Blind/Partially Sighted Students
On application to the University
Applicants who are blind or partially sighted are encouraged to make contact with us at an early stage, to start to discuss important issues such as preferred ways to access information, mobility requirements etc.
Some applicants are invited to an open day for their chosen subject area – this is often a good opportunity to arrange to meet up with one of the Disability Advisers, to talk about support or access issues – or anything else that you need to know about. Any subsequent questions that come to mind can be answered by phone or by email at any time.
You should contact your funding body, usually Student Finance England* to start your application for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) as soon as you can (UK students only). The Disability Advisers can help with this process and can assist you with any questions that you may have.
You may also want to start to think about what type of accommodation you would like, and whether you may need some mobility training once you arrive here.
During your studies
Throughout your chosen course of study you will be able to contact or meet up with the Disability Advisers. They will be able to assist you with your DSA application, follow up any recommendations and offer you ongoing support.
If note takers or readers are required, Disability Support will liaise with a support worker service to put this in place, and will also make any special exam arrangements that may be needed. We can arrange to have documents transcribed into your preferred format.
You will be shown how to make the most of accessible software on the university IT systems, and how to access the local intranet, Blackboard, where you will find information relevant to your course.
* Students from Northern Ireland should contact Student Finance Northern Ireland, students from Wales should contact Student Finance Wales and students from Scotland should contact the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
Links
Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
Blind in Business - helping blind and partially sighted people into work
