We are committed to providing a friendly and accessible service for disabled students so that you may study effectively and make full use of the opportunities at Newcastle University.
Advice, information and guidance is available to disabled applicants and students at all stages of your university career. In addition, we liaise with academic Schools over students' support requirements and external agencies where appropriate.
The Student Health and Wellbeing Service and your School will work to support you throughout your time at Newcastle, and engage you as a partner in your learning. As part of this learning partnership you will need to participate in the support that is offered to you to make it work. In particular, if you feel that your support requirements change at any time, then it is important that you let us know so that they can be reviewed to meet your needs. We also liaise with academic Schools over students' support requirements and external agencies where appropriate.
Support
Support is available to students with disabilities and long-term medical conditions, along with those who have caring responsibilities for those with disabilities. Conditions include:
specific learning difficulties - eg Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, ADHD
The DisabilityTeam provides assessments and recommends to schools the academic adjustments students with mental health disabilities require. They also provide advice and facilitate access to practical support for students with ongoing mental health disabilities and significant vulnerabilities, with the aim of enabling them to engage with their studies in a safe and effective way. With student consent, they will liaise with external mental health partners, to help maintain student mental wellbeing and aid any transition into and out of University.
students who have caring responsibilities - this includes looking after a family member, partner, or friend who may be ill, disabled, have a mental health condition, or is misusing alcohol or drugs
Disability support adjustments
advice, information and guidance for new applicants at any stage of your application
advice, information and guidance throughout all stages of your university degree
exam concessions
an individual Student Support Plan (SSP)
transitional and social support
advice and information for academic staff
If you require support please contact us and we will arrange an appointment for you to meet with an adviser to discuss your support needs.
University applicants can fill out this form to provide additional information to the team.
Disability support links
Disability North - promoting inclusion, independence and choice for disabled people
Disability Rights - supplies a range of information about disability related issues
Providing evidence in advance of your course starting helps us to ensure you have the support you need. Information can be emailed to us or sent to the postal address below.
Please find further guidance below regarding providing appropriate evidence for your specific needs.
Specific Learning Difficulties can include dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, AD(H)D or Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC). To be eligible for examination concessions you will need to provide evidence of your learning difficulty.
Suitable evidence
Evidence that is suitable for submission includes:
A full psychological assessment produced by a suitably qualified person, ideally when you were 16 years or over
A Study Aid and Study Strategies Report, produced in connection with Disabled Students’ Allowances, if available
A letter from your GP, hospital consultant or psychologist, or a more detailed report on how this will affect you in Higher Education, if available
If you think you may have a Specific Learning Difficulty please contact the Disability Team in Student Health and Wellbeing at King’s Gate Level 2.
We can arrange an initial discussion with a Disability Practitioner regarding any areas of difficulty you are experiencing and provide advice about an assessment with a chartered psychologist.
You can submit evidence to us by email. You can also choose to bring a copy of your evidence into Student Health and Wellbeing at King’s Gate Level 2 where a copy will be kept securely.
Once the University receives comprehensive diagnostic evidence, we are able to look at types of support that may be suitable for you.
Services and Facilities
The services and facilities available at Newcastle include the following:
An individual Student Support Plan
On-site access to specialist software and equipment
Access to quiet study rooms and library support
Social mentoring
Specialist advisers who can help with enquiries about Disabled Student Allowance (DSA), examination concessions and other queries
To put suitable support in place whilst at University you will be required to provide medical evidence. A letter from your GP, hospital consultant or other medical practitioner can be used as evidence.
It would be helpful if the medical evidence included:
A diagnosis of the condition(s), a prognosis would also be helpful if the disability/condition is recently acquired or identified, or if recovery could take some time
Whether your condition is long/short term. To be considered a long-term condition, the symptoms must have lasted, or be likely to last, at least 12 months
Whether your condition is fluctuating – if so, what are the triggers? When is it at its worst? (eg stress at exam time/deadlines)
Details of medication and any side effects that may impact on learning, such as fatigue or poor concentration
The effect your disability may have on your attendance at University
You will also need to provide information about the impact, if any, on your day to day activities. For example, does the condition affect:
Concentration
Motivation
Short/long term memory
Ability to travel on public transport
Communication difficulties affecting your ability to work in groups or deliver presentations
Social/anxiety issues affecting your ability to work in groups or deliver presentations
Reading/writing for long periods
Ability to use computer equipment or technology
Ability to walk any distance
Ability to meet deadlines due to, for example, procrastination issues
Exam performance
Evidence needs to demonstrate how the diagnosis has an ongoing significant/substantial impact upon your studies and related day-to-day activities. You can use our Medical Evidence Form or request a letter from your GP; this evidence should then be passed onto the Student Health and Wellbeing Service.
Please note that the University is unable to contact medical professionals to request, or discuss medical evidence without your written consent. Current students may be able to reclaim the cost of medical evidence from Newcastle University. Please contact the team for further details.
The Disability team can support students who have a mental health condition which has lasted, or is likely to last for 12 months or more. The team can explore a range of support and adjustments such as additional time in examinations, specialist mentoring, and learning strategies.
To help us better understand your needs, it is useful for us to have sight of a GP or consultant letter, or diagnostic report if available. If available please attach or forward a copy of your evidence to disabilityadvisor@newcastle.ac.uk or by post to Disability Team, Newcastle University, Kings Gate Level 2, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, or bring to your appointment. We ask that you do not send us original copies through the post.
Newcastle University offers a medical evidence form which current students can use to obtain medical evidence from a GP. Please contact the team via disabilityadvisor@newcastle.ac.uk if you would like a copy of this form.
Contact Us
You can submit your medical evidence to us by using the following team email address or by using the postal address below. You can also submit evidence by handing this into the help desk at Level 2 King's Gate, we ask that you do not submit original copies.
If you have a general query or you are unsure which team you need to contact please use our web contact form and an appropriate member of the team will get back to you.
Address: Disability Team Student Health and Wellbeing Service Newcastle University King’s Gate – Level 2 Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU
If you would like to arrange an appointment to discuss your support needs with a Disability Practitioner you can email the team directly using: disabilityadvisor@ncl.ac.uk
Book an appointment by telephone
You can contact us via the telephone on 0191 208 3333 and a member of the team will arrange a suitable appointment time for you.
Request an appointment using our web enquiry form
Please complete a web enquiry form and we will be in touch with you.
Attend a drop-in session
For students with enquiries about a specific learning difficulty, we offer drop-in sessions at King’s Gate every Wednesday between 1pm and 4pm and every Friday between 11am-2pm during term-time. At these times, please go to the Level 2 Helpdesk, Student Services, and book into the next available slot. You will then be able to meet with a Disability Practitioner for a brief discussion of your needs, and advice and guidance.
Prospective students and external queries
Any other enquirers, such as prospective students or members of staff, please send your enquiry via the online web form
Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) is a non-means tested grant available to U.K. disabled students who are applying for, or are attending, a course of Higher Education.
Most international disabled students and those studying non-degree courses cannot usually access DSAs as there are specific eligibility conditions related to residence in the UK which have to be met to qualify for this funding.
DSAs cover some additional study-related costs that students will incur because of a disability, ongoing medical condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty. The extra costs may include specialist equipment, a non-medical helper or travel costs.
At Newcastle University we want you to have the best learning experience possible. We also want to support you to develop independent or enhanced learning and study skills. We strive towards an inclusive and accessible learning environment. If you have individual adjustment needs we will ensure you have access to an assessment where decisions about support are made on a case-by-case basis.
Applying for DSAs
We would encourage you to contact your funding body to start your application for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) as soon as you can (UK students only). Please note for PhD students, both you and your course must meet certain eligibility criteria and it is worth checking these with your funding body before you make your application.
Our Advisers can help with this process and they can assist with any questions that you may have:
• apply as early as possible; don't wait until you've been offered a place at university • you need to give proof of your disability or health condition to the funding body. This may be a letter from your Doctor or specialist • if you have a specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia, you'll need to provide a 'diagnostic assessment' from a psychologist or a suitably qualified specialist teacher.
Following your application
Once you have applied for a DSA and your eligibility is confirmed, you will be asked by your funding body to attend a Study Needs Assessment, which must be carried out by an accredited Assessment Centre. You can find your nearest centre using GOV.UK. This appointment can be carried out before the start of your course.
Following your Study Needs Assessment, a report will be produced that outlines recommendations for appropriate adjustments. This is sent to your funding body, who will then contact you to identify what they are able to fund and how to arrange your support. For further information please refer to GOV.UK.
