Specific learning difficulties

I have a Specific Learning Difficulty, will I qualify for support?

UEL has a large number of students with Specific Learning Difficulties and we have put in place anticipatory adjustments which will enable you to access your course of study.

If you feel that you will need additional individual reasonable adjustments, such as examination arrangements, then we will need you to submit a copy of your diagnostic report. At Higher Education level, diagnostic reports must be of a specific standard to be acceptable. Please see our Standards of Evidence page which gives full details. If you are not sure whether the report that you have meets the standard, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

If you have a valid report, please send us a copy as soon as possible as this will enable us to put institutional adjustments in place for you for the start of your course.

If you are a UK student, you may also be eligible to apply for the Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) which can fund additional support which may include specialist equipment and software and could recommend that you be given funding for specialist tuition while you are on your course. You need a valid diagnostic report to apply for your DSAs so it is in your best interest to obtain this before you start your studies or you could experience delays in obtaining the additional support it can provide. The DSA process can take up to 14 weeks to complete, so please apply as early as you can. Application forms are usually available for download from March in the year of application. International/EU students or those ineligible for DSAs should contact us directly so that we can discuss your needs.

If you do not have a valid report, we strongly recommend that you obtain one before you start your studies as we can only put adjustments in place once we have the correct level of evidence for Higher Education.

I think I may have a Specific Learning Difficulty but I have not been diagnosed, what should I do?

Like all students, you will be able to access our anticipatory adjustments from the start of your course. We would strongly recommend that you obtain a diagnosis before you start your course as this will enable you to access the full range of institutional support available to you as well as providing you with the standard of evidence you need to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs). As you will be investing both financially and emotionally in your course, it makes sense to ensure that you are able to access any reasonable adjustments from the beginning of the course.

We understand that the costs of obtaining a diagnostic report can be expensive (between £300-£600) and you may wish to access a screening to find out whether the issues you are experiencing are consistent with a profile of a Specific Learning Difficulty. There are various online screeners that you may wish to access yourself. The British Dyslexia Association offers one at a cost of approximately £30. If you would prefer to go directly to a psychologist/specialist tutor, you can find a suitably qualified professional on the Health Care Professionals Website or via PATOSS.

If you have not obtained a screening before you enrol at the University, the Disability & Dyslexia Team offer a free screening service; to make an appointment please contact the Student Hub. Please note however that there is a great demand on this service which can result in these appointments getting booked up well in advance. We would strongly encourage you not to defer your screening or assessment until after you enrol, as this could delay your diagnosis and access to adjustments and allowances.