There is a mandatory question in the UCAS application:
Every year, over 60,000 students with a physical and/or mental health condition, long-term illness, or learning difference apply through UCAS to study at a university or college in the UK, and access a range of support available to help with their studies, day-to-day activities, travel, or lifestyle.
Would you consider yourself as living with any of the following:
- A learning difference (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, or AD(H)D)
- A visual impairment uncorrected by glasses (e.g. blindness or partial sight)
- A hearing impairment (e.g. D/deafness or partial hearing)
- A physical impairment or challenges with mobility (e.g. climbing stairs or uneven surfaces), or dexterity (e.g. using a keyboard or laboratory equipment)
- A mental health condition, challenge or disorder (e.g. anxiety or depression)
- A social, behavioural or communication impairment (e.g. an autistic spectrum condition, Tourette’s Syndrome or speech and language difficulties, including stammering)
- A long-term illness or health condition which may involve pain or cause fatigue, loss of concentration or breathing difficulties – including any effects from taking associated medication.
- A condition or impairment not listed above (please give details in the box below)
- Two or more impairments or conditions (please give details in the box below)
- None
After this, there is a free text box where you can give some more information – you don't need to give lots of detail here.
This information will be shared with those arranging support (e.g. the student support team, disability adviser, admissions staff). They may get in touch to discuss the support you need or to send you more information.
Read our FAQs page for more help about sharing a disability or mental health condition in the UCAS application.
If you decide not to share this information, that’s fine – it’s entirely your decision. If you change your mind, you can tell the university or college directly at any time but we recommend doing this sooner rather than later so there are no delays to getting the support ready.
Read Disability Rights UK’s factsheet, Telling people you are disabled.
How is this information used?
Once you have accepted an offer, we recommend getting in touch with the university or college to discuss and confirm the arrangements for your arrival.
It’s important to note that you are in full control of your support, and if you decide you don’t need it, you don’t have to use it. But it’s a good idea to have it ready in case your circumstances change, or you change your mind later on.
This is what typically happens after you submit your application:
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Admissions staff assess the application based only on the applicant's academic aptitude and potential to succeed on the course
Information about an applicant’s health is kept confidential and only accessible to those who are responsible for organising support – it's not used to make an academic judgement. -
Before starting the course, the student support team will discuss the distribution of any support document with the student
This will be securely shared on a strict 'need to know' basis. This may include academic staff, the personal tutor, the accommodation team, library staff, and exams officers, as appropriate.
If you decide not to share through UCAS
It's entirely your decision whether you share this information.
If you change your mind, there will be other opportunities to share throughout the admissions and induction process – and at any time during your course, but remember there may be delays in arranging adjustments or other support, so we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.
If you would rather wait until you have received an offer, you need to contact the university or college directly – you can find the contact details of the disability adviser or support team on the university website.
Sharing other circumstances and support needs
Universities and colleges have a wide range of support in place to help students from diverse backgrounds and experiences to reach their full potential, so think carefully about your own circumstances and if you might benefit from additional help. For example, you may have caring or parenting responsibilities you’ll need to manage alongside your studies, or perhaps you have spent time in care and would like to know how you can access additional help.
You can also share different circumstances on your UCAS application in the ‘More about you’ section. Again, this allows universities and colleges to connect you to the right support and information.
UCAS reference
The reference has a section called ‘extenuating circumstances’ which is where your referee can outline any circumstances that have affected your performance or grades. There are all sorts of extenuating circumstances, but if your disability has had an impact on your education, make sure your referee knows if you are happy for them to mention it. For example, if you missed schooling or exams as a result of illness, injury or hospital treatment.
They do not have to include anything in this section, so if you would prefer they didn’t mention your disability, they don’t have to.
Your personal statement
If you want to talk about a disability or mental health condition in your personal statement, you can – but this is entirely your decision, and you do not have to .
Some students feel this is an important part of their lifestyle and identity and like to talk about the positive ways their experiences have helped them develop particular skills, or shaped their career or subject choices.