Keep up to date with news about our commitment to accessibility and inclusion on campus

Often there are barriers to access within our buildings, to finding the information you need to support your studies, and to accessing services on campus.

We want to make sure that you feel supported and enabled to do your best work. For that, it’s essential that we build a campus and culture that is inclusive, welcoming and accessible to everyone.  

Inclusive Environments at UCL 

Last year, after a three-year process talking to and listening to our community’s experiences of studying and working on campus, we published the Inclusive Environments Policy and Action Plan. 

These set out a clear framework for ensuring our buildings, facilities and services are designed and delivered in a way that meet the needs of all our students, staff and visitors. This also provides guidance for removing barriers that prevent anyone from being able to participate equally, confidently and independently in their activities across our campuses and venues wherever possible.   

We have now published a SharePoint site where our community can see how we’re working towards these aims. 

• Visit the SharePoint site to find out more about the action plan and progress so far 

Our progress to date 

Over the last year we’ve been bringing together representatives from teams across UCL to plan out how we will achieve our aims in each of our eight focus areas. Our estate includes more than 250 buildings – two thirds of which are listed and/or in a conservation area – comprising 6.5 million square feet. Following years of underinvestment in maintenance, we recognise that it will take time and a whole university approach to achieve our goals.   

However, we’ve already started making progress in several of the priority areas raised by our community, including:  

• taking into account accessibility and inclusion needs and embedding inclusive design into all building works at UCL;
• reviewing our guidance and standards around heavy doors which are one of the biggest barriers to accessing and moving around buildings;
• reviewing the quality, availability and current use of Quiet Contemplation Rooms across our campuses;
• trialing new hearing accessibility technology in teaching spaces and large meeting rooms;
• and installing assistance dog spending areas in halls. ​​​​​

We are currently putting together a report on our progress against the Inclusive Environments Action Plan and will share a more detailed update on the work we’ve been doing later this term. 

Until then, visit and follow the Inclusive Environments SharePoint to find out more about how we’ve been making progress towards achieving our aims, and to keep informed of the latest updates. 

• Visit and follow the Inclusive Environments SharePoint site 

Support and resources 

Support for disabled and neurodiverse students 

We want to enable all students to study as independently as possible during their time here. Our Student Support and Wellbeing Services pages include information on the support available for neurodiverse students, students with disabilities and those with a long-term health condition.   

Accessing and registering for support 

If you have a disability or a long-term health condition, we encourage you to declare this and register with Student Support and Wellbeing Services, so we can help put the right support in place. For example, we can help to make sure that a student with mobility difficulties is accounted for in their designated evacuation zones. 

Any information disclosed to Student Support and Wellbeing Services staff is treated confidentially as sensitive personal data. When we notify your department about your general support needs, or inform other services about your disability or condition, this is done with your consent, excluding where we must share to protect someone's life.  Read our privacy notice for further information. 

Register for support with the Disability and Neurodiversity, and Mental Health and Wellbeing teams 

Support and information for specific student groups 

Our Student Support and Wellbeing team also have a range of information and there is support at UCL for students from underrepresented groups including LGBTQ+ students, mature students, students with children, BAME students, care experienced students and more. 

Learn more about the resources available to you. 

How you can help 

We all have a responsibility for creating a campus and culture that is inclusive, welcoming and accessible to everyone, and there are many ways we can help to identify and remove disabling barriers.  

Sunflower Lanyard and accessibility training 

We support the Sunflower Lanyard scheme – an initiative designed to act as a discreet sign that somebody has an invisible disability and requires additional assistance while out in public. 

Find out to collect lanyards at UCL, and how you can show support for the initiative. 

Equality at UCL  

Learn more about various types of equality, including disability, race, gender, sexual orientation and religion, as well as the various charter marks UCL participates in. 

Visit our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion website