Declare a disability, learning difficulty or health condition

Our Learning Support Coordinators who are based across all campuses are available for drop-in appointments, 1:1 appointments and informal chats. This can all be conducted via Microsoft Teams which can be downloaded on your smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer.

During these video link ups we can:

  • advise you on the type of support we can offer you
  • issue Learning Support Plans
  • discuss how you can access medical evidence or provide some documentation with a diagnosis or your medication
  • conduct Specific Learning Difficulty Screenings with you.

The COVID-19 virus may have changed the way we work for the time being but it hasn't stopped the support we can deliver to you.

get in touch

  • Call 01273 643799 – if we are not available, leave a message and we'll get back to you. Or email us at disability@brighton.ac.uk.

We can help you with

Please speak to us if your studies are being affected by:

  • a medical condition
  • a physical disability
  • a mental health condition
  • a specific learning disability such as dyslexia.

The earlier you speak to us, the earlier we can arrange support for you. You can disclose to us at any stage of your studies – there's no time limit.

  • Specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia. (Please also tell us if you think, but aren't sure, that you have a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia. We can explain the process for assessment and make a referral.)
  • ADD or ADHD (attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
  • Long-term mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, OCD, PTSD, schizophrenia, psychosis and eating disorders.
  • Long-term illnesses such as diabetes, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, cancer, HIV, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome or multiple sclerosis.
  • Autistic Spectrum Conditions including Asperger's Syndrome.
  • Physical or mobility differences.
  • Visual conditions.
  • Hearing conditions.
  • Multiple disabilities, or any condition that lasts for 12 months or more and has an adverse effect on your studies.
  • Temporary injuries that prevent you from carrying out your everyday functions, eg a broken ankle.
  • Pregnancy and related issues.

Who should I speak to?

Due to the current situation with COVID-19 the Disability and Dyslexia Team are working remotely. You can still contact them by email at disability@brighton.ac.uk, or leave a message on 01273 643799 – we'll get back to you. The team continue to meet with applicants and students using MS Teams. We will offer face-to-face appointments as soon as we are able to.

Why tell us

We can support you in a number of ways and can advise you about external funding for additional support.

An individual Learning Support Plan (LSP) will outline the support agreed for your studies.

The types of adaptations it can suggest include (but are not limited to):

  • extra time in examinations
  • adjusted coursework deadlines of 10 working days
  • alternative or adjusted modes of assessment
  • timetable modifications to ensure rooms are fully accessible
  • adaptations to equipment
  • permission to use a voice recorder/audio note-taking device in lectures

The exact recommendations in your LSP will depend both on your disability and your course requirements.

To request a Learning Support Plan, log in to Student View and click Request Learning Support to upload your disability evidence. We will then contact you to arrange support.

External funding  

External funding is often in the form of the Disabled Students' Allowance but there are also other funds for students who aren't eligible for DSA. These funds can provide a wide range of support which could include:

  • one-to-one mentoring
  • study skills tuition
  • specialist support for examinations and assessments.
  • specialist software  
  • specialist communication support such as British Sign Language Interpreters
  • ergonomic aids such as chairs or book stands.

Confidentiality

Staff in the Disability and Dyslexia team can assist you with your enquiries in a sensitive and respectful way.

Discussion can be confidential but this will limit the amount of academic support that we can arrange for you. There are some situations where we might not be able to maintain confidentiality (for example if you or someone else is at risk).

For more information about how we use and store your information, please see our Disability and Dyslexia Privacy Statement (.docx).

The process to access funding and support

1. Provide us with evidence 

If you have a specific learning difficulty (eg dyslexia or dyspraxia)

Please supply us with a report confirming your diagnosis. This needs to have been carried out since your 16th birthday and have been assessed by a specialist teacher or educational psychologist.

If you're not sure if your report meets these requirements, or you don't have a report, please get in touch. We can help you get an updated report at no cost to you, after which we will be able to put support in place for you.

If you have a disability, medical condition or a mental health difficulty

Please provide us with evidence from your GP or other medical professional (eg consultant, psychiatric nurse) confirming your diagnosis.

If you're not sure whether your medical evidence is sufficient, we will be able to confirm whether it meets our criteria. If you do not have medical evidence we can support you through the process of obtaining some.

2. Meet with us 

When we meet remotely via Microsoft Teams or through a phone call we will discuss the effect that your disability has on your studies and university life.

With your permission, we can then make recommendations to your academic school about adjustments that can be made to your teaching, placement and assessment. This might include extra time in exams, copies of lecture notes in advance, and extensions to essay deadlines.

We can also help you to apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), if you are eligible. This can fund additional support such as mentoring, study skills tuition, and equipment.

3. Go to your DSA appointment 

You may have been successful in your DSA application and been invited to book a needs assessment. Currently all needs assessment centres in the country are only offering remote appointments in line with government requirements. So, this could be via video links or phone calls.

During the interim period we may be able to offer 1:1 study skills support or 1:1 specialist mentoring also via remote links.

Please speak to the team at disability@brighton.ac.uk or your Learning Support Coordinator if you have one.

This is an informal appointment, which can last up to two hours and will determine what funded related items or support you will need for your course.

There are three Needs Assessment Centres in Brighton and you can attend the most convenient one for you. There are also other centres around the country. Use the DSA-QAG website to find your nearest assessment centre.

Up to four weeks after your appointment, you will receive your confirmation of funding letter. This outlines the items and support you are entitled to, plus instructions on how to order equipment and access support.

If your funding is through Student Finance England, you will be asked to pay the first £200 of your computer equipment. The university’s DSA Reimbursement Fund can assist students with household income of £25,000pa or less.

If your letter agrees non-medical support, such as mentoring or study skills tuition, we can help to arrange this for you.

Please contact us if you have any questions about this process on 01273 643 799 or at disability@brighton.ac.uk

Alternatively, arrange an appointment with a member of our team contact at our local student operations and support office:

  • Brighton – City campus: Room 153 Grand Parade Main Building, 01273 643187
  • Brighton – Falmer: E Wing Checkland Building, 01273 643584
  • Brighton – Moulsecoomb: Manor House, 01273 643799
  • Eastbourne: Trevin Towers Student Centre, 01273 643845