Below are some common features of Specific Learning Difficulties, please note that each individual is different and this list is simply intended as a guide.
Dyslexia is characterised by:
Potential reading issues
Misreading, making understanding difficult
Difficulty with sequences, e.g. getting dates in order
Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) is characterised by:
inflexible thinking
over reliance on routines
can find social and communication interactions challenging
may struggle with transition between different stages (in education and life)
sensory Sensitivity
anxiety
Autism is a lifelong developmental, spectrum disability. Some people with ASC can find the world feels overwhelming and this can cause them considerable anxiety. In particular, understanding and relating to other people, and taking part in everyday family, education, work and social life, can be harder. People with an ASC diagnosis may share certain difficulties but not everyone’s experience of an ASC diagnosis will be the same.
If you require a full diagnostic assessment for dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or ADHD, the University currently works with two education psychologist services who are able to provide assessments:
We are more than happy for you to source your own assessment prior to arriving at university. However a subsidy is available to help fully registered students with the cost of assessment and you may wish to consider waiting until you have fully registered as a student at Newcastle University before arranging an assessment if cost is a factor for you. You can contact the team when you are fully registered to discuss this further:
If you are a registered studentwhen you have the diagnostic assessment, you will be reimbursed up to a maximum of £300 for the cost of the assessment, whatever the outcome.
Any cost over £300 will need to be covered by yourself. Please contact us via disabilityadvisor@ncl.ac.uk to request a reimbursement form.
To receive the reimbursement you will need to submit to the Disability Team a copy of the receipt you received from the Educational Psychologist for proof of payment together with the reimbursement form. Following receipt of these documents, reimbursement into your nominated account usually takes place within five working days.
If you have your diagnostic assessment before you become a registered student, you will be unable to receive a reimbursement from the University
Please contact the Disability Support Team via disabilityadvisor@newcastle.ac.uk with any documentation relating to a diagnosis that you may have. Your documentation will then be reviewed by a Disability Practitioner who will be able to let you know the next steps.
You will be contacted by Disability Practitioner who may wish to meet with you to discuss your support needs in more detail or they may contact you via your university email address to discuss your support needs. A Student Support Plan (SSP) will then be completed for you and this will remain in place for the duration of your course.
Your SSP will be shared with your School once you have signed the SSP to confirm that you agree with the contents and provided your consent to share information with your School.
A Student Support Plan is produced by the Student Health and Wellbeing Service and it sets out identified support and reasonable adjustments, and the information staff need to be aware of to ensure that you can access and participate in your course of study. The Student Support Plan is intended to be a working document and can be updated at any point during your studies.
The Student Support Plan also sets out what actions you are expected to take to engage with the support available to you.
Following contact from an Advisor, either by email or following an appointment, you will be asked to read your Student Support Plan and sign this to confirm that you are happy with the content.
Once signed, your School will be notified and your SSP will be disseminated to all relevant professionals. Your SSP will also be available for you to view on S3P.
DSAs are available for students with a diagnosis of a Specific Learning difficulty, AD(H)D, Autism Spectrum Disorder, a disability or long-term health condition, or a diagnosis of a long-term mental health condition.
DSAs can assist you with the funding of specialist equipment or software, help with travelling costs due to your disability or other costs related to your disability. As part of the DSAs application process, you will need to provide proof of your disability to your funding body.
Applying for DSAs
We would encourage you to contact your funding body to start your application for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) as soon as you can (UK students only). Please note for PhD students, both you and your course must meet certain eligibility criteria and it is worth checking these with your funding body before you make your application.
You may find it helpful to discuss your DSAs application with an Advisor at Student Health and Wellbeing Service, they will be able to assist you with any questions that you may have. If you wish to make an appointment (face to face or telephone appointments are available), please contact us.
Once you have applied for DSA and your eligibility is confirmed, you will be asked by your funding body to attend a Study Needs Assessment, which must be carried out by an accredited Assessment Centre. The cost of a Study Needs Assessment is met through DSA allowance and you do not need to pay for this.
You can find your nearest centre using GOV.UK. This appointment can be carried out before the start of your course. Following this assessment, a report will produced that outlines recommendations for appropriate adjustments. Once your DSA needs assessment report is produced, a copy should be sent to your funding body and the University.
