Who we are
If you have a disability or condition that affects your studies, our Disability Learning Support (DLS) Team offer confidential support to help you make the most of your studies.
We have a team of Disability Advisers who are available to help you, as well as Disability Tutors at each campus who can answer questions related to your course. Each library also has a Disability Support Representative.
Our contact details can be found at the bottom of this page.
How we can help
Who do we help?
If you have a long-term health condition, specific learning difficulty or disability, we can support you.
The term 'disability' covers a range of conditions, including:
- dyslexia
- mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety
- visual impairments
- autism spectrum conditions
- long-term medical conditions, such as epilepsy or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
If you have a temporary condition (eg you've broken a limb or have an injury), you will not be able to register with us, we recommend contacting an advisor for instructions. For details, check the Individual exam arrangements page.
If you've missed an assessment or submitted coursework late because of serious, unforeseen circumstances that were outside your control, you can submit a mitigating circumstances claim.
For further support with mitigating circumstances please contact the Student Centre who can book you an appointment with registry where needed.
Register for support
The Disability Learning Support service offers advice and support before you start your studies and at any stage of your student journey. We encourage you to reach out to us as soon as you can so we can support you.
We understand that navigating disability support can be challenging, and we want to make the process as straightforward as possible.
To access reasonable adjustments, you must first register with the Disability Learning Support team and then book an appointment with a Disability Adviser via Engage. Students who do not have evidence can still access support, but baseline reasonable adjustments can only be provided prior to the appointment if appropriate evidence is submitted; otherwise, all adjustments will be discussed and agreed at the appointment.
Please note that we cannot implement reasonable adjustments if you decline consent to share relevant information during registration. You will be asked to confirm your consent again before your appointment if you are requesting reasonable adjustments. Your Disability Adviser cannot put in place any adjustments until this has been agreed.
To access reasonable adjustments, you must register with the Disability Learning Support team and book an appointment with a Disability Adviser via Engage before any adjustments can be put in place. This is to ensure we understand your individual needs and can support you appropriately.
You do not need to provide evidence in order to register or receive support. However, if you do have appropriate evidence, you will be provided with baseline reasonable adjustments before your appointment. These can then be reviewed and personalised when you meet with a Disability Adviser, if needed. You can register with Disability Learning Support and book your appointment using the links below.
Our no-evidence policy
You do not need to provide evidence in order to access support. However, you must book an appointment with a Disability Adviser to establish what support is appropriate. No reasonable adjustments can be put in place prior to the meeting.
Please note that some students may be encouraged to complete an online screener or attend a screening appointment to tailor support.
Supporting documentation/evidence
We encourage you to share documentation or evidence that may support your registration and help us better understand your needs. If you have records, letters, or reports from healthcare professionals in relation to your condition, please include them, as we can then provide tailored support and reasonable adjustments. However, these are not necessarily required in order to access baseline support.
Please see a list of acceptable supporting documentation/evidence below:
If you've received an offer of a place or have already enrolled with us, you can pre-register now.
If you've applied but have not yet received an offer, contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.
What we offer
The Disability Learning Support service provides tailored guidance and practical support to help you access your studies. We work with students with long-term health conditions, physical disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions (ASC), mental health difficulties, and Specific Learning Differences (SpLDs).
Our support includes:
Reasonable adjustments
We advise on and put in place reasonable adjustments based on your individual needs, ensuring you have equitable access to your course and assessments.
Support with Student Finance England (SFE) Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
We can guide you through the DSA process, including eligibility, applications, and what to expect. We can also help interpret your DSA report and ensure you understand how to access the support and equipment recommended.
Guidance on evidence and screening
We can discuss what evidence is helpful and, where appropriate, guide you through our screening process for SpLDs, ADHD, or other learning-related needs. Some students may be invited to complete an online screener or attend an in-person screening appointment to help us understand the most appropriate support.
Internal referrals to support services
While we can offer initial guidance for students with mental health difficulties, we do not provide long-term mental health support. Where appropriate, we will refer you to dedicated services such as the Mental Health team, Counselling. As well as signposting to other services such as Student Funding or the Students’ Union Advice team.
Support throughout your studies
Whether you are preparing to join us, currently studying, or returning from an interruption, we can offer guidance to help you manage your learning.
Register online now
To apply online, simply log in with your University username and password and click on the Disability Support Tab at the top right. Then just follow the instructions.
Come and speak to us
We're happy to meet you online via Microsoft Teams, via phone, or in person, as you prefer.
To visit us, contact us using the details below or log in with your university username and password to book an appointment.
If your appointment is remote, please ensure you are in a private and confidential space; otherwise, the meeting may not be able to go ahead.
Please note: Our phone line is currently down and we are unable to take calls at this time. Apologies for the inconvenience
Types of support
We aim to make the University an accessible and welcoming place for all of our students, and offer a variety of support to those with disabilities. There is also financial support available to students with disabilities.
Access to buildings
Together with DisabledGo, we've created a set of access guides for our buildings.
If you'll be driving to our central London campuses and are a Blue Badge Holder, we recommend you apply for the City of Westminster's White Badge scheme, which provides additional parking benefits, as the borough is not part of the national Blue Badge scheme.
Access to technology
We have some assistive technology networked across the University. For more information or for advice on digital accessibility, please see our Libguides.
Access and support in the library
Please see our Library Disability Support Guide for disabled students.
Assessment support
We offer support in in-class tests and exams. This includes extra exam time, rest breaks and sitting assessments with smaller groups of students.
Feedback
We are always happy to receive feedback and use this to improve our service.
For general feedback on Disability Learning Support, please chat with our Student Centre Team, or raise an enquiry on Compass.
You can provide anonymous feedback on Specialist Mentoring sessions that you receive by using our review form.
DSA needs assessment
If your application for the DSA (Disabled Students' Allowance) was successful and you now wish to book your needs assessment, visit our DSA assessments page for details on next steps.
For more details on the DSA and how to apply, visit the Gov.uk website.
Student testimonial
For my entire life, I knew there was something that really interrupted my studies, as it was always taking me three times more to learn than my peers. Eventually being diagnosed with ADHD (ADD) I learned where the problem was but I wasn't willing to share it with anyone.
The minute I have started to share it at the University of Westminster I have received a lot of support from other students and University staff. I felt very welcomed and understood and that helped me to grow to a major extent throughout my studies.
Obviously, it was challenging to show my vulnerability but the more I spoke about it the more I understood myself and knew that I wasn't alone.
Speak up now! They're not your enemies, they're here to help. And if not now, then when?
Jagoda, final year student of International Business and Chinese BA Honours
Workshops and events
The Disability Learning Support team runs workshops and events throughout the year.
To find out about these activities, keep an eye on the events listing on the Student Hub homepage, chat with our Student Centre Team, or raise an enquiry on Compass.
Confidentiality
We appreciate the information you may share with us is personal and sensitive.
Information about your disability support needs will only be shared outside our team with key members of staff directly involved in implementing your support.
The information you provide will never be shared with other students. It will also not be on your university transcript or academic references.
For more details, please read our Disability Learning Support consent and disclosure statement below.
Related pages
Contact us
Call our dedicated team on:
+44 (0)203 506 8800
(we’re open from 9.30am until 4.30pm)
Students can contact us via the Student Centre by raising an enquiry, applicants, staff members and external organisations please email [email protected].
See our full contact details.