Do you have to lawfully declare dyslexia on UCAS application?

If you have dyslexia, do you HAVE to declare it on your ucas form? What would happen if you don't, then get accepted at a uni then declared it when applying for DSA? I'm not convinced when they make out they don't discriminate people. If they had a choice between 2 people, 1 with dyslexia and another without, they will of course pick the person without...even though they will not explicitly say this!

Many thanks in advance

Reply 1

balotelli12

9

No you don't.
Your fears are nonsense.

Reply 2

River85

17

Original post by ABJ01

If you have dyslexia, do you HAVE to declare it on your ucas form? What would happen if you don't, then get accepted at a uni then declared it when applying for DSA? I'm not convinced when they make out they don't discriminate people. If they had a choice between 2 people, 1 with dyslexia and another without, they will of course pick the person without...even though they will not explicitly say this!

Short answer, no you aren't. You can declare it at any point (or not at all) in most cases). The only time a disability or medical condition needs to be disclosed is for courses when an occupational health check is required.

If what you say were the case, and universities were aware the applicant had dyslexia, then how do you explain the fact that we do have people studying in universities with dyslexia who undoubtedly got their offer ahead of people who didn't declare a disability?

It's very unlikely they'd be likely to discriminate knowing that there are many students successfully studying at their university, and knowing the support offered. Also that dyslexia, along with many other things, is a spectrum condition.

The academic process is the same as it is for any student without a disability. It will not form any part of the decision. It is only used for statistical purposes and then to trigger support from the Disability Service and Student finance once/if a decision is given.

Besides, even when declaring a disability on the UCAS form you don't specifically mention dyslexia specifically but select "specific learning difficulty" iirc.

However, it's still your choice. As mentioned, you can chose to disclose your dyslexia (or any other disability or medical condition) at any time including once an offer is made, your first year at university, or even your final year. But it's in your best interests to disclose and get support as soon as possible.

Reply 3

cambio wechsel

20

Perhaps controversial to say but my loose suspicion is that if it affects your application at all, that effect is more likely to be beneficial than not. Lecturers are typically anxious to demonstrate their liberal sensibilities, and individuals and institutions are terrified of being called discriminatory.

Reply 4

simplylldxo

14

Nope as it won't affect your application as it would mean the university is discriminating but It's best that you inform your chosen university so they can put in a support plan for you!

Reply 5

Phizacklea

I think it is helpful to put that you are dyslexic on your application form. It is useful to be open about your dyslexia as then you can ask for help from the university or from your tutors. It also helps if the university has a truthful, representative idea of the number of dyslexic students they have. I'm sure there are more far more dyslexic students than they think due to people not wanting to disclose it and people who don't have a clinical diagnosis. The only time I'd advice against it is for people studying law, medicine and teaching. Those areas are still very discriminatory, so might want to do more research to find out if you want to be openly dyslexic. You can apply and receive help from the Disabled Students Allowance without having to inform your lectures if you feel you need to.

Reply 6

River85

17

Original post by Phizacklea

I think it is helpful to put that you are dyslexic on your application form. It is useful to be open about your dyslexia as then you can ask for help from the university or from your tutors. It also helps if the university has a truthful, representative idea of the number of dyslexic students they have. I'm sure there are more far more dyslexic students than they think due to people not wanting to disclose it and people who don't have a clinical diagnosis. The only time I'd advice against it is for people studying law, medicine and teaching. Those areas are still very discriminatory, so might want to do more research to find out if you want to be openly dyslexic. You can apply and receive help from the Disabled Students Allowance without having to inform your lectures if you feel you need to.

This is poor advice.

I see no evidence that law, medical and education departments/schools are more "discriminatory" than others, particularly not unjustifiably discriminatory anyway. If by "discriminatory" you mean they may have concerns about fitness to practice then for medicine and teaching (as well as some other vocational courses such as nursing, occupational therapy and social work) an occupational health check may be required. It is imperative that the student be honest and declare all medical conditions and disabilities (including learning difficulties) that they feel are relevant.

