Stay Abroad Barrier Free

The Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin is constantly working to make the study conditions for students as barrier free as possible. The International Office is available to assist students with disabilities or chronic illnesses who are considering a stay abroad with all planning matters and will be happy to put them in touch with other support services.

If you have any questions, please contact our Study Abroad team at studyabroad@ avoid-unrequested-mailsash-berlin.eu or Internship Abroad at auslandspraktikum@ avoid-unrequested-mailsash-berlin.eu.

• European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education: Information on the accessibility of European higher education institutions
• Inclusive mobility: Online maps with information on the accessibility of the surroundings of European universities and service facilities in the vicinity.
• LINK - Learning Inclusively Network + Know-how: EU network in the field of studying with disabilities abroad with possibilities for exchange of incoming and outgoing students
• Internship abroad guide: Information about internships abroad with disabilities
• Study worldwide, experience it: Tips for students with disabilities

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In order to financially support mobility, the conditions for a stay abroad must be clarified with the relevant institutions (health insurance, social welfare office, BAföG office, etc.) at an early stage. Please contact the relevant persons in charge for this purpose.

Students should, if possible, also claim BAföG for a stay abroad with Erasmus+, regardless of an application for special funds. In addition to the funding that a study or internship abroad through Erasmus+ entails, students with disabilities or chronic illnesses have the opportunity to apply for additional funding through the Erasmus+ program. These are intended to help offset the additional costs incurred as a result of the stay abroad that cannot be covered by health insurance, social services or other agencies. Once selected for Erasmus+ funding, students and graduates with a degree of disability (GdB) of at least 20 can apply for the special funding. If you have a proven disability due to which there is an additional financial need, but do not have a disabled person's pass, please contact us at studyabroad@ avoid-unrequested-mailsash-berlin.eu.

For studying abroad, since the winter semester 2022-23, additional funding, so-called "Social Top Ups" for students with disabilities from GdB 20 or chronic illness, with 250 EUR per month, can be applied for.

In addition, from GdB 20 and with chronic illness, an application for real cost transfers (long application) can be submitted. Here, the real additional costs due to the disability or chronic illness are calculated and can be financed with up to a maximum of 15,000 EUR per semester.

There is also the possibility to apply for a preparatory trip to inquire about the circumstances on site as a preparation for an already approved mobility. Interested parties should contact the International Office.

If you have further questions about this, please feel free to contact our Study Abroad team at studyabroad@ avoid-unrequested-mailsash-berlin.eu.

Helpful links for funding:

• DAAD: general information on funding opportunities for students with disabilities.
• DAAD: Funding of additional needs due to disability when participating in the Erasmus+ program (study and internship/internship for graduates)
• BAföG Office

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Funding under the Erasmus+ program can either be provided as a lump sum or, if the additional costs incurred abroad exceed the special funding lump sum, can be applied for individually via the detailed long application (real cost application).

At the monthly Erasmus+ funding rate, depending on the country group, students with disability from GdB 20 or chronic illness can apply for a "Social Top Up" of 250 EUR per month.

Applying for the Erasmus+ Social Top Up:

The application for the Erasmus+ Social Top Up is made through the International Office of ASH Berlin. The application is made only after the acceptance of an Erasmus+ place and the regular Erasmus+ funding, but before the start of the stay. 

Required documents before the stay:

• Honorary declaration signed in original (a proof of disability with indication of the degree of disability or certificate of additional costs required abroad due to the chronic illness must be available to the students).

Costs for mobility abroad that cannot be covered by the flat-rate grant require a separate application for real costs. The grant is calculated on the basis of the additional costs caused by the stay abroad, unless other national agencies (integration offices, health insurance funds, regional associations, social welfare offices, studierendenWERK) finance them. These costs must be listed and verified when the application is submitted. Eligible expenses include, for example, additional travel costs, local travel, accommodation, payment of helpers or supervisors, costs for medical care and the like. The maximum limit for individual special funding through the Erasmus+ program is 15,000 EUR.

Application:

The application for additional needs must be submitted to the DAAD at least two months before the start of the stay. Please also take into account the additional processing time of at least 2 weeks at the International Office.

Required documents before the stay:

• Real cost application
• Proof of disability from GdB 20 or chronic illness
• Statement of costs for the stay abroad
• List of benefits from other institutions with corresponding proofs.

Required documents after the stay:

• Report of support, supplemented by the special aspects of the stay with disability
• Original documents (airline tickets, rental contracts, work contracts with support staff, proof of payment or similar).