UCAS - autism and other mental health disclosures: risk of rejection?

I don't think that unis can reject you based on your disability as that would go against the equality act unless i'm wrong here.
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/education/resolving-differences/disability-discrimination-in-further-and-higher-ed
If the Uni is doing that then they are in the wrong I think but @04MR17, @Admit-One.

I would personally disclose it, that's what I did I think. Much better as that means you can get the right support at uni.

from the gov website https://www.gov.uk/rights-disabled-person/education-rights:

It’s against the law for a school or other education provider to treat disabled students unfavourably. This includes:

direct discrimination, for example refusing admission to a student or excluding them because of disability

indirect discrimination, for example only providing application forms in one format that may not be accessible
discrimination arising from a disability, for example a disabled pupil is prevented from going outside at break time because it takes too long to get there

harassment, for example a teacher shouts at a disabled student for not paying attention when the student’s disability stops them from easily concentrating

victimisation, for example suspending a disabled student because they’ve complained about harassment

Thank you, @Talktive Toad, much appreciated, I'll have a look at the links you've kindly shared.

I 100% agree that it is illegal to discriminate against anyone with a disability. The dilemma we have is that if someone doesn't get an offer for a course where the number of applications largely exceeds the number of places available, it would be impossible to prove that a potential rejection would be due to discrimination (and it may not be, be we would never know). This is why we're wondering whether we should disclose the autism diagnosis at this stage, or only once the place has been offered and later confirmed.

I can't give proper advice on that so i've tagged other people but I personally disclosed it and had no issues. I guess you could disclose on the uni websites if that's possible (know that I can do that). If unis are genuinely rejecting applicants based on their disability then a part of me would think, was is it worth me (someone in general) being there, if the ASD won't be taken seriously? I

I find it difficult to believe the official 'party line' that universities do not discriminate against people with additional needs. UCAS blog says the offers are based purely on the academic performance, but with competitive courses, such as Economics and Politics or PPE, when a university has to make a choice between two students with identical sets of grades, how likely is it that a person diagnosed with a condition requiring extra support will be offered a place? If they get rejected, it will be 'due to the competitive nature of the course' and totally impossible to prove otherwise...

That is a very good point, really reassuring; thank you for that!

Hello,
I'd love to hear from people who disclosed autism or other mental health issues in their UCAS applications and were offered a place regardless.

My son has been diagnosed with autism. His school is very supportive, they said they would mention his difficulties in their reference that goes on the UCAS form, but I'm not sure whether we should disclose the autism diagnosis at all, in case it may cost my son an offer of a place.

I've read the UCAS blog on mental health disclosures and understand that it enables universities to provide students with the right support once they are at university; however, there is a big 'IF' of getting an offer in the first place. Providing support costs money, so what incentives do universities have to offer places to students with autism or other mental health issues?

My son's predicted grades are A*AA, but he does get extra time in exams; as far as I can see, autism does not qualify for contextual offers, so is there any point in disclosing the diagnosis in the UCAS application? Would it be better not to say anything now and only let the university know once a place has been officially confirmed after the results day?

I find it difficult to believe the official 'party line' that universities do not discriminate against people with additional needs. UCAS blog says the offers are based purely on the academic performance, but with competitive courses, such as Economics and Politics or PPE, when a university has to make a choice between two students with identical sets of grades, how likely is it that a person diagnosed with a condition requiring extra support will be offered a place? If they get rejected, it will be 'due to the competitive nature of the course' and totally impossible to prove otherwise...

I'm sorry if I sound cynical, but I'm desperate for someone to prove me wrong, please. I don't know how to best deal with the UCAS application so that my son does not end up without any offers. Should he disclose his diagnosis at this stage or not?

Many thanks in advance.

Hello,
I'd love to hear from people who disclosed autism or other mental health issues in their UCAS applications and were offered a place regardless.

My son has been diagnosed with autism. His school is very supportive, they said they would mention his difficulties in their reference that goes on the UCAS form, but I'm not sure whether we should disclose the autism diagnosis at all, in case it may cost my son an offer of a place.

I've read the UCAS blog on mental health disclosures and understand that it enables universities to provide students with the right support once they are at university; however, there is a big 'IF' of getting an offer in the first place. Providing support costs money, so what incentives do universities have to offer places to students with autism or other mental health issues?

My son's predicted grades are A*AA, but he does get extra time in exams; as far as I can see, autism does not qualify for contextual offers, so is there any point in disclosing the diagnosis in the UCAS application? Would it be better not to say anything now and only let the university know once a place has been officially confirmed after the results day?

