Student Portal > Wellbeing & Disability Support > Disability Support

Disability Support

If you have told us you are disabled, you have a learning difference or a medical condition that impacts on your learning, UCA’s experienced Disability team is here to support you and academic colleagues to provide an accessible learning experience.  

You can declare a disability or support need on your course application, once you have accepted your offer of a place, once you have enrolled or at any time during your course. If you have already started your course, you should contact the Disability team.  

Our aim is to encourage and foster independent learning – we do this by helping you develop the strategies, skills and knowledge you need to succeed on your course. 

We will work with you to: 

  • Think about your needs, expected outcomes and the support you need to successfully access learning. 
  • Support you through the process of applying for any external support you need, for example, Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). 
  • Signpost and refer you for additional assessments if required, for example, Dyslexia Assessment. 

We will create an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) in order to have support or reasonable adjustments put in place. For more information, you can read UCA’s Guidance to Making Reasonable Adjustments. 

Our service is confidential. Information about you is only passed to other people in the University or external services providers with your agreement to ensure you’re provided with the support you need. 

For more information, see the Support for Success booklet. 

Disability FAQs

  • What disabilities are included under the Equality Act 2010?

    Neurodiverse conditions: specific Learning Difficulties such as Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Conditions/Disorders. 

    Mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and personality disorders. 

    Chronic health conditions , for example, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, chronic fatigue, HIV, Crohn’s disease. Any disease that has lasted longer than a year, requires medical attention or limits your day-to-day life may count as a chronic illness. 

    Living with a chronic illness is different for everyone, and not everyone with a chronic condition has a disability.  A chronic illness can cause a disability, both temporary and ongoing. 

    If you think your condition will impact on your learning, support is available on a case-by-case basis. Please contact the disability service for further discussions to establish what reasonable adjustments may apply to you. 

    Sensory and physical conditions , for example, hearing impairment, visual impairment, mobility difficulties. Physical and sensory needs cover a wide range of medical conditions and can include hearing loss, visual impairment, sensory processing difficulties and physical difficulties. They can occur for a variety of reasons, for example congenital conditions, injury or disease. 

    Please communicate and share the details of your condition with the Disability team as early as possible. This will ensure that where applicable, support is put in place in a timely manner. 

    If you require practical help and assistance with daily life tasks (such as pushing a wheelchair), please read our Guidance on personal care support. 

    Education Health and Care Plans (EHCP) 

    Your Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will no longer apply when you start at university. Instead, you will be able to apply for funded support through Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA). 

    It can, however, be a good idea to share your EHC plan with the university as it will help the Disability team to understand your needs and make sure the right reasonable adjustments are put in place for the start of your course. 

    Disabled Students’ Allowance for home/UK students 

    In many cases, UK students applying for higher education courses may be able to apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). As part of the process, you will have an external DSA needs assessment – an informal meeting to discuss and recommend the type of support you might require on your course. 

    If you are in any doubt about financial arrangements or funding, please contact the  Disability team. 

  • What about funding for international students?

    To be eligible to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance you need to hold home residency status. 

    If you are an international student, you should seek advice on what support you might be entitled to from your home country. You could also consider what other funding may be available through grant giving trusts and charities. Further information can be provided by our Specialist Advisers. 

    Further information on fees, funding and support for international students can be found on the UKCISA website. 

  • Funding for personal care

    The local authority in your hometown where you are ‘ordinarily resident’ remains responsible for assessing and paying for any social or personal care support whilst you are living away from home at university.

    They can assist with completing applications for financial support through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which can help with some of the extra (non-study related) costs caused by a disability. UCA’s Guidance on personal care support document provides further information. 

  • What support is available for students with a disability?

    We have a team of experienced and trained support staff who can work with you to understand your requirements and what you might need to support your learning. This could include accessibility and on-course reasonable adjustments, external specialist support and access to specialist equipment and resources.

    For example, adjustments for students with hearing impairments could include: 

    • Installation of loop systems in lecture theatres 
    • Improved signage to aid the location of facilities 
    • Special communication and safety equipment in the halls of residence 
    • Co-ordination of support such as interpreter, communication support worker and/or notetaker 
    • Personal evacuation plan (known as PEEP) 
  • Medication

    We have qualified first aiders on site who will be able to administer epi-pens in emergency situations. However, our staff are not trained to administer any other medications to students, so it is important that you are able to self-medicate, without support. 

  • Parking

    Parking permits are available to students who hold a blue badge.

Neurodiversity

  • What is dyslexia and how can it affect your study?

    Dyslexia can occur at any level of intellectual ability and its effects can be alleviated by skilled specialist teaching and committed learning.

    If you have dyslexia, you may experience difficulties in one or more of the following areas: 

    • Reading 
    • Organising and expressing ideas in writing 
    • Spelling, grammar and punctuation 
    • Handwriting 
    • Note-taking 
    • Time management, and procrastination 
    • Memory 
  • What about other Specific learning differences/difficulties (SpLDs)?

    Specific learning differences/difficulties (SpLDs) is the umbrella term for a number of associated learning differences or neurodiversity. 

    Being neurodiverse can affect how you learn and process information and can affect your memory, your ability to concentrate, your sensory perception and staying organised. Common issues include: 

    • Attention 
    • Organisation 
    • Working memory 
    • Time management 
    • Listening skills 
    • Sensory perception 
    • Speed of processing 
  • What support is available?

    We have a team of experienced and trained Disability & Learning Difference Advisers who work with students on a one-to-one basis on areas of need such as essays, dissertations and study skills. 

  • How do I declare dyslexia or a neurodiverse condition?

    You can declare you have dyslexia or a neurodiverse condition on your application, once you have accepted a place, once you have enrolled or at any time during your course. 

    If you have already started your course, you should contact the Disability team. 

  • What should I do if I think I'm dyslexic or neurodiverse?

    You should arrange to see the Disability & Learning Difference Adviser on your campus. We will discuss your strengths and weaknesses in confidence and find out what choices are available to you. 

  • How is dyslexia tested?

    A diagnostic specialist is usually the person who tests for dyslexia. Student Finance England will normally only accept reports prepared by diagnostic specialists so it is best to ask about the qualifications of the person who tests you.  

    A dyslexia assessment will last just over an hour. You will be asked questions about your previous learning and your study skills. There will be a series of written exercises that are designed to identify where support is needed. 

    The diagnostic specialist will then write a report that will include a statement about whether dyslexia is part of your profile. 

  • Should I tell my course that I have dyslexia or neurodiverse condition?

    You are encouraged to make your tutors aware of your needs. If you feel uncomfortable doing this, or wish the information to remain confidential, please talk to the Disability & Learning Difference Adviser.

    For those on courses with written examinations, it is important that you contact the Disability & Learning Difference Adviser to discuss what adjustments may be possible. 

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