Information in English

Barrier-free studies

Students/applicants with special needs

Support is provided to students or applicants with special needs arising from:

• visual impairment,
• hearing impairment,
• physical disabilities,
• special learning disabilities,
• autism spectrum disorder,
• mental illness,
• impaired communication skills,
• chronic somatic disease.

Support measures and services

Students with special needs are provided with the following support measures and services:

• extended time,
• individual tutoring,
• organisational measures
• personal assistance
• spatial orientation
• real-time transcription
• general measures
• study assistance
• sign language interpreting
• transcription service
• study literature adaptation

Terms of service

The services of the Support Centre for Students with Special Needs (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Centre’) can be used by any student of a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree programme in full-time or part-time form of study, or a candidate for admission to studies who:

• requests the provision of services,
• agrees to the collection, processing, and storage of personal and sensitive data,
• provides evidence of a recognised disability or chronic disease,
• has been diagnosed with a functional impact of the documented disability or disease on the activities necessary for studying the chosen programme on the basis of a functional diagnosis executed by the Centre's staff.

Services and measures are indicated and implemented in such a way as not to reduce the learning demands placed on the student by the curriculum.

The use of the forms of support offered is voluntary and all the services outlined above are provided to students free of charge.

Proof of health status

The student/applicant must provide relevant proof of health status, preferably a medical report.

The health status evidence shall be provided to the staff of the Centre exclusively. All data obtained this way is handled in accordance with Act No 110/2019, on personal data processing.

Information for applicants

Special services for applicants

The Centre provides applicants and potential applicants with:

• consultations on the suitability of the degree programme,
• information on the adaptation of the admission exams,
• information on the provided services and study support.

Application for admission to studies

1. Applicants with special needs complete a standard electronic application form in accordance with the general guidelines of the individual faculties.
2. In the electronic application, the applicant with special needs selects YES in the field Requesting consideration of special needs.
3. When completing the application form or when sending the printed application form, the candidate does not attach any documents proving his or her health status!
4. After the administrative processing of the application, the applicant requesting consideration of special needs will be sent an information e-mail with a link to an electronic questionnaire that must be completed within 7 days.

Information for students

Individual services are provided to the extent determined solely on the basis of the outcomes of functional diagnostics and with the consent of the student. Therefore, the student is not entitled to use all of the forms of support outlined above but only those that meet his or her special needs in combination with the demands of his or her studies.

Rules for providing support

• support for the studies of students with special needs at USB is governed by Rector’s Ordinance R 303,
• support measures and services for students with special needs are indicated exclusively by the Centre,
• an overview of the set support measures and services provided for the semester is made available to educators via the Centre's electronic record-keeping system by the end of the third week of classes in accordance with the academic year's schedule,
• the overview of the set support measures and services is provided to and consulted with educators exclusively by the Centre; students with special needs are not entitled to having it at their disposal and claiming adjustments of study obligations, etc.,
• educators are entitled to consult the Centre on the support measures and services provided; the Centre may modify or supplement the support measures provided in justified cases with respect to the specifics of the particular course,
• in the event that the educator does not agree with any of the specified support measures or their part, even after consultation with the Centre, he or she has the right to request a review by the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs through the Dean or his or her authorised representative,
• the Centre is ready to provide teachers with assistance in the implementation of support measures in teaching, or to provide them in their entirety,
• the implementation of support measures is executed exclusively by the Centre's professional staff, who are USB employees and are bound by the same confidentiality obligations as educators,
• students with special needs are entitled to receiving the set support measures and services.

Information for academic staff

Supporting students with special needs in instruction

• support for the studies of students with special needs at USB is governed by Rector’s Ordinance R 303,
• support measures and services for students with special needs are indicated by the Centre exclusively,
• an overview of the set support measures and services provided for the semester is made available to educators via the Centre's electronic record-keeping system no later than the end of the third week of classes in the semester according to the academic year schedule,
• the overview of the set support measures and services is provided to and consulted with educators by the Centre exclusively; students with special needs are not entitled to having it at their disposal and claiming adjustments of study obligations, etc.,
• educators are entitled to consult the Centre on the support measures and services provided; the Centre may modify or supplement the support measures provided in justified cases with respect to the specifics of the particular course,
• in the event that the educator does not agree with any of the specified support measures or their part, even after consultation with the Centre, he or she has the right to request a review by the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs through the Dean or his or her authorised representative,
• the Centre is ready to provide teachers with assistance in implementing support measures in teaching or to provide them in their entirety,
• the implementation of support measures is executed exclusively by the Centre's professional staff, who are USB employees and are bound by the same confidentiality obligations as educators,
• students with special needs are entitled to receiving the set support measures and services.

