Support available to disabled students

Adjustments can include:

• exam access arrangements.
• receiving handouts and lecture slides in advance
• adjustments to lab or practical work, e.g. familiarisation sessions, alternative furniture, adjustments for sensory issues
• consideration of flexibility around attendance requirements 
• adjustments to the timing and/or the submission of coursework. See Mitigating Circumstances guidance
• adjustments to oral presentations, e.g. presenting to the tutor only or to a smaller group, pre-recording the presentation, extra time to present
• adjustments to group work, e.g. limiting group size, assigning group members roles, agreeing ground rules
• consideration of the impact of your disability on written English in feedback you receive
• additional clarification of your understanding e.g. topics covering in teaching activities or assignment briefs
• personal recordings of lectures (permitted in some cases) – read our information on personal recordings
• access to private study areas in the library 
• transcription services for alternative formats 
• ongoing access to a specialist disability advisor or disability coordinator who will provide ongoing disability advice during your time at Leeds. Find out how to contact the Disability Advisory Team. 
• access to a dedicated disability contact in your school who will work with your lecturers to make sure your recommended adjustments are put in place 
• guidance for postgraduate supervisors on how best to support you 
• viva adjustments
• for students on placement: it is the responsibility of your placement provider to implement any adjustments. 

Setting up your support

Complete the Disability Services sign-up form and provide supporting information about your disability to get your support set up.

We will contact you within a few weeks to confirm your registration and advise you of the next steps.

Additional forms of support could be funded by the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) (for eligible students), or our Support Worker team (for those not eligible for funding).

Find out more on our funding for disabled students page.

Support might include: 

• personal assistant (PA)/library support
• sighted guide
• note-taker
• specialist mentor
• one-to-one specialist study skills and strategy support
• British Sign Language interpreter.

Your disability co-ordinator or advisor might also be able to request funding for specialist equipment for your exclusive use for the duration of your study.

Setting up funded support

If you have been allocated support worker/non-medical helper support from the University and would like to start accessing this, email the Support Worker team at supportworkerteam@adm.leeds.ac.uk.

If your support is being provided by an external provider, such as DSA, you can arrange this by using the contact details on your funding letter.

If you’re unsure of anything, drop-in to talk to Disability Services.

Disabled Students’ Access Fund

The Disabled Students’ Access Fund covers short-term support for non-academic activities where no other funding is available. Find out more on our funding for disabled students page.

Disability Services offer a variety of advice and training in assistive technology, including:

• voice recognition
• screen readers
• speech-to-text
• voice recorders
• productivity and organisational apps
• mind-mapping tools
• note taking software
• proofreaders
• accessibility tools.

Access this support:

• Book a one-to-one session with our assistive technology advisor.
• Visit the dedicated assistive technology Sharepoint site to find out how to access technology, attend a webinar, or ask questions.
• Join LinkedIn Learning to find out more about assistive technology at Leeds.

Read our careers support for disabled students page for information on how the Careers Service can help you with applying for jobs.