Study-related health issues

Study-related health issues can take the form of different types of physical and/or psychological reactions to something in your study environment. These reactions can lead to illness.

For example, you may find that your workload is so heavy that you are unable to take part in everything related to your course(s). This can leave you feeling stressed and unable to sleep well.

Incidents

An incident is an event that could have led to an accident or a physical and/or psychological injury, but instead ended well.

For example, a heavy object might fall off a shelf without hitting anyone, or someone might slip on a wet floor without falling down. You may also feel that there are offensive or condescending comments in your study situation that could make you or others feel uncomfortable.

Accidents

An accident – or occupational injury – is when an incident results in physical or psychological injury. For example, a heavy object could fall from a shelf and hit someone, injuring them. Or someone could slip on a wet floor and fall, injuring themselves.

An occupational illness is a health condition caused by physical or psychological situations in your study environment and is also classified as an accident. For example, offensive or condescending comments may make someone feel so unwell that they cannot continue with their studies.

Commuting accidents (an accident on the way to or from the University) are also included in the definition of accident.

If you have study-related health issues or incident, you must inform your head of department or your programme manager. Use the incident report form below.

Follow the instructions on the form so that your head of department, your student health and safety representative and the work environment coordinator all receive the report.

Incident report form (Word 68 kB, new tab)

Please note that there is no fully accessible version of this form. Contact your student health and safety representative if you need help completing the form.

You are advised to contact your student health and safety representative when completing the incident report form. You can then give them first-hand information about the incident and they can help you with the form.

Student health and safety representatives

If you do not wish to include your name in the report, it is possible to submit it anonymously. You can do this either by submitting the form without providing any personal information, or by asking your student health and safety representative to act as the reporter of the incident.

Please note: It is important that you are aware that it is more difficult to investigate and take action on an incident that is reported anonymously. As a student, you should never suffer any form of retaliation for making a report.

If you have had an accident, suffer from an occupational illness or have an accident during your commute to or from the University, you should inform your head of department or programme manager. They are responsible for reporting it via the electronic service of the Swedish Work Environment Authority and the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (Försäkringskassan).

You are advised to contact your student health and safety representative when contacting your head of department or your programme manager. They can help you with the process, and it is a good idea to let them know that a report has been made.

Student health and safety representatives

Personal injury insurance

If you are injured in an accident or commuting accident related to your studies, you may be entitled to compensation from the Financial and Administrative Services Agency’s (Kammarkollegiet’s) personal injury insurance. You should see a doctor to verify the injury. This will also make it easier to claim compensation. Keep all certificates and receipts relating to the injury.

The personal injury insurance covers:

• Students and doctoral students according to Chapter 1, Section 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance.
• In Sweden. It applies during school hours* and during direct travel between the home and the place where school hours are spent. If you go abroad in connection with your studies, you must take out a separate add-on insurance.
• If you are injured in an accident or contract an illness.
• If you have an accident while studying remotely, if the accident is directly related to your studies.

The insurance is taken out via Kammarkollegiet.

How to make a claim

You can find the ’University students in Sweden Claim form’ on Kammarkollegiet’s website. Fill it in, sign it and send it to Registraturen, Box 117, 221 00 Lund.

Download the ’University students in Sweden Claim form’ – kammarkollegiet.se

You can read more about personal injury insurance and what applies to you as a student on the Kammarkollegiet website:

Insurance for university students in Sweden – kammarkollegiet.se

*School hours are defined as an activity organised by Lund University that your programme/course specifies as an element of your education. Please note that personal injury insurance does not apply if the activity is organised by a party other than Lund University – such as a student union or student nation – organises the activity. In these cases, you must have private home insurance/accident insurance.

All reports of study-related health issues, incidents and accidents must be followed up by your head of department or programme manager together with your student health and safety representative. The purpose of the follow-up is to investigate what happened and what can be done to prevent a similar event from happening in the future. Your faculty’s local health and safety committee will also follow up the case (without revealing your identity).