Students of University College Birmingham

Disability and neurodiversity support for university students

Helping you excel in higher education

We are delighted you have chosen to study at University College Birmingham. We are committed to ensuring every student has an equal and outstanding learning experience, and we welcome everyone regardless of physical disability, medical conditions or other specific special needs.

Our Disability and Neurodiversity Support team is here to advise and provide assistance throughout your studies to help you achieve your potential and enjoy your time with us. We offer flexible, student-centred and personalised support, working closely with other teams including the Academic Skills Centre, Hired and Health and Wellbeing to ensure your needs are met.

Contact us

If you have any queries, please get in touch:

Disability statement

What support is available?

Support for students who disclose a disability, health condition or mental health condition starts from application. Once you apply, you will be contacted by a member of the Disability and Neurodiversity Support team to discuss your specific needs and additional support requirements.

Depending on your needs, you may be entitled to:

  • Support plan meetings and/or discussion of needs for class/exams/assignments
  • Alternative assessments
  • Discussions about next steps and Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
  • 1:1 sessions with Specialist Support Tutors (if not receiving support via DSA)
  • Specialist equipment
  • Screeners for dyslexia
  • Personal Evacuation Plans and lift passes
  • Transition days – help moving into the next stage of education

Click the menu buttons below for further details of the support we offer:

Additional support for students with disabilities

What is Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)?

How do I apply for Disabled Students' Allowance?

Do I need to talk to the University before applying for DSA?

Who can I talk to about my disability?

Disability living and personal support

Learner Support Plans at UCB

Assistive Technology

Accessible student parking

Additional support for students with disabilities

Depending on your specific needs, you may be eligible for additional support from the University and through Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). Having written evidence of your disability will enable us to plan and put in place tailored support, in the form of a Learner Support Plan.

You can share evidence at any time (both prior to enrolling or as a current student) by sending an email to DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk.

Support prior to starting your course

  • Prior to starting your course and to put a personalised plan in place, we will need to discuss your individual requirements. For further information or to book a phone appointment, please contact us at DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk or phone 0121 232 4497.
  • If you would like an orientation or transition visit prior to starting your studies, or are blind or partially-sighted and require mobility training to support you in familiarising yourself with our campuses and finding your way around, please get in touch.
  • Open days take place throughout the year, providing a great opportunity to meet relevant staff and familiarise yourself with buildings. Many courses also offer induction sessions and taster days, while you can also chat with students and staff for your course and ask any questions about the course or university life.

Support during your studies

  • In addition to the support we offer, you may be eligible for DSA.
  • If you are awaiting your DSA support or have found you are not eligible, you can book a weekly one-to-one appointment.
  • Support with accessing lectures, such as access to lecture materials in advance or handouts in an alternative format, can be arranged with curriculum staff.
  • Discussion of alternative methods of assessment can also be arranged to ensure equitable access based on specific student needs.
  • You can also loan digital recorders and have access to assistive technologies to record lectures.
  • If you are travelling to the University and require accessible parking, you can apply for a UCB Accessible Permit.

What is Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)?

If you are a higher education student living in the UK and you have a disability, you could be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) to help cover the costs of any additional support you may need to access your university course. In order to be eligible for DSA, you must have evidence of a disability such as a:

  • Long-term health condition
  • Physical disability, including a visual impairment or hearing impairment 
  • Mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression 
  • Specific learning difficulty (SpLD) – e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD

DSA can help with costs for specialist equipment, travel, assistive technology, Non-Medical Helper (NMH) support such as a specialist study skills tutor or specialist mentor, and other disability-related costs associated with studying. This support is based on your individual needs, not your household income.

How do I apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance?

You should start the process of applying for your DSA as soon as possible to ensure your support is in place in preparation for your studies. You don't have to wait until you have a confirmed place, although you can apply at any stage of your course. Applications usually open in March, prior to students enrolling in September.

When applying for DSA, you will be required to complete an application form and submit evidence of your additional needs. It is the student’s responsibility to apply for DSA, but we are here to help you if you have any questions or need assistance.

For further information on how and when to apply:

The application process can take months to complete, so start as soon as possible. Support cannot be guaranteed without your DSA being in place.

Do I need to talk to the University before applying for DSA?

You do not need to talk to us before applying. You are responsible for the application process, but we are here to help with support and guidance. You can contact us at DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk or by phoning 0121 232 4497.

Who can I talk to about my disability?

Disclosing a disability is a positive step. In line with current legislation, we use the term ‘disability’ to include specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, mental health difficulties, autism, sensory disabilities and other ongoing health conditions.

