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If you are a student with a disability or have a health condition that you feel might impact on your ability to perform in assessments, you can apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments.
Contents
- What are Reasonable Academic Adjustments
- How to apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments?
- Application guidance
- Application deadline
- Other student support processes
- Sudden illness or accidental injury
- Frequently Asked Questions
What are Reasonable Academic Adjustments?
Your Reasonable Academic Adjustments are an agreed set of reasonable adjustments that UCL can provide to support you during your studies. This may be with physical, mobility, sensory, neurological, or mental health conditions that impact upon your studies.
The core purpose of Reasonable Academic Adjustments is to help you access a range of appropriate support to facilitate your access to study and remove barriers to learning, teaching, and assessment.
What type of support do Reasonable Academic Adjustments provide?
Reasonable Academic Adjustments are varied and depending on your specific circumstances. They include, but are not limited to:
- Assistive technology and use of a PC.
- Extra time and rest breaks during your examinations.
- Coursework and assignment extensions.
- Physical or human adjustments such as braille, large print papers, support assistants, ergonomic furniture and more.
These adjustments remain throughout the duration of your studies unless stated otherwise. If you had a Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA) before September 2025, your existing arrangements have been migrated to the new Reasonable Academic Adjustments system in Portico. You can view them via Portico.
How to apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments?
Click here to view a short demo video of a student applying for Reasonable Academic Adjustments
- Check your eligibility
- You are eligible if you are an enrolled Undergraduate or Taught Postgraduate student who has a disability and/or long-term condition which meets the Equality Act (2010) criteria, and you can provide supporting evidence of this. Please read our relevant FAQ below.
- If you are not an Undergraduate or Taught Postgraduate student (for example, you are a Postgraduate Research student, or studying for a University Preparatory Certificate or a Pre-sessional English course) you should not apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments via Portico. Please make an appointment with one of our advisers via askUCL to discuss your needs.
- If you are unsure about your eligibility, you can submit a pre-application enquiry via askUCL. Prospective students can contact us via student.wellbeing@ucl.ac.uk.
- Collate your supporting evidence
- Collate your relevant documentation and evidence to support your application.
- If you have a specific learning difference (SpLD) please see our FAQs.
- Evidence should be uploaded within 30 days of your application. If you are not able to do this, please send us an enquiry via askUCL.
- Submit your application on Portico
- Log in to Portico, click on 'Student Disability Services', select the 'Reasonable Academic Adjustments' button and click 'Apply'.
- You will be shown a core set of standard adjustments; and asked to confirm if they meet your needs.
- You can also request additional or different adjustments. If you require these, you should book an advisory appointment with one of our advisers to discuss.
- Meeting (if required only)
- If you specified in your application that the core set does not meet your needs, you will need to request an advisory appointment to discuss this further. You can see on your application whether a meeting is required and you will receive a message asking you to request an appointment.
- During this appointment, you will discuss you needs with one of our advisers and identify any amendments required.
- Our team will then liaise with your department to agree that these Reasonable Academic Adjustments can be put in place.
- Review and confirmation
- Your application will be reviewed by our team who will contact you if they require any further information.
- Once agreed, you will receive a Confirmation of Reasonable Academic Adjustments email and will also be able to see your agreed set of Reasonable Academic Adjustments on Portico.
- Your department is responsible for ensuring that your agreed adjustments are communicated to module leaders and any other relevant staff that need to be notified.
- Your exam arrangements are automatically sent to the Central Assessment team for your central exams. If you have departmental exams, your department will arrange these adjustments and communicate these with you.
- Please note that it can take up to 5 working days following the confirmation email for your adjustments to be put in place by your department, faculty, or the exams office.
- Activate and use your adjustments
• Once your adjustments are showing on Portico, you must accept them in order for your department to see them and put them into practice.
• Your department should then contact you (e.g., within 5 working days) to confirm how your adjustments will be implemented in your courses / assessments.
Application Guidance
Application Deadline
Assignments and departmental examinations
For your assignments, coursework and departmental examinations, departments may have their own deadlines, so it is advisable to check with your departmental contact.
If you have missed the deadline
After the deadline has passed, if you feel unable to sit your assessments without Reasonable Academic Adjustments, then you may be eligible for support such as a deferral under the Extenuating Circumstances procedures managed by your department. You can then apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments to take effect in the next assessment period, if necessary.
