Students with disabilities
Having a disability doesn’t mean your needs can’t be met at university. Skill (The National Bureau for Students with Disabilities) points the way...
Being disabled doesn’t mean going to higher education will be different for you – the other information in Push Online is as relevant to you as anyone eLSE – but if you do have a disability, medical condition or specific learning difficulty, you may have a few more things to think about before you apply.
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995, Part 4, Education) is in force to ensure disabled students aren’t treated any less favourably than non-disabled students. Universities have to make reasonable adjustments to make sure you’re not at a disadvantage because of a disability. While you’ll need to know if your disability-related needs can be met by the college or university, don’t be tempted to make disability the only criteria you use when making choices – remember that the subject you’re going to study, the social life and so on are all just as important to you as to a non-disabled student.
Skill produces a guide, ‘Into Higher Education’, which gives advice about applying. It includes contact details of all institutions offering higher education courses, with details of some of the facilities they offer disabled students. You can also find out information from prospectuses, the SU, the internet, league tables and by talking to other disabled students. Don’t be afraid to contact institutions before applying. If you’re not sure what’s available, never be afraid to ask.
It’s also a good idea to visit before applying. Open days are a good way to check out the University’s facilities and attitude. Consider all areas of student life – it may be just as important for you socially to get into the bar and meet other students as it is for you academically to get into the library and find books.
If you’re eligible for financial support as a student (see Push Online’s guide to student finance), there is a Disabled Students’ Allowance to help with disability related costs in studying. Skill produces a lot of information about these allowances and how to apply for them.
You can get information directly from Skill on 0800 328 5050, textphone 0800 068 2422 or email at info@skill.org.uk. You can also post messages for other students and access a range of information booklets at Skill’s website.
There’s no need for you to do everything on your own. Some colleges have disability advisers/coordinators and union welfare officers to help make sure your experience at university is of great benefit to you both academically and socially, and there may be disabled students’ groups. Skill also has a membership scheme and a newsletter for students called ‘Notes and Quotes’. So if you have any questions, hit any problems or if you would like to be involved in Skill’s work, why not get in touch?
Last updated on: 30 April 2008