A guide to starting university as a disabled student

Starting university is a scary time for pretty much anyone, but it can be particularly daunting if you’re also disabled, especially when it’s not always easy to figure out what support is available. Every university has a slightly different offer, and websites can often be confusing and difficult to navigate – plus, you’ll probably also want to consider external and informal sources of support. So, here’s your handy guide to the key things you’ll need to know and consider to take some of the stress out of the first few weeks.

Formal support services

First, make sure to think about applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), well in advance of your course start date. To qualify, you need to be eligible for support from Student Finance England, and have any kind of disability that might affect your studies. 

There’s no particular list of eligible disabilities, but it can include physical and sensory disabilities, chronic illness and long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, mental health conditions and specific learning differences. You can apply at any time after student finance applications open, including after your course has already started, but there can be delays in processing applications and getting support in place, so try to apply as early as possible. 

You fill in a form online here and provide medical evidence like a diagnostic report or letter from your GP. You’ll then be invited to organise a ‘needs assessment’, where you talk to an assessor about your disability and the ways it might impact your studies. Most people find this a positive and supportive process – they’re looking to identify the most helpful support for you, not for reasons to refuse your application. 

The support you can get will depend on individual needs but is aimed at meeting any study-related costs above and beyond those of a non-disabled student. This might include software (eg. mind mapping programs, text-to-speech or speech-to-text tools, notetaking software, help with organisation, or tools to improve your writing quality) and physical tech (eg. a printer and an allowance for paper/ink, a microphone to record lectures, a laptop, headphones) as well as anything else you might need like specialist desk furniture or funding for taxis to travel to university if you can’t use public transport. 

DSA can also fund study skills support and, for autistic students and those with mental health conditions, access to specialist one-to-one mentoring sessions. You won’t have to pay for any of the support offered (other than a £200 contribution if you need a laptop), and everything is yours to keep after the end of the course!

Your university itself is another important source of formal support. All universities will have a specific disability team or department (if you’re struggling to find information, it might be part of their general wellbeing support services). You can get in touch at any point during the applications process with questions, but at the very least it’s definitely worth reaching out to organise your specific support once your offer is confirmed and in advance of your course start date. If you’re not eligible for DSA (for example, as an international student), they may be able to provide some of the same support. 

They will also help you to organise any exam arrangements or other reasonable adjustments you may need. Exam arrangements are likely to look quite similar to what you may have received in school or college, covering things like extra time, rest breaks, smaller rooms, scribes or readers. However, adjustments can also be made to any part of your study and assessment process. For example, you might want to ask about flexibility with deadlines or deadline spacing, alternative formats for some assessments, or flexibility around attendance or the time of day your classes are scheduled. It can be tricky to know what support you might need when you may not have even set foot on campus yet – bear in mind that you can always go back to both DSA and your university disability team if you need any extra support once you’ve started your course.

The disability team should also be able to tell you about any other university-provided support. Perhaps the library provides access to assistive software, or maybe students have access to specific online support or study tools. The library might offer extended loans to disabled students, or other useful services like postal loans, or a ‘click and collect’ service. 

There might even be specific spaces on campus, like a sensory space or accessible study rooms. If you don’t ask, it’s often all too easy to only find out about helpful resources when you’re already months, or even years, into your course!

If you have specific requirements for accommodation, don’t forget to also get in touch with the accommodation team – this may be a separate process, or organised through the general disability team. If you need an adapted room, it’s particularly important to do this as early as possible, before rooms have been allocated.

Finally, think about registering with a local GP. There might be on-campus provision, or a local surgery that takes on university patients. It’s usually a good idea to register as soon as possible, but if you have complex health needs you may want to discuss this with your current GP to figure out a plan to ensure the best continuity of care throughout term and vacation times.

Finances and funding

University can be expensive! 

Depending on your disability, you may also find that you have more expenses than other students, and it can be harder to gain or manage part-time work alongside your studies. 

While DSA can provide support to meet many study-related costs, it doesn’t provide grants and hence you sadly won’t see any extra cash in your bank account. However, you may also be able to access some other grants and bursaries. Firstly, check your university’s website for details of any additional funding they might award – sometimes this can be available to all disabled students, but you may also have to meet other widening participation criteria to be eligible. 

There are also some external organisations geared towards supporting disabled students. The Snowdon Trust provide grants up to £5000 to disabled students for any study-related costs not met by DSA, although their criteria do exclude students applying solely on the basis of a mental health condition. 

The Student Health Association give bursaries of up to £500 to disabled students via their Student Enablement Fund. Don’t necessarily restrict your search only to disability-specific funding, as there are many other grants and bursaries available with very varied (and sometimes bizarre) criteria. You might be able to find support based on your postcode, your parents’ occupations, your course of study and/or desired career, or even your surname or vegetarianism!

Once you arrive

Freshers’ Week is arguably one of the most hectic periods of your time at university. You’re living somewhere new, navigating new online systems and platforms, and probably overwhelmed with social events and academic induction sessions. Try to remember that you don’t have to do everything, and to focus on the things you actually enjoy. 

It’s not all about nightlife - most universities now offer a wide range of daytime and evening events, including some that are quieter, alcohol-free, or even take place online, so everyone should be able to find something accessible to them that they enjoy. It’s perfectly fine to take breaks and rest when you need to; while it may not seem like it, Freshers’ Week really isn’t a ‘one chance only’ event. Clubs and societies often run free taster events over the course of a few weeks, and most are happy to welcome new members at any time of the year. Some universities even run ‘re-freshers’ events for returning students in January, or in later years of study!

Some people find that studying as a disabled student can be quite isolating, especially if your friends don’t quite understand some of the specific challenges you may face. Connecting to other disabled students who may be better able to relate to some aspects of your student experience can be a rewarding way to find a sense of community and make new friends. 

Some universities will have very active disabled student communities, often organised as Students’ Union societies – these will often have a dual role in organising social events for members as well as campaigning and advocating for disabled students at the university. Even if you’re not sure about committing to extensive involvement, it’s worth considering signing up, as this will often also mean that you can be kept up-to-date with relevant news and upcoming events. If there doesn’t seem to be an existing society, there may be some informal student groups for different disabilities (Instagram or Facebook are often good places to look), or more formal peer support sessions organised by the university.

Overall, there is a lot of support available for disabled students to make your time studying at university a little bit easier. However, it’s not always easy to find, or get the maximum benefit from, and isn’t always as proactive as would be ideal. You may find that you’ll need to be quite persistent in reaching out and pushing for the support you need – but if you do, you’ll usually be able to get what you need.