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Accessing and registering for support

If you are disabled or have a long-term health condition, you're strongly encouraged to declare this and register with Student Support and Wellbeing, so we can help put the right support in place.

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Why you should tell us about your disability or health condition

Registering for support with the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing team (DMHW) is strongly recommended. By doing so, it allows us to:

  • Understand the barriers you face and offer reasonable adjustments and personalised support.
  • Put in support and adjustments which are time sensitive, e.g. contacting us well ahead of the new academic year to ensure the Timetabling team and your department schedule lectures in accessible rooms.
  • Act as a point of liaison between you and your academic department to inform them about your additional support needs.
  • Monitor UCL's provision of support and inclusion of disabled students and those with long-term health conditions.
  • Prevent and dampen the effects of exam or assignment stress well ahead of time so you can focus on your assessments, studies and student life.
  • You may be entitled to funding to help facilitate your academic studies.
Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) and Autism

If you are diagnosed with an SpLD or Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), please contact us with your diagnostic letter attached. You can send us the first page confirming diagnosis and the recommendations page of your report.

Read more about SpLD screenings and support at UCL.

If you don't have a diagnosis yet

If you might have a disability and/or condition, including mental health conditions and specific learning differences (ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia), but have not received a diagnosis, please contact us so that we can advise you further on how to access support.


How to register with us

There are 2 ways to share depending on whether you're a prospective or current student.

Your reasonable adjustment information will be entered on Portico and our case and enquiry management system 'SID' also known as askUCL. This is confidential personal information covered by GDPR and our UCL privacy notice.

Prospective and incoming students

Application form

When filling out your university application form, you can share your disability or condition. You will be invited to complete an Applicant Support Questionnaire (ASQ) on the UCL central student records system, Portico.

We will get in touch after reviewing your ASQ

You will be contacted by the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing team before starting your course to arrange support following review of evidence. Without a completed ASQ, we will not know about your status.

In some cases, we may put in place reasonable adjustments without meeting. However, we will always notify you of this via email and offer you an appointment if preferred.

If you don't get an automatic invitiation to complete the ASQ

You can still access the ASQ via the student record portal, Portico: https://evision.ucl.ac.uk/urd/sits.urd/run/siw_lgn.

  1. Below the log in section, select 'Applicants' and follow the instructions to log into your account.
  2. Select 'Student Disability Services' and then 'Applicant Support Questionnaire'.

Note the form is disabled every year during the UCAS embargo period. It won't be available after you enrol.

Email us

You can contact us directly by emailing disability@ucl.ac.uk if you have questions about the form where you don't understand.

Current students

Post-enrolment you can contact the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing team through the askUCL student enquiries system and 'Log an enquiry' to book a same day appointment.

If you have it, upload your evidence when booking your appointment. You will be asked to provide evidence if you don't attach it.

Reasonable adjustments to your assessments and deadlines.


Who will be informed about your disability?

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 in order to protect someone's life.

The purpose is to promote a 'whole institution approach' towards disability support at UCL; for example, it can help to ensure that a student with mobility difficulties is accounted for in their designated evacuation zones.

Summary of Reasonable Adjustments (SoRA)

Your disability or condition is never included in your SoRA without your request to do so.

Read more about SoRAs and how to apply.

Personal Emergency and Evacuation Plan (PEEP)

Certain UCL staff need to know about your needs to ensure your safety in the case of an emergency. E.g., a wheelchair user or people who experience frequent fainting spells.

Read full details on the PEEP process and access the form.

Mental health mentoring and other mental health services

To ensure safeguarding and appropriate support is provided, mental health mentoring or counselling providers will be informed about your condition(s) which impact your mental health and wellbeing.

Direct danger to you

If you are in direct danger as a result of your condition, we may need to disclose details to ensure you receive lifesaving treatment, help or intervention. This can range from seizures to experiencing a mental health crisis. In these cases, we are fulfiling a vital interest under GDPR legislation.


What if you don't disclose?

If you do not tell us about your disability or long-term health condition, there are different potential impacts:

  • You may not receive the practical support and appropriate reasonable adjustments you are entitled.
  • Arranging and booking accessible rooms needs to be done well in advance for lectures and seminars. Without this information you may not have the learning environment you need right away.
  • We need to ensure your safety in the event of an emergency. A Personal Emergency and Evacuation Plan (PEEP) will be required for some mobility disabilities and other disabilities or conditions.
  • Preparing adjustments ahead of time helps to reduce stress and negative impact on your general wellbeing during exam periods and/or near assignment deadlines. In busier periods, registering for adjustment can feel more pressured.

Getting support does not affect your grades and won't appear on your degree certificate

Nor does it imply anything about your academic capabilities - seeking support you are entitled simply allows you to focus on your studies and student life better.

Discuss concerns with us before registering for support

Our advisers are happy to discuss any concerns you may have about sharing prior to officially registering for support, so we recommend getting in touch where ever you are in your journey.

All UCL individuals are responsible for sharing information that ensures we adhere to our health and safety requirements.

Read what we mean by 'disability' outside of the legal definition.


Our student privacy notice

Any information disclosed to Student Support and Wellbeing staff is treated confidentially as sensitive personal data. This is in accordance with GDPR. This will only be shared with your permission on a need-to-know basis where it is necessary to facilitate our support for you.

Find out more about UCL's Student Privacy Notice.

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