I find it difficult to believe the official 'party line' that universities do not discriminate against people with additional needs. UCAS blog says the offers are based purely on the academic performance, but with competitive courses, such as Economics and Politics or PPE, when a university has to make a choice between two students with identical sets of grades, how likely is it that a person diagnosed with a condition requiring extra support will be offered a place? If they get rejected, it will be 'due to the competitive nature of the course' and totally impossible to prove otherwise...

I'm sorry if I sound cynical, but I'm desperate for someone to prove me wrong, please. I don't know how to best deal with the UCAS application so that my son does not end up without any offers. Should he disclose his diagnosis at this stage or not?

Many thanks in advance.

This does sound a bit like you're a conspiracy theorist, and highly distrustful of others. Why is it so difficult to believe that universities don't discriminate against those which special needs? It isn't some 'party line' (to use your words): it's what actually happens.

Universities are solely interested in recruiting the brightest students for their courses - those who will succeed academically. There isn't any more to it than that. If they get rejected, then it will be because there were stronger students in the cohort. This is all quite apart from the fact that disability (as you have described it here) is a protected characteristic and it would illegal to discriminate on this basis - but I get the feeling from your OP that you think 'they're all at it' regardless of this - there's not much I can do about that.

As for whether to disclose before or after, I don't think it much matters. The important thing would be that he discloses it as soon as possible when he is studying, so the correct support can be put in place. The worst thing to do would be not to disclose it, have some academic issue and then it all comes tumbling out: as I have had with too many students in the past.

All I can say is that I have worked on university exams and there were a number of students who sat exams on their own separate from others due to disabilities and some of those would have been due to autism or other mental illnesses. An autistic relative has just qualified with a degree.

As far as being rejected due to a disability most courses in nearly all universities dont get filled during the initial application phase. Universities make several times the number of offers they have places knowing students wont reach grades or will end up going to one of their other 4 choices. It is highly unlikely universities would reject students with disabilities even if it wasnt illegal.

No time for a longer response, but I can confirm that disclosing a disability won't have any effect on an application outcome. Because a) The UCAS declaration doesn't get seen by the admissions team and b) the reference won't often get looked at in much detail, (because they're mostly generic copy & paste jobs - sorry referees!).

And just to dispel the myth of "deciding between one applicant and another". That doesn't happen during the main application cycle, (pre Jan 25th). Academic and other criteria (such as PS scoring) are set before the course opens. Everyone who meets them pre-deadline gets an offer. Admissions tutors aren't setting one candidate against another. They may only have to do that after the Jan 26th deadline OR on results day, (and a disability certainly isn't going to play a factor then either).

(thanks for the tag @Talkative Toad)

I live with multiple disabilities (none of my conditions are mental, though). My philosophy is that any institution who would be willing to discriminate against me is not an institution I want to be involved with. Declaring my conditions on UCAS meant that 5x university support services were getting in touch with me to arrange any additional requirements for (a) interviews, (b) studying at the uni.

I totally understand wanting to protect your son from an unfortunate situation, with his predicted grades I highly doubt that would end up happening AND this is the time in his life where you need to be letting him swim on his own.

Thank you @Admit-One. I didn't realise admission teams don't get to see the UCAS declarations, that's good to know.
I'm a bit unsure what you mean by saying that "Everyone who meets them pre-deadline gets an offer" - is that for all applications submitted before the January deadline and are you referring to the predicted grades or the actual results? The reason I'm asking is that my eldest who is in his final year at university, submitted his application in early December, his predicted grades were either equal to or above the entry requirements for all of his five options, but he only had two offers.

Thank you, @04MR17, your reply has made me smile! Your philosophy makes perfect sense; Talkative Toad said something similar. I need to stop overthinking. NB. my son keeps reminding me on a regular basis that he is nearly an adult... It's hard to let go sometimes, but it may be me subconsciously refusing to admit I'm getting old!

The reality is that for most courses at most universities nearly all applicants will get offers. Those who dont might not have taken the subjects needed eg Maths for Economics or dont meet a GCSE requirement. There are a very small group of universities especially Oxbridge or top London ones who are often oversubscribed who reject loads of students. As an example Imperial makes offers to 1 in 20 for CS. Similarly things like Medicine and Dentistry have high rejection rates. There has been particular problems over the last couple of years due to grade inflation because of Cags. As an example 23% received the A* grade instead of 8% in 2019 but this should now be rectified and normal service should be resumed with over 80% in most courses being made offers.

He will apply for DSA which wll fund any adjustments or software needs. Additional time will continue at uni and often they can sit exams in a smaller room. A relative of mine works as student support taking notes etc for students [she has a degree so she can give subject specific support] and sometimes scribing in exams.

That is really helpful, thank you, @Muttley79.

When he applies for DSA nd it's approved he will have a 'needs assessment' when they will discuss the support he may need.

https://www.contact-associates.co.uk/faqs/