Unsure about applying?
If you are not certain whether you are eligible or what evidence you need, you can:
- Submit an enquiry through askUCL or,
- Check out our FAQs or,
- Request a same day appointment to speak with one of our advisers.
Sudden illness or accidental injury
In the event of sudden illness or accidental injury, you should consider applying for a deferral via Extenuating Circumstances procedures. You may also be eligible for Reasonable Academic Adjustments. However, please note that there is a lead in time to process Reasonable Academic Adjustment requests, but we can review the possibility of implementation at a later date
Contact us through askUCL if you need to discuss your individual circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to Reasonable Academic Adjustments. If you have a question that is not answered below, get in touch with us via askUCL.
Eligibility and application process
- How do I know if I am eligible for Reasonable Academic Adjustments?
You are eligible if you are an enrolled undergraduate or taught postgraduate student who has a disability or health condition which meets the Equality Act (2010) definition, and you can provide supporting evidence of this.
- I am studying for a Research Degree, University Preparatory Certificate or a Pre-sessional English course. Am I eligible for Reasonable Academic Adjustments?
You should not apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments via Portico; however, you may be eligible for adjustments if you have a disability or health condition which meets the Equality Act (2010) definition and you can provide supporting evidence of this. Please make an appointment with one of our advisers via askUCL to discuss your needs.
- Is there a deadline to apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments for central in person exam periods?
Reasonable Academic Adjustments applications for central in-person exams must be received by the Disability, Neurodiversity, Mental Health and Wellbeing teams by certain deadlines each year.
- Deadline for January Central Assessment period: Friday, 28th November 2025
- Deadline for Main Summer Central Assessment period: Tuesday, 31st March 2026
- Deadline for Late Summer Central Assessment period: 2025/26 Date to be updated in due course
If you miss the deadline, it is advised that you discuss the impact with your home department and one of our advisers.
Assignments and departmental examinations
For your assignments, coursework and departmental examinations, departments may have their own deadlines, so it is advisable to check with your departmental contact.If you have missed the deadline
After the deadline has passed, if you feel unable to sit your assessments without Reasonable Academic Adjustments, then you may be eligible for support such as a deferral under the Extenuating Circumstances procedures managed by your department. You can then apply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments to take effect in the next assessment period, if necessary.- What evidence do I need?
You will need evidence in English provided by a Doctor (GP), psychiatrist, or other registered medical practitioner dated within the last 12 months. Any translated evidence must be done so by a certified translation service. Your evidence should cover the following key points:
• A letter or report from a qualified medical practitioner e.g. a GP or psychiatrist.
• Documentation must be signed and dated, with the evidence providers' full name.
• Must include details of the diagnosis given and provide some general information on how this may impact on your studies and/or daily life.Supporting evidence can be presented to us in various forms, including a verbal description from the student experiencing study-related barriers due to a presenting disability or long-term condition. If you’d like further information on supporting evidence, please reach out to us via askUCL.
- I have Specific Learning Differences (SpLD), what evidence do I need?
If you have Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) like dyslexia, dyspraxia or AD(H)D, please note that you can provide evidence of a full diagnostic assessment carried out by a psychologist with a practising certificate, or an academic diagnostic report conducted by a specialist holding an assessment practising certificate. You can also provide a previous needs assessment or a form 8 from your previous education institution. The aforementioned documents do not need to be within the last 12 months, as a diagnosis is a life-long condition. AD(H)D and Autism may be primarily considered a mental health condition or neurodivergence, or indeed an overlapping experience.
For more details about evidence, please read the Student Support Framework.
- How long will it take for the adjustments to be put in place?
It takes 5 working days to initially review your application. Once your adjustments have been approved, it can take an additional 10 working days for complete approval and department level implementation. If you require enhanced adjustments and need to meet with the team, this process will take longer.
- Can I meet someone to discuss my Reasonable Academic Adjustment application before submitting it on Portico?
While we usually recommend you apply first via Portico, if you need support with your application or have questions about the evidence you need to provide, you can request a same day remote appointment in the first instance.
General questions
- Will my Reasonable Academic Adjustments be transferred if I transfer programmes or continue at UCL for my postgraduate studies?
No, you will need to re-apply if your programme or level of study has changed.
