Advice for disabled applicants

We aim to support your student life by offering disability and dyslexia related advice, guidance and services.

If you have a physical or sensory impairment, a long term medical condition, a specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) or a mental health difficulty then we would like you to tell us when you apply. If you tell us about your disability, we will treat it in a confidential, positive and constructive way.

Telling us early on enables our Disability and Dyslexia Service to contact you to find out what adjustments and support you may need to access your programme of study and other University facilities, such as accommodation. We can also advise you on disability related financial support.

It is particularly important to disclose this information to us if you are applying to one of the health programmes such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy or optometry, which have 'fitness to practise' requirements.

We can arrange access visits so that you can find out more about routes across the University estate and the student accommodation available to you.

You can find detailed information on our student support pages or contact us:

Diagnostic Assessments for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)

Applications for individual adjustments at University (including specific examination arrangements) and for applications for a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) need to be supported by evidence of your specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

You must provide evidence in the form of a full ‘diagnostic assessment’ report. Assessors providing diagnostic assessments for students with Specific Learning Difficulties should follow the guidelines under the framework established by the 2005 working group. This details what tests are required for the report to be valid for the DSA purposes, how the report should be presented, and what conclusions are considered appropriate:

The evidence must be from either a psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher i.e.:

• A chartered or practitioner psychologist who is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or:
• A specialist teacher who holds a current SpLD Assessment Practising Certificate (APC)

You‘ll have to pay for any tests you need to confirm your diagnosis.

Always check with your assessor that they are suitably qualified, before arranging your assessment.