Your funding body will also produce a DSA entitlement letter, which will be sent to you detailing your entitlement. If Newcastle University receives a copy of your entitlement letter, we will follow up with you, however, please be aware that funding bodies do not always provide the university with a copy.
The deadline for submitting evidence for Semester One of the 2021-22 academic year is Friday 12 November 2021. The deadline for submitting evidence for Semester Two of the 2021-22 academic year is Friday 11 March 2022.
On submission of suitable evidence, your Student Health and Wellbeing Advisor will discuss appropriate exam adjustments with you. Once your adjustments have been confirmed, these will appear on your online timetable.
Once adjustments to exam access arrangements have been made, in most cases, these will remain in place throughout your studies. If your needs change at any stage, it is important that you contact your advisor as your exam arrangements may need to be reviewed.
Advisors within the Student Health and Wellbeing Service will be able to organise appropriate exam access arrangements on your behalf, working with the Exams Office in Student Progress and your academic School. Arrangements will be made on an individual basis and may include, for example:
extra time
rest breaks
use of a computer
a support worker such as a scribe and/or a reader
If, as a disabled student, you think you may require exam access arrangements, you will need to discuss this with a Student Health and Wellbeing Advisor. If you have not yet been in contact with the Student Health and Wellbeing Service you should do so as soon as possible.
If you are concerned that your temporary injury may affect your ability to sit an exam, then you may wish to apply for temporary exam adjustments by completing a Temporary Exam Arrangements Form (TEAF).
Guidance on completing the form and a copy of the form are available on Student Progress.
Please note that you will be required to provide supporting medical evidence alongside a TEAF.
If you feel that the injury and/or painkilling medication has affected your revision you can submit a PEC form. Find out more about this process here.
You may also need to follow the PEC procedure if you require an extension on assignments due to your injury.
Camera usage in online events, from student perspective
With a lot of learning moving online and a potential need to continue delivering synchronous sessions via Zoom and Teams, staff and students using their cameras has become very important - especially for accessibility and engagement.
Cameras in Lectures and Seminars
We encourage students to keep their cameras on as this helps to build an effective learning community, creates social presence, and shows a willingness and intent to learn. It is also important for student-student interactions and breakout room discussions.
However, we do not force students to keep their cameras on. They may wish to keep them off for a number of reasons, including a hidden disability. Importantly, a student with additional needs may not always have an SSP.
How students and staff behave online is vital to the success of remote teaching. The University’s online etiquette guide is there to help, setting expectations of what is and is not allowed in online teaching sessions.
Ally is a tool that is integrated into Canvas which enables you to download alternative formats of your course content so that you can access the information you need in the way that you need it.
While some formats meet very specific accessibility needs such as electronic braille, others may be useful in particular situations. For example, if you are on the go or have a lot of course materials to read you may prefer the audio version. If you like to read using a mobile device then the HTML or ePub version for use with eBook readers may be more suitable for you.
You can also find further instructions covering how to download Canvas course files and pages in the Canvas student FAQs
Immersive Reader
If your lecturer has created content using Pages in Canvas then you will be able to use the Microsoft Immersive Reader. This is a really useful tool to enhance your reading experience.
Immersive reader is also available in a number of Microsoft applications including Teams, Office365 (Word and Outlook), OneNote and Microsoft Edge. Further information about Immersive Reader can be found on the Microsoft website.
Make it Accessible with SensusAccess
Make documents that sit outside of Canvas accessible with SensusAccess. Convert PDFs, JPEGs and other files into an e-book, text file, audio or braille. You can combine more than one .JPG into a single file. Full information on the Academic Skills Kit website.
Video Captions Accuracy
Disclaimer
The University aims to provide machine generated captions for pre-recorded videos and live videos stored for 14 days or more, made using centrally supported services, primarily ReCap (Panopto), Zoom, Microsoft Stream, Microsoft Teams and Microsoft PowerPoint. The captions will appear as text at the bottom of the video which you can switch on and off.
The accuracy of machine generated captions varies depending on the audio quality, topic and speaker. Therefore, you should not rely solely on the captions when viewing video content and use them alongside other learning resources such as accompanying PowerPoint slides and wider readings to ensure you understand the topic and terminology used.
If you require accurate captions as part of your reasonable adjustment please contact disabilityadvisor@newcastle.ac.uk. If the video provided as part of your programme for 2021-22 does not have the captions you require please contact the content creator.
