This checker helps you to work out which reasonable adjustments our Disability Advice team could offer you, based on the supporting information you share.
Supporting information is not compulsory
If you have a disability, you can ask for reasonable adjustments, offering you extra support for teaching, exams, assessments and more. The University doesn't require students to provide supporting information in order to access reasonable adjustments.
However, if you do provide supporting information this may allow us to:
- tailor support to better suit your needs
- increase the level of adjustments we provide you with
- enable you to access disability-specific external funding.
You may also wish to describe your needs and any challenges brought about by your studies directly with a disability advisor. Understanding your needs may enable us to provide more tailored adjustments, without the need to provide supporting information.
Getting NHS medical support: If you haven't registered with a GP yet, we recommend that you register with the doctor's surgery on campus.
Types of supporting information
We consider all forms of supporting information to help us understand your needs, but generally this information should:
- provide a clear diagnosis, working diagnosis, or summary of your needs
- describe how you are being impacted and the extent of the impact on you
- be written by an appropriately qualified person or professional
- be recent, or related to your currently presenting difficulties.
This guide explains the type of adjustments and funded support that could be put in place to help you, depending on what type of supporting information you provide. It may be that providing a single piece of information will enable us to provide a range of support that fully meets your needs.
- Declaration of additional needs
You can submit this via your course application, online enrolment form or your personal details section of Sussex Direct. Providing a declaration of additional needs can be sufficient for some adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- limited exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
A declaration of additional needs on its own won't enable you to access externally funded disability support.
- Information about your previous exam arrangements from your school, college or other education provider
Providing information about your previous exam arrangements can be sufficient for some adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- limited exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
Information about your previous exam arrangements on its own won't enable you to access externally funded disability support.
- Diagnostic report written by an educational psychologist, specialist teacher, or medical professional
Providing a diagnostic report written by one of these professionals will be sufficient information for all adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- bespoke exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- University of Sussex reasonable adjustments
- support recommendations given to your School
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
A diagnostic report will enable you to access funded disability support, such as 1-1 support, assistive technology and software, and consumable allowances where appropriate.
- Disabled Student’s Allowance Needs Assessment Report
Providing a Disabled Student's Allowance Needs Assessment Report will be sufficient information for all adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- bespoke exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- University of Sussex reasonable adjustments
- support recommendations given to your School
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
Providing a Disabled Student's Allowance Needs Assessment Report will enable you to access funded disability support, such as 1-1 support, assistive technology and software, and consumable allowances where appropriate.
- Letter from a consultant, a GP, or other medical professional
Providing a letter from one of these medical professionals will be sufficient information for all adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- bespoke exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- University of Sussex reasonable adjustments
- Support recommendations given to your School
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
This letter should be from a registered medical practice, as recently as possible. It needs to identify your diagnosis, working diagnosis or need.
A letter from one of these medical professionals will enable you to access funded disability support, such as 1-1 support, assistive technology and software, and consumable allowances where appropriate.
- Treatment report from a registered medical professional e.g. therapist, Occupational Therapist, physiotherapist
Providing a treatment report from a registered medical professional can be sufficient information for some adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- limited exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
Some treatment reports may be sufficient for us to provide further support and adjustments. However, a treatment report from a registered medical professional on its own won't enable you to access externally funded disability support.
- Results of an online checker or diagnostic screen tool e.g. QuickScan
Providing the results of a diagnostic screening tool can be sufficient information for some adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- limited exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
The results of a diagnostic screening tool on its own won't enable you to access externally funded disability support.
- Patient summary of interactions from your GP
Providing a patient summary can be sufficient information for some adjustments, enabling us to recommend:
- limited exam arrangements
- penalty waivers
- the option to apply for extended deadlines where necessary
- permission to record taught sessions
- additional support for accessing the Library.
A patient summary on its own won't enable you to access externally funded disability support.
- Another type of supporting information
Another type of supporting information can be sufficient for some adjustments.
We will consider any information that is linked to your currently presenting needs, for example:
- historic referral documents
- prescription summaries
- discharge letters
- counselling confirmation
- reference letters from other professionals.
Another type of supporting information on its own won't enable you to access externally funded disability support.
How to send us your supporting information
Use the Tell us More form to send us a copy of your supporting information and give us consent to use it.
Please complete this form even if you're not sure whether your supporting information will be sufficient to access increased support and adjustments.