During your studies, you are exposed to a wide variety of stresses and strains that can lead to anxiety and worry - whether it's exams, homework deadlines, the standard study period or BAföG applications. In addition, statistically about eleven percent of all students have to live with an impairment. These include physical impairments, chronic and mental illnesses.
On this page you can find out how to maintain your mental and physical health as a student, why an impairment is not an obstacle to studying, and when and how you can get advice and help in an uncomplicated way if you are in doubt.
The consultation hour for musicians' health is a free consultation service at the university for all questions of mental and physical health.
Office hours
For more information, please visit the following page.
With a course of study, you are starting a new phase of life: unfamiliar people, unfamiliar situations and unfamiliar surroundings.
This beginning is exciting, interesting and perhaps also somewhat filled with fear and uncertainty; because (not only) with health impairments, this stage of life requires additional energy as well as diverse considerations and decisions.
With our offer "Studying with Impairments", the Cologne University of Music and Dance (HfMT) would like to support you in this stage of life in an equal and independent participation in your studies and student life.
Our goal is to create a university for all. This means disadvantage compensation and equal opportunities for all who are impaired by a disability/chronic illness in the aptitude test and in their studies.
"People are disabled if their physical function, mental ability or mental health is likely to deviate from the condition typical of their age for more than six months and therefore their participation in life in society is impaired." (§2 Abs.1 Sozialgesetzbuch IX)
The Higher Education Freedom Act of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia provides: "The universities shall cooperate in the social promotion of the students. They take into account the special needs of disabled and chronically ill students (...)." (HFG § 3, para. 5)
We are very happy to provide advice on everything to do with aptitude tests, studies and examination situations - because we want to work towards targeted support for students with disabilities and structural improvements at the university. Counseling is open to students and prospective students who are interested in studying at HfMT or who are already enrolled.
Prof. Dr. Corinna Vogel (Lecturer)
Jan Hinrichs (student representative)
You are also welcome to send us an e-mail or a letter (P.O. Box 63) with your concerns. The consultation is of course subject to confidentiality and is free of charge.
In order to prevent disadvantages in studies resulting from an impairment, there are compensations for disadvantages.
Depending on the impairment (doctor's report), individual solutions can be found, e.g. time extension in exams, conversion of written exams into oral exams or vice versa.
In the case of illness during the semester, extensions of time for homework, for example, can be requested.
If you are unable to attend classes due to a prolonged illness and this prevents you from completing the expected coursework and exams, another option is to apply for a semester off.
The liaison lecturers were elected by the student parliament and are available to you for all problems concerning your studies. The discussions are strictly confidential and are subject to the obligation of secrecy. You can make an individual appointment according to your needs.
The liaison lecturers are
Location Cologne
Location Aachen
Location Wuppertal
Psychological counseling is available to help you with worries and for all questions and concerns about your mental and general well-being. These can also be issues that have nothing to do with your studies at all. Or simply when you feel that it would be good to talk to someone without already knowing what is going on.
Examples of possible topics might be:
Psychological counseling at the university is a free service. It is also confidential - i.e. all content is subject to professional secrecy and will not be disclosed to third parties.
Who advises you and how does a counseling session proceed?
The psychological counseling of the Cologne Student Union helps you with psychological stress, problems in your studies or personal crises. Topics for confidential discussions in a protected setting can include: