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Supporting your studies 

As a disabled student you may be entitled to adjustments to help you with your studies. 

Exams and assessment 

If you are registered with the Disability Service, you may be entitled to adjustments in exams and other assessments.

Any adjustments that you may need will  be identified and agreed with your Disability Adviser.

Adjustments can include:

  • extra time in exams
  • use of computers with appropriate software
  • use of a scribe (someone to write the exam for you while you dictate)
  • taking exams in a separate room so that you can get up and move around if you are in pain or need to rest in between questions

Sometimes, alternative forms of assessment can also be arranged. It is very important that you contact us to discuss your exam needs as early as possible on your course. 

  • the University of Bradford has a policy of making reasonable adjustments for disabled students, by focusing on the learning and teaching
  • the University of Bradford does not operate a two-tiered marking system
  • all students' assessed work is marked anonymously and markers are not asked to take dyslexia or disability into account at the marking stage

Please note: Sharing information about disability on your application form will not automatically trigger exam adjustments or arrangements. You must contact the Disability Service to arrange these.

Learning and teaching 

If the way teaching staff deliver lectures or provide teaching materials makes it difficult for you to follow or understand, it is important that we are able to let them know so that they can make adjustments.

Any adjustments that you may need will be identified and agreed with your Disability Adviser and with consent, details of the adjustments will be passed on to an appropriate member of staff in your Faculty. 

Adjustments can include:

  • copies of presentations or overheads
  • outlines of lecture notes before the lecture
  • sensitive feedback on written work
  • allowing you to have a notetaker in lectures
  • allowing you to record lectures
  • lecture notes in accessible formats (e.g. large print, electronic)
  • making adjustments to delivery methods to accommodate different needs

We make it clear that information that is passed to the faculties is confidential and should not be circulated any more widely than is necessary to make staff aware of adjustments.

Support Worker 

One of the adjustments that you may need will be a support worker. Support Workers can help with a range of study related tasks. For example taking notes for you in lectures, helping you develop your study skills, writing your exams for you while you dictate etc.

Some of the support workers are employed by The University of Bradford, others are externally sourced from a range of specialist providers. 

Do:

  • ask for help with registering for support workers
  • keep all support worker contact numbers safe
  • keep in contact with your support worker about meeting times and places
  • respect their time and their need for breaks
  • let your support worker know in good time if you are not attending
  • discuss with your support worker what you need
  • be available to sign your support workers' timesheets

Avoid:

  • allowing support workers to use your library card or login details
  • asking the support worker to do anything that is outside of their job description
  • signing a support worker's timesheet for any work they have not done
  • struggling if your support is not working out: contact your Disability Adviser for help

Placement Support 

Many programmes of study at the University of Bradford include work-based placements. If you are a disabled student and you think that you will need some support or adjustments on your placement you need to talk to your Disability Adviser.

The Disability Service will liaise with you and the staff in your faculty and advise them about adjustments or access on placement.

Staff in your faculty, usually your Personal Academic Tutor will draw up a Placement Support Agreement (PSA) with you. This will be sent to your placement provider.

Equipment Loan Service 

The Disability Service has a range of equipment available for short or long term loan. Equipment includes: laptops, recording evices (e.g. digital voice recorder), Deaf Alerter Pagers and Night Cradles.

We can loan equipment to you if you are waiting for your Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) or if you are not eligible for DSA funding.

In order to borrow equipment you must be registered with the Disability Service and get approval from your Disability Adviser. 

Library Support 

We work closely with the library staff to ensure that the services in the library are as accessible and inclusive as possible.

Please refer to the Library website for useful information about library facilities and also about equipment which enables users to maximise their use of the service.

Please note that the Disability Service cannot support claims for library fines to be waived as a matter of course.  If the reason for the fines is disability/health related we will look at each case on an individual basis.

More information for current students