Student C begins a bachelor’s degree program in the natural sciences. Shortly thereafter, she develops a mental health condition, which prevents her from completing coursework. It is not until five semesters later that she accepts the futility of continuing her studies and withdraws from the program.
After several years of working, C begins a degree program in the humanities, which she is able to complete despite her illness. She quickly achieves good academic results. She applies for a self-supporting student grant. On the advice of the social counseling service of the Austrian National Union of Students (ÖH), she attaches an explanatory statement to the application, explaining why her ongoing illness made it impossible for her to continue her previous program of study and why she had to switch programs. She also attaches various medical certificates.
The Student Grant Office has rejected her application due to a late change of studies. She did not switch programs until after her fifth semester, and the medical certificates she submitted do not explain why her medical condition specifically prevents her from continuing her bachelor’s degree in the natural sciences, but does not prevent her from pursuing her new degree in the humanities.
With further support from the ÖH, C files an appeal against the denial of financial aid. She argues that changing her major was absolutely necessary because her mental illness is incompatible with a degree in the natural sciences. The Student Financial Aid Act (“Studienförderungsgesetz”) stipulates that students may change their field of study no more than twice. Furthermore, any change must be made no later than after the second semester of enrollment. Changing degree programs at a later stage results in a waiting period. An exception applies if the change is necessitated by an unavoidable event for which the student is not at fault. Changes in degree programs necessitated by illness or accident shall not result in the loss of eligibility for financial aid. However, dropping out of a degree program solely for personal reasons is not an inevitable outcome, even if those personal reasons stem from a medically diagnosed depressive disorder. The decisive factor is the complete lack of hope of continuing the current program, while there is a reasonable prospect of successfully completing the subsequent program.
In C’s case, she has a medical condition that prevented her from continuing her previous course of study. She did not decide to switch programs for personal reasons, but because her medical condition made it impossible for her to successfully pursue a degree in the natural sciences. By contrast, she is able to pursue her new degree in the humanities despite her medical condition.
In C’s appeal proceedings, the Student Aid Authority requests the submission of a new medical certificate from a specialist to support C’s claim. C submits a new medical certificate from a specialist stating that, due to her illness, C lacks the cognitive ability required to meet the complex demands of a bachelor’s degree program in the natural sciences. However, she is fully capable of pursuing her current degree program in the humanities. After the new medical certificate is submitted, the authority retroactively grants C a self-support student aid of €977 per month for her current degree program, effective from the month of application.
Achieved through the ÖH: The student receives a self-supporting student grant despite changing her major late, as she can prove that the change was necessary due to illness.
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