Providing specific support measures in instruction

 Time adjustment

• unless otherwise specified in the overview of support measures and services, the increase in the allocation of time applies to written tests and other written work and written preparation for oral examinations in the course of the semester, when obtaining course credit, during an examination, in the comprehensive examination and in the state examination,
• the student has the right to an increase in the time allocation time only if he or she requests it through the Centre in advance, usually at least three working days before the duly announced date of the study assessment,
• therefore, the educator does not have to act on this matter until he or she receives an informational email from the Centre notifying him or her of the need for increased time allocation and the offer to assist in organisationally arranging it,
• a request for an increase in the time allocation due to special needs made directly by the student is not taken into account by the educator,
• the rate of increase in the time allocation is determined by the Centre on the basis of the results of standardised tests or practical examinations in the context of functional diagnostics, whereby the rounded percentage value reflects the medical difficulties in producing the written output, not the reduced intellectual capacity of the student, and is related to the time required by the average university student to produce written assignments, without naturally reflecting the extended or virtually unlimited time for producing the output that is potentially provided to all students by the educator,
• if, on the basis of the educator’s decision, it is necessary for the student to complete the written work with an increased time allocation in a separate room due to organisational reasons, the Centre may provide supervision in that room or may provide a room with supervision on its own premises.

Organisational measures

• the student is entitled to the adoption of organisational measures aiming exclusively at study assessment only if he or she requests that the educator to do so through the Centre in advance, usually at least three working days before the duly announced date of the study assessment,
• the educator does not have to act on this matter until he or she receives an informative e-mail from the Centre containing a notification of the need for increased time allocation and an offer of assistance in making the arrangements,
• if a separate room for writing a written work as part of the study assessment is indicated to the student, the Centre can provide supervision in this room or provide a room with supervision on its own premises,
• if the student is entitled to write written work on a computer, the Centre can lend a laptop with ordinary software and provide supervision of the student or provide a supervised room in its own premises,
• sensitive documents, such as assignments or test results, can be submitted electronically in a secure manner or in hard copy in person if that is the educator’s preference,
• if special communication rules are part of the support measures, they must be followed throughout the instruction as well as the study assessment,
• if the student utilises lip reading, the educator does not need to increase the volume of the speech, or try excessively to make the best articulation or significantly reduce the pace of speech – it is best to communicate naturally and, above all, maintain a frontal position in relation to the audience,
• individual oral examinations, i.e. without the presence of other persons, are conducted by the educator only if it is ethically and organisationally acceptable for him or her; otherwise, the number of persons present should at least be limited to the necessary minimum,

Personal assistance

• the service is provided by the Centre through its professional staff, in exceptional cases through the staff of an organisation providing personal assistance as a social service,
• the assistant has the right to participate with the student in the full scope of the instruction,
• the extent of the service is determined by the student.

Real-time transcription

• the service is provided by the Centre through its professional staff or external collaborators, or through the staff of an organisation providing simultaneous transcription as a social service in exceptional cases,
• the transcriber has the right to participate with the student in the full scope of the instruction,
• the extent of the service is determined by the student.

Study assistance

• the educator, who also determines its scope. can request the service from the Centre from,
• the service is provided exclusively by the Centre's professional staff.

Preparation of study materials

• the service is provided by the Centre, unless the educator decides otherwise (in which case the Centre must be notified),
• if the service is provided by the Centre, for organisational reasons, the teacher must hand in or send the materials at least two working days before the date on which the study material will be needed,
• sensitive documents, such as test assignments, can be submitted electronically in a secure manner or in hard copy in person if that is the educator’s preference.

Contact person for international students and academic staff