Support you as you need
We welcome students who have a disability and/or learning difficulty and appreciate and value the contribution that they bring to the University Centre South Essex.
The Disability Support Team at UCSE will be able to provide you with advice and support about studying with us if you have a diagnosed disability, long term health condition or specific learning difficulty that is likely to have an impact on your studies. We offer confidential guidance relating to your individual needs, which may include a specific learning difficulty, a physical or sensory impairment, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, or mental health difficulty.
Our Disability Support Team is located on the 3rd floor of The Forum in Southend, and facilitates support for students with a variety of disabilities, recognising that individuals may have very different needs. We can discuss any additional support you may require, including making reasonable adjustments to your course and environment and advice on how to apply for special exam/coursework considerations. We can also give you advice about funding study related support via the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA), if appropriate.
We will require your consent before sharing disability or health related information. Your details will be kept confidential within the University and will only be used for support purposes to allow reasonable adjustments to be considered.
What do we mean by disability?
The definition of disability is broad; if you have a physical, mental or sensory impairment which you feel requires support to enable you to study at University, then you may be eligible for support. The Disability Support Team will be pleased to discuss with you, your personal circumstances to help you decide if you should apply for support.
Some examples of disability are listed below:
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or attention deficit disorder (ADHD/ADD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Mental health condition
- Mobility issues
- Long term medical conditions
- Hearing impairment
- Visual impairment
We can support a range of disabilities:
- advice and guidance regarding the support options available to you during your studies
- act as liaison with your academic department if needed
- reasonable adjustments around the university centre and in taught sessions
- orientation training either before or at the very start of term for those with visual impairments or mobility difficulties
- support with personal emergency evacuation plans
- exam access arrangements and adjusted assessments (It is extremely important that you come and see us as soon as possible if you need examination or assessment adjustments, as there is a deadline date for submission. If you do not submit your application in time, you may be too late to meet that deadline).
- extenuating circumstances following absence due to medical intervention etc
- intermission if circumstances mean it is not the right time for you to continue study
Students will need to have medical proof or a diagnostic report to apply for support through DSA, reasonable adjustments do not always need specific evidence. The following types of evidence/report may be required.
- letter from your Doctor or specialist
- audiology report
- blind/visual impairment registration
- diagnostic report from an educational assessor or PATOSS registered Specialist Teachers report
- letter or report from Community Mental Health team or Psychologist
- Form 8/9 confirming previous exam access arrangements
- a post-16 EHCP (if you have previously had an EHCP, please be aware the education aspect ceases upon entry into Higher Education)
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
As a higher education student living in England, you may be eligible to apply for additional funding via a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) if you have a disability, including a:
- long-term health condition
- mental health condition
- specific learning difficulty, e.g. dyslexia or ADHD
You must meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010 .
You can apply for DSA either online or using a physical form. For more information about this contact either our Disability Support Team or use the following link - Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability: Disabled Students' Allowance - GOV.UK.
DSA stands for Disabled Students’ Allowance.
This is a non-repayable grant for students who have a disability, specific learning difficulty, mental health condition or long-term illness that affects their ability to study.
The aim of the grant is to help students with the cost of any extra essential equipment or support they may need as a direct result of their disability/condition.
Students will need to meet the criteria for DSA, including providing the required evidence:
- A report or letter from a consultant or doctor is needed for a medical or mental health condition.
- A diagnostic assessment report is needed for a specific learning difficulty.
- A post-16 EHCP can also be used as evidence (please be aware the education aspect of an EHCP ceases upon entry into higher education)
For more information about eligibility, please see www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa/eligibility
DSA can pay for:
- Hardware technology, e.g. laptop, printer/scanner, noise cancelling headphones, microphone.
- Assistive technology, e.g. audio reader software, mind-mapping software, dictation software.
- Specialist non-medical helpers. e.g. study skills tutor, mentor, notetaker, British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.
- Support towards travel costs (due to your disability).
- Support towards printing costs.
- Ergonomic equipment.
Students will not receive any money directly via DSA. This is paid directly to the companies providing the designated equipment or support required by the student.
The equipment and support a student needs will be determined during a Needs Assessment. This is an opportunity to meet with a Needs Assessor who will demonstrate different technology and go through all the different support options in relation to the student’s disability.
If it is decided that the student requires a new laptop, the student will be expected to contribute £200 towards this. Contact your HE Student Services team to see if this can be reimbursed.
The type of support and how much a student receives depends on their individual needs rather than their household income.
The University and DSA do not provide or fund support with daily living tasks, therefore you will need to think carefully about any non-academic, disability-related support requirements you may have, e.g. assistance with shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry or personal care. Funding for care support is via your own Social Services. If you need this type of support you will need to liaise with your existing Social Services department to put support in place. This can take time and early contact with them around your needs is essential.
You are unable to access DSA support from Student Finance England if you are an EU or International student. If you have a disability please contact our team to discuss your individual needs and any reasonable adjustments you may need.
To apply for DSA, students will need to log on to their Student Finance account. There will be an option to apply and upload supporting evidence.
Alternatively there are paper forms available at https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa/how-to-claim
If you are applying to UCSE and require support with your DSA application, please contact the UCSE Disability Support Team HESupport@southessex.ac.uk