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If you are disabled or have a health condition that you feel might impact on your ability to perform in assessments, you can apply for reasonable adjustments to your assessment(s).
What is a SoRA?
A ‘Summary of Reasonable Adjustments’ (SoRA) is a personalised document that outlines the reasonable adjustments that UCL can provide to support students with physical, mobility, sensory, neurological or mental health related disabilities.
The purpose of the SoRA is to help students access a range of appropriate support to facilitate their access to study and remove barriers to learning. This service is provided by the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing team (DMHW) upon registering for support.
What type of support does a SoRA provide?
Reasonable Adjustments can take a wide range depending on your specific circumstances. They include but are not limited to:
- Assistive software and use of a PC.
- Extra time and more breaks during your examinations.
- Coursework and assignment extensions.
- Physical or human adjustments such as braille, large print papers, erognomic furniture and more.
These adjustments remain throughout the duration of your duties unless stated otherwise.
Find out more about Extenuating Circumstances, Reasonable Adjustments, and Fitness to Study.
Our advisers are always happy to speak with you further regarding this and advise you about departmental exceptions.
- Academic adjustments for students with protected characteristics
Parents, key workers, those observing religious beliefs, and any student experiencing discrimination, harassment or trauma should apply for support under academic adjustments.
- Workplace Health for adjustments during placement
Apply for support through Workplace Health during your placement. Students can self-refer or be referred by their department.
How do I know if I am eligible for a SoRA?
At UCL we provide support for all disabled students who meet the Equality Act (2010) criteria.
- Sudden illness or accidental injury
In the event of sudden illness or accidental injury, you can apply for reasonable adjustments up to three weeks before the start of the Central Assessment Period in question (deadlines above).
After this deadline has passed, it is unlikely that UCL will be able to make Reasonable Adjustments. However you may still be eligible for a deferral via Extenuating Circumstances procedures. You can then apply for reasonable adjustments to take effect in the next assessment period, if necessary.
Contact us through askUCL if you need to discuss your individual circumstances.
SoRA application exam deadlines
SoRA applications for central assessments must be received by the Disability, Mental Health and Wellbeing team by certain deadlines each year.
- Deadline for Main Summer Central Assessment period: Wednesday 27th March 2024, 17:00 UK time.
- Deadline for Late Summer Central Assessment period: Monday 31st July 2024, 17:00 UK time.
After these dates, your SoRA will only apply for central online and departmental exams and assignments, subject to your department's policies.
Assignments and departmental examinations
For your assignments, coursework and departmental examinations, departments may have their own deadlines imposed, so you'll need to double 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 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 adjustments to take effect in the next assessment period, if necessary.
What medical evidence do I need?
You will need medical evidence in English provided by a qualified doctor or other registered medical practitioner within the last 12 months. Any translated evidence must be done so by a certified translation service. Your medical 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.
Specific Learning Differences (SpLD)
For Specific Learning Differences (SpLD) like dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD, students must 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.
For more details about medical evidence, please read the Student Support Framework.
How do I apply for a SoRA?
- First check if you are eligible for support as a disabled student and that you have appropriate UCL medical evidence documents.
- Book a same day appointment via askUCL to speak with a DMHW adviser or coordinator, attaching your supporting evidence to the appointment booking form.
- After discussing your needs together, reasonable adjustments will be put into a draft SoRA on Portico.
- Once you review and agree to your draft SoRA during your appointment or via Portico, it will be changed to 'Agreed' status and the adviser will then notify your programme SoRA contact.
- Your department is responsible for ensuring 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 Exams team for your central exams, your department must arrange adjustments for your departmental examinations.
You can download your SoRA document on Portico.
Frequently asked questions
These are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to reasonable adjustments. If you have a question that is not answered below, get in touch.
- Do I need to pay for reasonable adjustments and support?
You do not need to pay for the reasonable adjustments and support.
However, some types of support including sign language interpreters, mental health mentoring and study skills tutoring may require you to apply for funding to cover these reasonable adjustments. You can get guidance about this in your appointment with our advisers.
