Choosing a University and a Course:

Picking a university and a course can be daunting at the best of times, let alone adding in disability/health or other conditions. Don’t be put off though by any assumptions as to what you can or can’t do – most subjects and places can be made accessible with the appropriate support and the Equality Act 2010 means that universities have a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure you are not at a disadvantage.

Choosing a course

The most important component of choosing a course is to choose a course that interests you and that you will enjoy spending the next 3+ years studying. Some courses are vocational and will qualify you to enter a particular career e.g. medicine or engineering. If you don’t know which career you want, you can follow your interests and pick a subject you’re passionate about. It’s worth adding that you can do a degree in one subject then ‘convert’ to a vocational course for graduates which qualifies you for that career, e.g. law, teaching.

It is helpful to consider the practicalities of the course, as some may be more challenging than others. Consider the course structure and components. It might be worth considering how physically taxing is the course you’re interested in? Will there be laboratory or field work? Art degrees will require extensive visual analysis of paintings. 

• How is the course taught – is it purely lectures or are there smaller group seminars or tutorials?
• What are the expectations of the course? Look at the expected number of contact hours/self-study the course expects. Have a look at the assessment process is it more coursework or final exams (although universities can be flexible in examination processes if required).
• Flexible degree options – there are part-time courses and distance learning courses that allow greater flexibility as to how you study. Most universities will allow you to study any course part-time due to disability. So this is definitely something to consider if you feel a full-time university course will be too demanding. It is also generally possible to change to part-time later if you find yourself not coping with the course or your situation changes.
• Fitness to study – in professions where you are responsible for the health and safety of other people, such as medicine or nursing, it is necessary that you meet ‘fitness to practise’ regulations. This means practitioners must demonstrate the skills and knowledge to carry out their duties safely and effectively. This is usually assessed through a questionnaire about your health, and an occupational health assessment is sometimes required.
  • If you have a disability, mental health condition, learning difference, or illness, this is unlikely to affect your ‘fitness to practise’. Universities and colleges – as well as employers – have a duty to make all reasonable adjustments to support disabled students and employees under the Equality Act 2010.

Make yourself aware, but don’t let it put you off – the right university will make sure you can study the course you want.

Choosing a university

• Accessibility of the university – most universities will have an access guide on their websites or check out if they have joined AccessAble. This will help you assess the university’s general accessibility. Is there parking onsite? 
  • Visit the university if you can for a greater picture of how you find getting around the university and what requirements you might need. While you’re there, see if you can arrange a meeting with the disability support centre to see what sort of help they can offer you and give advice about accommodation and your course.
• Accommodation – are the rooms and facilities suitable for you? Are there lifts without restrictions? Will any adapted accommodation available fit with your current routines? Don’t be afraid to be thorough and ask lots of questions. Being in the right accommodation for your needs isn’t something you should have to compromise on. If there is no suitable university accommodation what are the private halls/renting like?
• Campus or city – many UK universities are on a campus which means the accommodation, lecture halls etc. are closer together on a private site, which may make travelling between them easier. At city universities you may live and study in different locations requiring travel across the city. However, cities often have more accessible transport systems and a bigger range of healthcare services and providers. 
• Location – unfortunately many UK cities seem to be on hills (looking at you Durham, Exeter, Edinburgh, Bath…) so this might be something worth considering – it applies to both campus and city universities. How will you get around the city? What are the transport links like? Does the university offer transport?
• Proximity to home – for some people university offers the chance to venture as far from home as possible but for many proximity or transport links to home are important to consider. Do you want/need to live at home during university? For some the ability to keep the same doctors/support system is important, as university is a big change in itself and so it may be daunting to have to change your medical support. Being close to home also offers you the chance to go home for a weekend to recharge and enjoy a break from busy university life.
• Colleges – some universities are ‘collegiate’ which means they’re split into colleges; each student belongs to a particular college, living and sometimes studying there. If you’re nervous about making friends or getting lost in a big crowd, colleges offer a ready-made, smaller community. 

Ultimately you should pick the course you want at your top choice university and then put into place the support required to make this happen. Get in contact with the university disability support centre, apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance, and find out more about your university’s support groups. You can find out more about the application process here, once you’re decided. Happy researching!

Useful links:

The Complete University Guide’s section for disabled students

The Uni Guide’s article on what to look for in a university for disabled students