Preparing for university as a disabled student

Oh how I remember this time well! I actually graduated on Wednesday, but preparing for the whole thing only seems like yesterday. University was such an unknown step as a disabled student, even if it was a step I knew I wanted to take. My health at the time was far from ideal and I think this just added to the stress of going to university in the first place. However, after completing university I reflected on the whole process. It was actually the initial organisation that proved the most unknown.

So here are my top tip:

What type of university is the best?

Universities can come in all shapes and sizes, but what would be best for you? You can have city centre uni’s which may have better links to transport and hospitals if you’ll have medical appointments. On the other hand, you might be suited for somewhere a bit quieter and out of the way. You have campus universities with everything on site or universities were they may have a number of campuses across a city.

I quickly came to the conclusion that a campus university would suit my needs better. I wanted everything all in one place so it would be easier to get around. The thought of having to commute, in an unknown area, seemed a bit too complicated and would use up more energy. I’m not saying all disabled people would benefit from this, or that it would have been impossible for me to go to another type of university. At the time it just seemed logical.

The size of uni’s can also vary significantly! Again, this is something to just bear in mind. It was only by having a look at multiple places that I was able to make an informed decision.

Open day

This is your chance to see what it would be like for you. It allows you to get a feel for a place and to find out how suitable it would be. I also would recommend going to a few different open days, even if you know where you’d like to study. Some universities even offer a separate tour for disabled students. This allows you to go at a time when it would be quieter. If this is offered then it is something I would definitely recommend doing!

This also leads on to how accessible the campus is. If you’re a wheelchair user, can you access all the room you’d need to? If you have reduced mobility, will you have a long walk up a hill and three flights of stairs from one lecture to another?

When you are at the open day be sure to speak to the disability services. This may seem like an obvious one but each university will vary in the support they can offer you. Some offer counselling on campus and have a supportive disability plan system. Whereas some could offer extensions to disabled students or flexibility with the number of modules you take at one time.

Are there other disabled students to speak to? This might allow you to find out how easy the process is and if it would suit your own needs.

Disabled Students Allowance

Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) is support from the government for your studies. Yes, unfortunately this is another form that required filling out alongside your Student Finance. Yet that just sums up what having a disability is like! Despite this, the support that can be gained can actually be extremely helpful. They aim to get you the best support, rather than getting you to fight for what you deserve.

You provide evidence, attend a needs assessment and they recommend what would be beneficial. Once this is approved by Student Finance England you contact the suppliers and it is delivered to your house or university halls.

What Disabled Students Allowance can pay for

You can get help with the costs of:

– specialist equipment, for example a computer if you need one because of your disability

– non-medical helpers

– extra travel because of your disability

– other disability-related costs of studying

https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas

What did I receive?

For myself, this was broken down into specialist equipment and support while I was at university, with both of them being incredibly useful!

I received the following equipment from Disabled Students Allowance:

• height adjustable desk
• arm rests
• ergonimical chair
• Read and Write (text to speech software)
• mindmapping software
• Dragon (speech to text and dictation software)
• printer
• laptop stand
• dictaphone
• headset and mic (for the Dragon software)
• external keyboard and mouse
• Ruby XL video magnifier

This is not an exhaustive list of things that are available but it may give you a vague idea. But how useful were these items? The chair and the desk were great and something I used all of the time, I still think the chair is the most comfortable seat that I own! The printer also came in handy and you are able to claim the expenses of ink and paper. Admittedly, I did not use the software as much as I could have done but it did serve a very useful purpose. It also is worth mentioning, any equipment that you receive is yours to keep, even when you’ve finished your degree!

Perhaps the most beneficial for me was the support within university. I was offered a notetaker but I decided this could be part of my Personal Assistant’s (PA’s) role. Additionally, I also was given a specialist mentor. I met my mentor for a few hours every week and they helped me to manage my workload. We also looked at things like managing my health and socialising. They also could help me plan university work if needed. I’ll be honest, this support really helped.

Personal Assistant?

This is something I wish I had known about. I really do think my university experience would have been extremely different (and a lot harder) without their support. It was during my DSA needs assessment that they made me aware that personal support was no longer available through that service. I was told I’d have to contact social services if I required this level of support while at university.

Funding for a PA

To start this process you need to contact social services and request a needs assessment. Or, you can request your own needs assessment which usually is quicker if you don’t already have a social worker. A needs assessment basically is just about seeing what support you would benefit from. For myself, it involved support with daily tasks like cooking and washing. It also enabled me to socialise and use public transport independently. Having a PA really did allow me to get the most out of the university experience and they made sure I could focus my energy on studies.

Apply for a needs assessment (GOV.UK)

The funding I received was through Direct Payments and the outcome of the needs assessment gave me 84 hours a week of support. I appreciate the financial side can be confusing, but Scope have some great information about this.

Using direct payments to employ a PA (Scope)

When you have had the needs assessment and hopefully gain the hours you need, it’s time to hire a PA. Again, this isn’t the most obvious process if you have never had to do it before. Most social workers will guide you through it. If not, I’ve written a piece on the Scope forum about the process of hiring a PA.

Tips for hiring a PA (Scope Forum)

Preparation

Being prepared is always a good thing! It is always possible to organise a meeting in the summer with the disability support team at the university you want to attend in September. By doing so will mean everything can be in place for when you start, rather than trying to play catch up!

I’d also recommend starting the DSA and PA process as soon as possible. These things can take time. If you have all the support in place, you can focus on your studies and meeting new people.

Will you be moving to a new area and need to change hospitals or GP’s? Just something you might need to think about.

It is possible!

I understand how daunting this step can feel. It’s something that is completely new. As a disabled student we do have more to think about to ensure the whole thing goes smoothly, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Work hard, have fun and you never know where this step may lead you! If there is anything I can do to help then please leave your comments below and I’ll do my best!

Until next time.

~ Chloe x