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Inclusion and accessibility are at the heart of what we do. Take a look at the UEA Inclusive Education Policy to see how we embed this into our teaching and our environment.
All teaching materials are made available at least 48 hours before teaching session. This means students can review information in advance of class if needed.
All teaching material is available in electronic format and available in multiple formats.
UEA Library offers an amazing range of accessibility services for our students. These include:
Support with orientating yourself to the Library, both the physical and online space
Help with finding and collecting books
Accessing eBooks
Accessibility tools and software available on Library computers
Adjustable workstations to meet your physical needs.
The Learning Enhancement Team offers workshops, study groups and one-to-one tutorials to help you develop study skills.
The SpLD Team offers students with Specific Learning Differences one to one specialist tuition, free screening service and support from SpLD advisers.
Wellbeing Support via Student Services - There are many ways that the Wellbeing Service can help you, from workshops and group sessions, one-to-one appointments, self-help resources and online support, and help with accessing external support.
Our experienced Mental Health Advisers, Disability Advisers and SpLD Advisers can give you the advice, support and guidance. They can discuss your needs, explore support options and discuss reasonable adjustments..
The UEA Talking Therapies offers One-at-a-Time Therapy (OAAT). This means that you can now access therapeutic support at the point of need rather than having to wait.
Wellbeing Workshops and access to self-help resources
Togetherall is an award-winning digital mental health service that offers UEA students 24/7 peer support with trained clinicians online at all times. The platform also offers a range of evidence-based courses which you can take anytime and at a pace which suits you.
Reasonable Adjustments
By sharing information with Student Services, our Wellbeing Advisers (Mental Health, Disability and SpLD) can establish if you need any Reasonable Adjustments. Reasonable Adjustments are a provision of the Equality Act (2010) and are adaptations or adjustments that are put into place to make sure your course is accessible for your needs. This also includes exam arrangements, known at UEA as Assessment Adjustments.
Reasonable Adjustments are dependent on the impact of your Physical and Mental Health conditions and Learning Differences within the context of your academic studies. However they may include things like:
Feedback Adjustments – students can alert to the marker of the requirement for marking and feedback to be focused on the ‘substantive’ intellectual content of the work (e.g. the ideas and reasoning) and the extent to which it meets assessment criteria, as opposed to an inappropriate/disproportionate emphasis on, for instance, spelling, punctuation or grammar.
Coursework extensions for health- or disability-related reasons
Adaptations for group work and presentations
Additional academic support
Specific support for field trips and placements
Timetable adjustments
Assessment Adjustments
Adjustments for exams:
Extra time in exams
Rest breaks
Use of a computer
Sitting your exam in a room with a smaller number of students or in a separate room
A scribe (or an amanuensis) - a person that will write your exam answers down
A reader - a person that will read your exam questions to you
A prompt - a person that will bring your attention back to the exam
Use of assistive technology, such as a screen reader, or voice-recognition software. (Please note – there are limitations to assessment adjustments for certain exams on professional courses).
Student Services Advisers work with students to establish what adjustments and support are needed to support their specific needs. We may recommend bespoke adjustments that are more relevant to your specific needs or are more relevant in the context of your studies, such as PhD study.
Here is an example of some types of support students may access:
Disabled Students Allowance and other Disability funding
If you’re a UK student, you could apply for the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA). These allowances can provide you with a wide range of support during your time at university – you can find out how to apply and what you might be eligible to receive through Student Finance England.
Students who are Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish can apply for DSA through SAAS, SF Wales or SF NI respectively.
If you’re an Apprenticeship Student, Post Graduate Researcher, EU or International student, please contact us at disability@uea.ac.uk for a preliminary assessment of support needs and advice on funding routes.