A chronic illness is a long-term and persistent health condition that can impact your learning at Leiden University.

People who have negative expectations about a treatment actually experience more pain. Merve Karacaoglu discovered in her PhD research that anxious and pessimistic individuals are particularly susceptible to this nocebo effect. However, this sensitivity comes with a silver lining.

Exercising less, skipping parties and struggling at work: the expectation of chronic pain and itching can lead to avoidance behaviour. But this is by no means the case for everyone with chronic pain, as PhD candidate Gita Nadinda discovered. What does this mean for healthcare?

For the next couple of years, Joris van der Voet, Associate Professor and researcher at the Institute for Public Administration will be heading a research project on top-level bureaucrats and how they go about making choices and prioritizing issues. He has been awarded a Vidi grant by the Dutch Research…

Doctorates, scholarships, or a trip around the world during a sabbatical: when it comes to our careers, we often talk about what went well. The CV of Failures exhibition at the Herta Mohr Building shows the other side of the coin. On large boards, university staff talk about rejections, setbacks, and…

An e-coaching programme helps people with chronic kidney disease, particularly in areas that patients themselves want to work on. ‘A healthy lifestyle is important for patients with kidney disease: it can slow down the loss of kidney function and there will be fewer complications,’ Katja Cardol explains…

Dialysis patients experience a range of physical and mental symptoms that interact and influence each otherIn her doctoral research, psychologist Judith Tommel wanted to find the optimum approach to help these dialysis patients improve their quality of life. ‘We need to make sure we avoid excluding…

Third-year cultural anthropology student Claire van Helder (24) says she can't be kept still. She has her own blog, is active on Instagram and recently started a YouTube channel. She is a member of the student party LVS, elected to the faculty council and will become the president of WDO in September.…

Exhibition, Student wellbeing

Exhibition

Student Support Groups offer a safe, confidential space for learning, sharing, and connecting with others. Join one of our groups and engage in guided conversations based on your experiences, alongside fellow students and a student-guide. Sessions take place once a week, for a period of six consecutive…

According to the Act on the Equal Treatment of the Disabled and Chronically Ill, it is strictly forbidden to discriminate on the grounds of disability and chronic illness when providing employment, accommodation, goods and services.

Workshop

Studying with a disability may require additional time and effort. Find out what support is available at Leiden University and consider what might be helpful in your particular situation.

Wijnhaven, Turfmarkt 99, 2511 DP, The Hague

Lipsius, Cleveringaplaats 1, 2311 BD, Leiden

FSW building, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden

Oude UB, Rapenburg 70, 2311 EZ, Leiden

Gorlaeus Building, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden

Kamerlingh Onnes Building, Steenschuur 25, 2311 ES, Leiden

During your time as a student, it is important to develop yourself both academically and in terms of personal growth. You can join a wide range of workshops and courses on personal development, well-being and creativity.

Call for Participation for the online workshop Interrogating Speculative Futures: A workshop on the politics of imagining a future with(out) chronic illness on 19 and 20 July 2021.

As a student of Leiden University, you can access a large number of workshops and courses intended to help you improve your study skills, work on your personal development, and prepare for your future career.

In addition to compulsory elements, most degree programmes also have elective credits. These are credits you can earn in a variety of ways, for example by taking elective courses, studying abroad or doing a minor.

Lecture

eLaw - Center of Law and Digital technologies from Leiden Law School, and the Vascular Surgery Department at Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, join forces to explore the use of AI for diabetes and secondary prevention of diabetic foot problems and won a prize for it.

Your study adviser or coordinator is an expert on all aspects of your study programme. If you have any questions or concerns about your programme, whether they be of a practical or academic nature, you can contact your study adviser.

Not every person who experiences chronic challenges identifies with the term disability.

If you could use some extra support during your student time, we have a few more options for you.

When deciding what to study you undoubtedly read a lot of information about your study programme. Leiden University employs various systems to provide information about programmes and courses and to facilitate communication between lecturers and students.

A hidden disability can make studying a considerable challenge, partly because of the disability itself, but also because others may not realise that extra support is justified. To overcome this problem, the Faculty of Humanities is introducing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.