It is helpful if you tell us about your disability on your application form and complete a Student Requirement Form (SRF). If you have already applied to University College Birmingham and have not disclosed a disability or completed an SRF, please complete our enquiry form here.

There are various opportunities for you to disclose, before enrolment and while you are studying with us. If you would like to make an appointment to discuss your support needs or visit University College Birmingham, email us at DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk  or phone 0121 232 4497.

If you are a current student, we recommend that you talk to your personal tutor in the first instance, or you can talk to the Specialist Support Tutors. Call into the ground floor of Baskerville House to make an appointment, email DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk or call us on 0121 232 4497.

What if I choose not to disclose my disability?

If you choose not to disclose your disability, it is your decision. However, you should be aware that if you choose not to disclose or to limit that disclosure, although we will do our best to help you, you may not be able to access the full range of support packages available to you. 

Who will know about my disability?

When you disclose a disability, we want to ensure appropriate support is put in place for you. To do this, we may need to tell relevant staff at the University, so we will need your consent and also your contact details. To provide these, please complete the form below:

Unless you provide written consent to share your disability with relevant staff, details will be kept completely confidential. This consent will remain in force while you are a registered student unless you notify us otherwise.

Disability living and personal support

If you have specific accommodation requirements and/or will require assistance with day-to-day living tasks such as washing, personal care, shopping or cooking, please refer to the guidance on how to apply for accommodation at our halls of residence and personal care for disabled students.

University College Birmingham is unable to provide personal care support within higher education. If you require personal care support, you will need to contact your local authority’s social services at the earliest opportunity, to ensure that support is ready for when you move into your accommodation.

Specialised accommodation

The Accommodation team at University College Birmingham is available to offer support for anyone who requires an adapted room. We can offer suitable accommodation to those with mobility, hearing or visual needs to ensure your experience within University College Birmingham's halls of residence is as enjoyable as possible.

We work closely with our Admissions team and our Academic Skills Centre to ensure your requirements are met prior to your arrival at the halls. However, you will need to complete the ‘special requirements’ section of the application form or send an email to accommodation@ucb.ac.uk with any relevant information that you believe is important for us to know. This allows us to make any reasonable adjustments you might need as far in advance of your arrival as possible.

Facilities

The Maltings has rooms that are adapted for wheelchair access with appropriate kitchen facilities.

Other provisions are available for standard study rooms, for example visual fire alarms, pagers and vibrating pillow kits for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. If you feel you require one of these, or for other provisions to be made available to you for your stay, please do not hesitate to contact the Accommodation team.

The Maltings offers carer facilities in a number of adjoining rooms across the site. If you believe you will require a carer to support you during your stay, please contact the Accommodation team so we can allocate you a room with the appropriate facilities. 

Learner Support Plans

The Disability and Neurodiversity Support team can provide Learner Support Plans (LSPs) for students with an SpLD or disability. Plans may detail appropriate in-class support strategies, exam concessions or alternative assessments (or a combination of these). This is dependent on the provision of appropriate evidence.

On application, the Disability and Neurodiversity Support team will contact you. Please send relevant evidence to DNSupport@ucb.ac.uk. Existing students can self-refer to the Disability and Neurodiversity Support team if they feel that an LSP is required.

We do not provide LSPs for maternity, pregnancy or temporary injuries (please contact the exams teams directly), but the Disability and Neurodiversity Support team can organise temporary lift passes.

What evidence is accepted?

Assistive Technology

Inclusive Technology plays an important role in creating an inclusive learning atmosphere. We provide access to, and facilitate use of, a range of assistive technology and software:   

  • All students get access to Grammarly Premium 
  • Licenses for Sonocent Glean can be provided to students who require note-taking support  
  • Quickscreen Dyslexia Screening software is used to target support for students who are displaying indicators of dyslexia
  • Online accessibility to e-books and library resources
  • We can recommend a wide variety of free assistive software

Holly, a nursing associate apprentice, was recently diagnosed with autism and ADHD at the age of 32, meaning she needed extra support to excel and make the most of her time at university. 

"I access support from university because of my diagnosis," she said. "I have accommodations made in class, access to 1:1 support, if I need it, and the disability team assist me when I’ve asked for help. This is a big part of me and my journey. I have struggled most of my life and never really understood why. University was tough for me, but I've made it this far and I’m nearly there now.

"I’ve achieved what many would have thought would be impossible. I hope to bring positive change and ambition to other students who may be struggling or have been told they’ll never achieve a career due to their disability. Look where I am today!"

Disabled Student Commitment

University College Birmingham has signed up to the Disabled Student Commitment. This signals our renewed intention to undertake a holistic review of our provision for disabled students and make improvements where needed. 

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