10.6.8. Disability support services

In 2025, METU provided a full range of support services for people with disabilities through its Disability Support Office.

These services are set out in the METU Disability Support Office Directive (revised 9 August 2022). It tasks the office with identifying students with disabilities after registration, assessing their academic, administrative, physical, psychological, social and housing needs, informing and advising their instructors and departments, arranging exam and course accommodations, and working with the Health and Guidance Centre and other units (Article 5). Students apply to the office with a valid health report to use its course adaptations, part-time student assistants, transport and the Accessible Resources Office (Article 13(2)).

In 2025, the METU Disability Support Office actively supported 30 students in the spring semester and 32 in the fall semester, employed 17 part-time student assistants with a budget of 720,000 TL, and prepared 247 academic accommodation letters

https://kalite.metu.edu.tr/sites/kalite.metu.edu.tr/files/kidr2025.pdf

Services

• Letters for Academic Accommodation: prepared for each eligible student, specifying accommodations in courses, exams and assignments; accommodations are also provided in the English Proficiency and Placement exams.

• Note-taker support and course partnership: provided by trained student assistants.

• Accessible Resources Office: converts printed materials into accessible formats for visually impaired students.

• Transport: a specially equipped vehicle for students with reduced mobility.

• Disability advisers: every department has a designated adviser for students with disabilities.

• Other services listed by the office: a campus orientation programme, consultancy for departments that have students with disabilities, seminars and training, and research and evaluation.

• Awareness: On 3 December 2025, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the Disability Support Office held an event at the METU Culture and Convention Centre with an address by the Rector, a student's account of accessibility on campus, a talk by clinical psychologist Dr. Beyza Ünal on disability pride, identity and visibility, and a creative drama empathy workshop, "Recognising Invisible Barriers".

https://engelsiz.metu.edu.tr/tr/announcements/3-aralik-dunya-engelliler-gunu-etkinligi