Managing health, disability & chronic illness as a researcher

The website ‘Mental Wellbeing’ provides contact points, support, and more information on how to deal with stress, conflicts, and challening circumstances during your academic qualification.

The University of Jena's Mental Health First Aid Team  offers first aid in an acute mental health crisis. Have you been feeling depressed and emotionally vulnerable for a very long time? Have you suffered from persistent stress or burn out syndroms? The Mental Health First Aid Team is trained to offer help and first aid in several languages and can arrange for further, easily accessible help.

The nationwide helpline Telefonseelsorge External link will always lend an ear to your worries and troubles. They will offer advice, direct you to further contact points, and allow you to share your problems anonymously around the clock.

Every Monday to Friday, from 16:00 to 18:00, members of the Faculty of Theology offer counselling as well as pastoral care and guidance to all university members as part of the University of Jena's pastoral care helpline de. Call: +49 3641 9-42666. Outside these hours, you can contact their counsellors by sending an email to seelsorge@uni-jena.de.

Muslim members can confide in the Muslim pastoral care helpline (MuTeS)External link where trained volunteers offer anonymous and confidential counselling services in difficult circumstances and emergencies. This service is funded by Islamic Relief Deutschland.

Should you find yourself in the midst of a crisis or exceptional circumstances, you can ask for professional (emergency) help from one of the agencies listed here External link.

If you are in great emotional distress and have suicidal thoughts, please confide in someone close to you and/or contact an agency with experienced counsellors who will provide you with professional help on a confidential basis. The website of NEST—the network for suicide prevention in Thuringia External link lists offers for round-the-clock help in Jena and the surrounding area.

Students and doctoral candidates with disabilities and/or children can apply for additional funding (top-up grants) to finance their stay abroad. If approved, these top-up grants will be paid in addition to the regular funding rates for each country.

Applications for additional funding are available from the University of Jena’s International Office. An overview of contact persons and office hours is available here.

The MZEB is part of Jena University Hospital, which, as a maximum-care medical facility, also offers optimal conditions for the treatment of adults with disabilities. The focus is always on the individuality of those seeking advice. The aim is to develop customized therapies and solutions for a life that is as self-determined and independent as possible.