Support for students with disabilities arrives too late — ministries criticised

51 per cent of students who are entitled to physical or mental disability support when they start a higher education programme in Denmark do not receive it on time.

This is according to a new report by the Danish National Audit Office Rigsrevisionen, which criticises two separate ministries’ administration of the so-called SPS scheme which supports vulnerable students.

The National Audit Office has examined how many students actually receive their entitled support already at the beginning of their studies:

»When the support is not in place from the start of the programme, it may result in students having more difficulty participating in teaching and therefore being at greater risk of dropping out of their studies,« writes the National Audit Office.

It notes that the ministries have been aware of the problems for years, but they have not introduced concrete targets or systematic follow-up to ensure timely support for university students and students in secondary schools.

The fact that many students have to start their studies without the help they are entitled to is a major issue, according to the Student Council at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH):

»SPS is supposed to ensure that everyone can participate on equal terms, on the same start line. And it’s a fundamental principle at university that everyone should have the opportunity to pursue an education — regardless of whether they have a disability or not,« says Anton Stubbe Teglbjærg, chair of the Student Council.

Support should be available at programme start

In the report, the National Audit Office emphasises that it is crucial for students to receive the support that matches their needs when they begin their university studies.

The application for SPS is first submitted to the university and is then processed by the Danish Agency for Education and Quality (STUK) an agency under the Danish Ministry of Children and Education. Some applications are handled automatically — for example, in cases of previously diagnosed dyslexia — but most cases are assessed manually, and this can lead to delays.

The National Audit Office concludes that the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the Ministry of Children and Education have not, to a »sufficient degree«, ensured that students receive the support at the time they need it — that is, when they start their programme.

The report also criticises the ministries for not following up on whether, and when, the support is actually delivered to students.

A serious issue

According to Anton Stubbe Teglbjærg of the Student Council, SPS is the most frequently raised issue when students approach them.

»The SPS system hasn’t worked for years. It’s by far the most common type of enquiry we get. Many students either don’t get the right kind of support recommended by their doctor or psychiatrist. But we also hear from students who simply can’t navigate the system or access the resources they need.«

The number of students receiving SPS at universities has nearly doubled over the past four years. In 2020, 5,103 students received support. In 2024, that number was 10,109.

The biggest increase is in the number of students with dyslexia or mental health conditions.

»When the need for support grows, the system must be able to keep up — and it can’t today. Nor will it be able to if the government follows through on its plan to cut the financial support universities receive per student,« says Anton Stubbe Teglbjærg.

The National Audit Office recommends that the ministries set targets to ensure SPS is granted appropriately and follow up on whether the support is effective.

This summer, the Ministry of Higher Education and Science announced that from 2027, universities will take over parts of the SPS scheme and manage it themselves. However, neither the financial framework nor the specific parameters of the transition have yet been decided.

This article was first written in Danish and published on 9 October 2025. It has been translated into English and post-edited by Mike Young.