Accessibility and disability support

Disability Services can provide support, advice and guidance for those with a diagnosed disability, including specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD, autism, visual and hearing impairment, physical disabilities, medical conditions and mental health difficulties, amongst others. All students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the service to discuss your individual needs and to recommend academic adjustments in a Student Support Plan (SSP).

If you had individual exam arrangements at school, college or a previous university, you will need to contact Disability Services to set up a student support plan. You must complete the Disability Services registration form and provide supporting documentation to be considered for adjustments in your exams.

Please let the department know as soon as possible if you have a disability and may require support. You can discuss this with your supervisor.

You may also require individual arrangements for formal examinations. See the information provided on formal examinations in the Assessment, progression and award section for further information.

What evidence do I need?

If you need academic adjustments or extra support because of your disability or long term health condition, you will need to provide medical evidence. In most cases this is a letter from your doctor (General Practitioner), or other appropriate healthcare professional.

The medical evidence must include:

• • • details of the diagnosis and the way in which it is likely to have a profound effect on your ability to study at University

    • confirmation that your condition has lasted, or is likely to last, twelve months or more

    • information about any treatment you are receiving.

If you have a diagnosis of a Specific Learning Difficulty you will need to provide evidence of this (such as an Educational Psychologists report) before reasonable adjustments and individual arrangements for formal examinations can be arranged.

It is essential that you contact Disability Services as soon as possible to arrange for a Student Support Plan to put in place as this enables reasonable academic adjustments to be organised. Please note that at least 6 weeks is required for adjustments to be put in place.

Support is flexible and based on needs. You will need to discuss your case with one of the Disability Advisers to determine reasonable academic adjustments for your course and explore what other support options may be available to you.

Your Student Support Plan will be shared with your Personal Supervisor and Academic Assessor to enable them to offer support and opportunities to review whether your learning needs are being met and that you are accessing and receiving appropriate support to meet those learning needs.

As you are enrolled on a professional programme, you are required to complete an annual self-declaration, disclosing any change in health (including disability) and character status. As this is a requirement of the professional regulator (NMC), please ensure that you declare your health or disability as part of this process. 

Within the Department, there is also a Departmental Disability Team whose role is to act as a point of contact for students and staff within the Department. The Departmental Disability Team can be contacted by email on dohs-academicsupport@york.ac.uk