- Will details about my SoRA be listed on my transcript?
No – your support needs, health condition or disability record will not appear anywhere on your transcript 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 a SoRA, you can simply get in touch to say you wish to update or review it.
Please provide updated medical evidence which indicates a change in circumstances or diagnosis and explain why you feel your previous adjustments are no longer sufficient.
- I have recently been diagnosed with a medical problem or disability and this will have an effect on my assessment/exams. Who can I speak to?
- 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, please contact your department to discuss your options. Deferral requests are handled through the Extenuating Circumstances procedures.
Contact us through askUCL if you wish to discuss any other possible adjustments.
- I have injured my hand and cannot write - what should I do?
Depending on the nature of your assessments and your injury, we should be able to make adjustments which will enable you to sit your assessments. This might involve providing a scribe, the use of a computer or additional writing time.
Please contact us to apply for adjustments and ensure you give details on the specific format of your assessments, e.g. if they involve drawing or writing in a foreign language. If you are unsure what you think would work best, please contact us for guidance.
- I have a SoRA but my exam timetable shows that I am in the ExCel centre and not on campus. Why is this the case?
Once your SoRA is agreed, any time adjustments will be manually corrected to meet your needs according to your SoRA.
Departmental assessment/exam will not be on the timetable so please check with your teaching department.
If it's been more than 2 weeks and your exam is approaching, you can get in touch with your teaching department for departmental exams, or check out the guidance on the Central Assessment team webpage.
If the assessment/exam is centrally-managed and it is not listed on your timetable you will again need to go back and check with your teaching department.
If you still require help with central assessments, contact the Central Assessment team 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 & Wellbeing team do not have any influence in the mode of assessment.
- 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, this cannot be avoidable, and the utmost care is taken to minimise this given all the constraints.
- Will there be a seating plan outside the room where I am expected for my assessment/exam?
Yes – there will be a seating plan outside the venue indicating your name, seat number and module code.
- I have recently been granted a SoRA but my timetable has not been updated with the correct venue or end time. What do I do?
Once your SoRA is agreed, any time adjustments will be manually corrected to meet your needs according to your SoRA.
Departmental assessment/exam will not be on the timetable so please check with your teaching department.
If it's been more than 2 weeks and your exam is approaching, you can get in touch with your teaching department for departmental exams, or check out the guidance on the Central Assessment team webpage.
If the assessment/exam is centrally-managed and it is not listed on your timetable you will again need to go back and check with your teaching department.
If you still require help with central assessments, contact the Central Assessment team via askUCL.
- My assessments/exams are scheduled to take place in the PC cluster rooms. Can I still write some or all the answers by hand?
Yes – answer booklets will be provided on each desk where students can write their answers. Please clearly label the work so it’s easy for the examiners to identify and mark.
- How will the invigilators know about the needs in my SoRA?
A list of all candidates, their assessment/exam details, start and end times as well as extra writing time and or rest break along with details of what has been permitted in the SORA will be provided to the invigilation supervisor. 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?
You will be permitted to leave the room if your SoRA permits you to do so. You must raise your hands to notify the invigilator. However, you will be required to be escorted by an invigilator to a designated place and the invigilator will be present until you return back to your seat.
- What do I do if I feel unwell during an exam or require medical assistance?
If students are feeling unwell on the day of the exam they should stay home and rest, they can apply for extenuating circumstances and defer the exam. If students become ill during the exam or require medical assistance the supervisors will be on hand to assist the student.
- Can I take in my own laptop and or tablet into the venue to complete my assessment/exam?
Students are not permitted to bring in their own devices. We have dedicated rooms with desktop PCs where students who have a SoRA which permits the use of a PC can complete their assessment/exam.
- Can I take my own noise-cancelling headphones into an assessment/exam?
This will not be permitted. Ear plugs will be available in all venues. If you require ear defenders, please inform our team in your appointment and we may be able to provide a loaner.
- I will need the snacks/drinks to keep me going during a long exam. Can I bring in snack and drinks?
As you will be in exam conditions, consumption of food and or drink will not be permitted unless there is a medical need.