- Do I need to re-apply for adjustments if I am returning from interruption?
No, not unless your programme of study has changed.
- I have applied for Reasonable Academic Adjustments, will I receive them immediately?
We recommend that you apply for your adjustments as early as possible as it can take a minimum of 10 working days for them to be implemented. If you need enhanced adjustments, this will take longer and may depend on when you are able to meet with our team. If you need advice on using our other support processes, please submit a same day appointment request via askUCL.
- Do I need to pay for Reasonable Academic Adjustments and support?
You do not need to pay for Reasonable Academic Adjustments such as extra time, rest breaks, and/or assignment extensions.
If you are a Home student and you need support to cover study-related costs, you may be eligible for Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA). DSA support can include study skills, mentoring, taxi support etc. International students are not eligible for DSA however can access either study skills or mentoring through UCL and you do not need to pay for this. Please get in touch via askUCL for further guidance.
- Will details about my Reasonable Academic Adjustments be listed on my academic documents?
No – your support needs, health condition or disability record will not appear anywhere on your transcript, official letters, or degree certificate.
- If I had a change in circumstances and think my adjustments need review, should I reapply?
You do not need to reapply for Reasonable Academic Adjustments; you can simply get in touch and raise an enquiry on askUCL to say you wish to update or review it.
- Will the details of my Reasonable Academic Adjustments be shared with third parties outside UCL?
No, we do not share any information about Reasonable Academic Adjustments with any third parties.
Exam related adjustments
- I do not feel that I can sit my upcoming assessments - what should I do?
If you want to request a deferral of an assessment on the grounds of your health or unexpected personal circumstances, please contact your department to discuss your options. Deferral requests are handled through the Extenuating Circumstances procedures.
- I have injured my hand and cannot write - what should I do?
You will need to submit an Extenuating Circumstances request and raise this with your department at your earliest convenience.
- Can I take in my own laptop and or tablet into the venue to complete my assessment/exam?
You are not permitted to bring in your own devices. If use of a PC is one of your adjustments, you will be allocated to a dedicated rooms with desktop PCs. For departmental exams, your department will arrange this.
- Can I take my own noise-cancelling headphones into an assessment/exam?
This will not be permitted. Earplugs will be available in all venues. If ear defenders are one of your adjustments, the exams team will provide this for you on the day of your exam(s).
- I have Reasonable Academic Adjustments but my exam timetable shows that I am in the ExCel centre and not on campus. Why is this the case?
Students with Reasonable Academic Adjustments sit exams at both Bloomsbury and the ExCel. If you have any further questions, please contact us via askUCL.
- I would like my assessments/exams to be remote/online.
Mode of assessments are designed and finalised by the teaching department. Central Assessment Team or Student Support and Wellbeing Services do not manage modes of assessments.
- My timetable shows that I have back to back assessment/exams. Is there any way this can be rearranged?
The Central Assessment team do their best to ensure students are not scheduled for back-to-back assessments/exams. However, sometimes this cannot be avoided and the utmost care is taken to minimise this given all the constraints. If you have any other circumstances impact you and you cannot sit your assessments, please check if you are eligible for deferrals through the Extenuating Circumstances procedures.
- I have recently been granted Reasonable Academic Adjustments but my timetable has not been updated with my adjustments. What do I do?
Updates may take up to 10 working days to reflect on your timetable. If it's been more than 10 working days and your exam is approaching:
- For departmental exams, you can get in touch with the Teaching and Learning team in your department.
- For centrally-managed exams, check out the guidance on the Central Assessment team webpage. If you still require help with central assessments, contact the Central Assessment team via askUCL.
- How will the invigilators know about the needs in my Reasonable Academic Adjustments?
Details of Reasonable Academic Adjustments will be provided to the invigilation supervisor for each exam. All details are confidential and will be returned to the Central assessment team at the end of each day.
- Will I be able to leave the room to have a break and stretch?
If rest breaks are one of your adjustments, these are added onto your total exam time. You can take your breaks as and when you need to and you will be accompanied by an invigilator. Please let the invigilator know when you are heading out of the room.
- What do I do if I feel unwell during an exam or require medical assistance?
If you are feeling unwell during an exam, please notify an invigilator as soon as you can. If assistance is required, invigilators can request appropriate medical and/or wellbeing support.