 students across the country’s educational institutions. (Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, 2020)

At the student association at DTU, they are pleased with the scheme and can clearly see the impact of the support.

The scheme means a lot. It ensures that as a student, you not only have the opportunity to complete your studies but also to participate in student life. The extra capacity that the scheme can provide also allows for more social engagement.

Mikkel Berrig Rasmussen, Chairperson of the Polytechnical Association at DTU.

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Fact box

What can an SPS scheme help with?

1. Personal support

Mentor support: A mentor can assist with planning, structure, and motivation.
Reading and writing support: Help with reading and writing, often in the form of IT aids or a person who can assist with reading texts aloud.

2. Technical aids

IT aids: Software for text recognition, reading and writing programs, or speech-to-text programs.
Special equipment: Ergonomic equipment, hearing aids, or other technical aids that can ease daily life in studies depending on the type of disability.

3. Practical assistance

Note-taking assistance: A person who can take notes for you during lectures.
Help with exercises: Assistance with practical exercises in laboratories, workshops, or other teaching that requires extra physical resources.

4. Adaptation of the learning environment

Special arrangements: Adjustments in classrooms, such as special furniture or placement.
Alternative exam arrangements: Extra time for exams, use of aids, or special exam formats.

Practicalities

Who can apply for SPS?

There can be many reasons why you might need support in your student life, and the list of disabilities is long. However, to receive support, you must be able to document that you have a disability that affects your ability to study. This can include physical disabilities, mental disorders such as anxiety or depression, chronic illnesses such as epilepsy, or reading and writing difficulties such as dyslexia or dyscalculia.

Additionally, there are some requirements for the educational institution to offer an SPS scheme. But as a general rule, if you can receive SU, you can also get an SPS scheme. More information is available here.

Practicalities

How does one apply for SPS?

To receive support, you must submit an application at your educational institution. It’s important to reach out to advisors at the start of your studies, as in some places you can apply before your studies begin. This is the case, for example, at DTU.

Fortunately, we have a very skilled SPS unit that has created a contact portal. When students receive a username and password a month before the start of their studies, they can already go in and begin applying for various aids and support.

Heidi Berggren Brønddal Pedersen, Team Leader for Student Guidance at DTU.

Before you make the application, it is important to gather documentation that confirms your disability. This can include medical certificates, psychological statements, or other relevant documents.

Once the application is submitted to the educational institution, an assessment process begins where experts determine the type of support needed in each case. The application is then forwarded to the Danish Agency for Education and Quality, which evaluates the applications.

“Our SPS unit acts as a link between the student and the agency,” says Heidi Berggren.

If your application is approved, you will receive a grant that describes the support you have been allocated. Together with the SPS advisor, you will determine how the support will be implemented in daily life. It is also important to follow up on how the support is working, as needs may change over time, and the support should adapt to your needs, not the other way around.

The student advisor at DTU is enthusiastic about the scheme, but she can identify a single flaw in the entire application process

Many of our students also received support in high school, where they had to go through an application process. However, when they start university, they have to apply all over again. This can seem a bit silly, notes Heidi Berggren Brønddal Pedersen, who is generally enthusiastic about the scheme.

Heidi Berggren Brønddal Pedersen, Team Leader for Student Guidance at DTU.

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Did you know?

That you can also apply for the SU disability supplement and/or apply for an exemption to complete exams under special conditions if you have a disability. The disability supplement is applied for on minSU, and exam exemptions are applied for at your own educational institution.
The disability supplement is applied for on minSU, and exam exemptions are applied for at your own educational institution.

If you want to read more about the special educational support scheme, you can find more information here.

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