FAQs

We consider ‘disabled students’ to include those with physical conditions, mental ill health, specific learning difficulties, and neurodivergence; long-term conditions that affect day-to-day activities. This includes self-diagnosis and clinical/formal diagnosis.

We recognise that not all disabled and neurodivergent students identify or consider themselves as ‘disabled’; this is not a label we simply apply to our students. We follow the social model understanding of disability, which means recognising the disabling barriers are within the environment and systems, rather than the individual. Our support aims to reduce and remove those barriers.

In most circumstances, you do not need to provide evidence, and you can still access support if you are self-identifying.

Evidence would be needed if you need more specialised support such as using a computer during exams, or having an assistance animal, or for specific processes within the University, such as the appeals process. If you do present evidence, you will only be asked to do so once, rather than needing to provide it on multiple separate occasions.

Even if you think you will never need or use the adjustments, it is better to have the option available to you, as you could potentially experience delays if you change your mind in future. It is also possible that you might want to receive some adjustments you were not aware of, and not use or access others.

Please note that we do not use this information to influence our offer of a place, or to influence marking of assessments. It will be used to provide support.

You can update your student record or let a member of staff in your school or Student Support Services know at any time or apply for reasonable adjustments throughout the year. However, it will be quicker for us to arrange adjustments and support for you if you tell us at the earliest opportunity.

We aim to deliver inclusive and accessible teaching as much as possible by default, which should help many students without needing to request adjustments, though we do not always know what the barriers are until we experience them.

Your grades will not be affected or changed if you tell us you are disabled. As it states in our Senate Regulations, where possible, we implement anonymous marking, so the people involved in marking your assessment would not know who you are.

For some conditions, such as autism, ADHD and specific learning difficulties, students are provided with an ‘accessibility statement’ to apply to their submitted work. The assessment remains anonymous, and is still marked against the assessment criteria, but markers are advised to focus less on details such as spelling and grammar, and more on how they can structure feedback.

No, they will not automatically transfer, and we can’t guarantee that the same support or adjustments will be implemented while you study at the University of Leicester. However, if you have a record of the adjustments made from your school or college, this may help when discussing your support needs with one of our advisers.

No. As the support does not transfer from school or college to university, it does not affect the support we can offer to you now.

Our ‘Succeed at Leicester’ resources help students into and throughout university. You can access our video playlist to give you an idea of some of the things to expect, whether you will study with us or somewhere else.

Before you start your studies, we run Succeed at Leicester live online webinars where you can get the latest information, meet other students, and ask questions.

Succeed at Leicester also has a Blackboard module (login required, available to current students), with much more information about the essential bits of information you need during your studies.

If you are planning to attend one of our open days, you can let us know about any requirements you have through our booking form, and a member of staff will be in touch to confirm the arrangements with you. This can include support with accessible parking and our ‘quiet’ registration desk for a calmer experience when you check in with us.

We provide a list of everything you need to do before you arrive. This includes a list of what to pack, the important documents you need to provide, and information about our accommodation.

If you need accessible accommodation, you will need to get in touch with [email protected], who will contact you to get information about your requirements.

If you have let us know you are disabled or neurodivergent, you may be eligible for ‘quiet arrival’, which means you can book your arriving time earlier than the main arrival date. It will be less busy while you move in, with more support available on the day for luggage and any questions, all at no extra cost. Eligible students will receive an email invitation to quiet arrival closer to the start of term.

You are welcome to contact Student Support Services to discuss support needs, though what you have access to may depend on your needs and your course. You can find more information on our Processes page, or contact us via [email protected] to ask questions or arrange for an appointment.

No, the process is the same whether you contact Student Support Services directly or are referred by your school. However, if you need to be referred to an external organisation for a diagnosis, the referral times of those services will vary.

No, unless they are listed on your Learning Support Contract. Schools or departments may make local adjustments but they need to be recorded on your Learning Support Contract, otherwise they may not be provided in your next term, year, for centrally-managed assessments, or if you transfer course.

If you do not already have a Learning Support Contract, please complete the reasonable adjustments form (login required).

Extra time will vary by the types of assessment you may be completing. You should confirm with your module lead that arrangements are in place, or you can speak to your Student Disability Lead (login required) to understand the specifics of how your adjustments will be applied.

The University does not diagnose any conditions but may refer you to external organisations. Diagnoses are confidential as it refers to your personal and special category data, though it could be recorded on your medical records which, within the UK, cannot be accessed without your explicit permission.

If you share any diagnosis or self-identified condition with us, we will not share this with anyone outside of the University. More information can be found below under ‘data sharing’.

However, please be aware that some diagnosis processes can require insights from a person who has known you during earlier years of your life, such as a family member.

Before you graduate, you will receive an email inviting you to register for your graduation ceremony. As part of the registration form, you can enter any additional requirements, e.g., avoiding steps, or support with anxiety in crowds. Please provide as much detail as you can about your needs and how we can help, so we can plan effectively.

A few weeks after registering for your ceremony, you will be contacted by a member of staff to suggest some options, or to confirm the arrangements.

If you forget to tell us on the registration form, please email [email protected] as soon as possible so we can plan for any arrangements.

If you’re wondering what it will be like, you can watch a video on what to expect on graduation day (not specific to any support needs) or watch a video of previous ceremonies.

No. If you have any concerns or questions about what could affect your visa, you can contact the team at [email protected]. Current students can login to access more information about visa support (log in required).

We do not tell your family anything that you do not provide explicit permission for us to do so, unless there is a significant safeguarding concern, in which case we would contact the emergency contact you provide in your student record.

The only information we would share with employers is confirmation of your studies and qualification, and a transcript when requested. We would not share details such as your disability status or whether you accessed our support services.

No. You can see the information included on a transcript. For references, you can find more information about the references we provide as a university. For character/personalised employment references, you would likely use someone who knows you, such as your personal tutor or supervisor. It is unlikely they would refer to your disability, but you could discuss the details with the person you are listing as your referee.