Admissions Conference 2021

In a time when mental health and wellbeing are at the forefront of the minds of many, the number of university applicants declaring pre-existing mental health conditions as part of the application process has been steadily increasing. But do the headline figures tell the whole story?

Our recent research shows a worrying “disclosure gap”, with more than half of applicants with mental health conditions choosing not to include this on their application, despite the risk this has on the level of support offered to them in transitioning to uni. In this session we’ll explore students’ experiences of the support available to them when starting at uni and how COVID has impacted this, as well as looking for trends in the data on those who choose not to disclose.

Learning outcomes:

• Gain insight into knowledge of available support amongst new students.
• Understand patterns of students who may be less likely to declare, or actively seek support for, a mental health condition.