Characteristics of a non-congenital brain injury
- You tire quickly and often
- You sometimes have difficulty concentrating
- You may suffer from short-term memory loss
- You sometimes have difficulty planning
- You may often be gloomy or quick to anger for no immediate reason
- You have difficulty orienting yourself
- You are easily overstimulated
This is what I deal with
Obstacles faced by students with a noncongenital brain injury
As a student with a diagnosis of noncongenital brain injury, you may encounter several obstacles.
- Concentration problems. The symptoms of your illness may negatively affect your ability to concentrate. This makes it difficult to study.
- Problems with communication. Social skills are skills related to getting along with others and being able to communicate with them.
- Trouble with planning and organising. Sometimes, the effects of your condition make it impossible for you to study. You have trouble planning your studies and would like help in this area.
- Lack of energy. You often experience a lack of energy as a result of your condition. This may negatively impact your ability to keep up with course work, attend lectures and take exams.
- Problems with the attendance requirement. You cannot always be present for lectures, either due to fatigue or because you have a doctor’s appointment or hospital visit.
- Problems with getting places/physical accessibility. Is your educational institution not designed in an accessible way, for instance because there is no lift? In that case, you can request certain adjustments.
- Problems with an internship or a job. When you have a neurological disorder, it can be difficult to find – or keep – an internship or job. You might need help finding an internship spot. Once you have found an internship, it is important to make solid agreements.
Even though these obstacles may cause difficulties, you can rest assured that more than enough tools and solutions are available that can help you successfully complete your degree programme. In the preceding section, click on the obstacle you are facing with which you could use some help. You can then read a lot more about that topic and find additional tips and tools. If your specific obstacle is not mentioned above, please refer to the comprehensive list of obstacles.
This is what I might need
Support and facilities when studying with a noncongenital brain injury
There are various adaptations or facilities available that can help you during your studies. There are national schemes, for example, but your school also offers extra support.
As a student with noncongenital brain injury, you may need the following:
- Teaching and testing aids. There are a variety of aids that might make studying easier for you. These could include taking exams online, getting additional time for exams or having an accessible space in which to take the exams. You should discuss these possibilities with your study adviser.
- Adjusted study schedule. It is possible that you will need more time to successfully complete your degree programme. You can also discuss whether test or exams could be spaced out over a longer period or whether the attendance requirement could be relaxed. You might also consider adjustments to your class schedule, so that you have more time to get from A to B, or to make sure all your classes are held in a building that is accessible to you.
- Financial schemes. Your chronic illness might cause you to incur a study delay or prevent you from holding a part-time job. A variety of financial schemes are available from the Education Executive Agency (DUO), the municipality in which you live and your educational institution.
Have a look at the other facilities that might be helpful for you, too.
Tips
Do not wait to ask for help
Every student is different, and every individual needs a different type of help. It is important to explore the options and find what works for you. Do not be afraid to ask for help at the first signs of trouble. Asking for help is actually a sign of strength, because it lets others know how much you want to succeed in your degree programme. Talk to a study adviser for your programme and ask them about the possibilities available to you. It is a good idea to take a moment first to write down what you need and what kind of support you think would be helpful to you. You should immediately seek help if you run into obstacles to your education because of your special needs. Together, you can explore whether this might affect rules such as the binding study advice (BSA) or the attendance requirement and how they apply to you.
If you encounter obstacles in your education, do not wait to report them
If you run into obstacles as a result of your special needs, you can look at how this will affect rules such as the BSA or the attendance requirement together.
Tips and information on overstimulation
Check out tips and information on overstimulation in a brain disorder here.
What you can do before you start your studies?
- Think about what kind of profession you can do with the study; if these professions are not realistic, look for another study.
- Before the programme starts, plan a meeting with the dean or study counsellor right away in which you state what disability you have and what prerequisites you have for studying.
What you can do while studying?
- Schedule regular (e.g. twice a year) meetings with your tutor to see what adjustments are needed.
- Contact organisations such as Stichting SWOM or Breinsupport. They have a lot of experience in options to support or adapt during your studies.
Are you struggling to find an internship or job?
- SWOM Foundation is committed to helping students with special needs who are struggling to find jobs. Contact them to help smooth the transition from school to finding work.
- Make use of reintegration professionals and organisations such as also Brain Support and The Class (Edwin van der Sar Foundation) to ensure a smooth transition from school to finding work.
Experience stories
Read the experience stories of others here
- Manon: Studeren met Niet Aangeboren Hersenletsel (NAH) (blog) - in Dutch
- Share your experience story too. With your experience story, you can give others, such as education professionals and fellow students, an insight into what goes well and what could be better when studying with special needs. A source of inspiration with tips, hints and flops. Together with you, ECIO provides an experience story with impact.
Organisations
Through the tool 'Hulpwijzer'[Help Guide], you can find organisations that have expertise on your support needs. Check out the possibilities.