Reply 7

balotelli12

9

Original post by Phizacklea

I think it is helpful to put that you are dyslexic on your application form. It is useful to be open about your dyslexia as then you can ask for help from the university or from your tutors. It also helps if the university has a truthful, representative idea of the number of dyslexic students they have. I'm sure there are more far more dyslexic students than they think due to people not wanting to disclose it and people who don't have a clinical diagnosis. The only time I'd advice against it is for people studying law, medicine and teaching. Those areas are still very discriminatory, so might want to do more research to find out if you want to be openly dyslexic. You can apply and receive help from the Disabled Students Allowance without having to inform your lectures if you feel you need to.

Utter gibberish!

Reply 8

simplylldxo

14

Original post by balotelli12

Utter gibberish!

How is it gibberish? If you don't tell the university you have dyslexia, they can't help by putting together a support plan or help you apply for Disabled Support Allowance! My university have helped me a lot with my dyslexia.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reply 9

Phizacklea

River, I was indeed referring to fitness to practice tests. As River said some professional bodies require an occupational health check. Some lectures and colleges may mistakenly think that these rules mean that disabled people are screened out of their profession. Personally, I feel these kinds of fitness tests can support disabled people (including dyslexia) because they leave no doubt about their abilities.

My degree does not lead to a professional qualification, and I don't know much about it, and that is why I was advising anyone looking for a professional qualification to do more research. It is mandatory to disclose disabilities to professional bodies, but lectures are not professional bodies and therefore don't need to know about your dyslexia unless you want them too.

I disclosed my dyslexia on my application form because I wanted my university to have clear statistics on the number of dyslexic students they have. I advise others to do the same.

Here is a website that talks about dyslexic teachers, their advantages and disadvantages: http://thedta.tripod.com/id12.html

The kind of discriminatory thinking I am trying to describe is summed up here: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/aug/03/equality.highereducation

Reply 10

MarkH-55

I'm dyslexic and did a Primary PGCE 9 years ago. I didn't declare this on my form and later heard the course leader declare that he never let dyslexic students on the course.

Reply 11

NJones

6

Thankfully we have laws now that stop idiots like him behaving in discriminatory ways.

Reply 12

uberteknik

21

Original post by MarkH-55

I'm dyslexic and did a Primary PGCE 9 years ago. I didn't declare this on my form and later heard the course leader declare that he never let dyslexic students on the course.

Did you report him? There are easy ways of checking discrepancies through comparing dyslexic intake statistics between institutions and between courses at the same institution.

Reply 13

Tiger Rag

22

Isn't the disability question on UCAS purely a stats thing?

Reply 14

chasingraindrops

I am very interested in these posts. My son is hoping to study physiotherapy at university Sept'16. We have been disappointed to see that it is so oversubscribed everywhere (led to believe it is the 2nd most over subscribed course after veterinary science), with most offers AAB/ABB and very competitive for places. I suspect some of this is the NHS funding for course fees. Son is dyslexic and I am very dubious about him declaring it, the wording on one of the university websites is as follows;

If you have, or think you have dyslexia or a long term health condition or impairment that may have the potential to impact upon your studies and/or your Fitness to Practice duty, you are encouraged to disclose this information on your UCAS application/ UCAS forms.

... impact on your studies - of course it will, but he works hard and smart to get round it.
And with over 800 applicants at Nottingham for 40 places they can pick and choose.

Reply 15

chasingraindrops

I am very interested in these posts. My son is hoping to study physiotherapy at university Sept'16. We have been disappointed to see that it is so oversubscribed everywhere (led to believe it is the 2nd most over subscribed course after veterinary science), with most offers AAB/ABB and very competitive for places. I suspect some of this is the NHS funding for course fees. Son is dyslexic and I am very dubious about him declaring it, the wording on one of the university websites is as follows;

If you have, or think you have dyslexia or a long term health condition or impairment that may have the potential to impact upon your studies and/or your Fitness to Practice duty, you are encouraged to disclose this information on your UCAS application/ UCAS forms.

... impact on your studies - of course it will, but he works hard and smart to get round it.
And with over 800 applicants at Nottingham for 40 places they can pick and choose.

Reply 16

claireestelle

22

Original post by chasingraindrops

I am very interested in these posts. My son is hoping to study physiotherapy at university Sept'16. We have been disappointed to see that it is so oversubscribed everywhere (led to believe it is the 2nd most over subscribed course after veterinary science), with most offers AAB/ABB and very competitive for places. I suspect some of this is the NHS funding for course fees. Son is dyslexic and I am very dubious about him declaring it, the wording on one of the university websites is as follows;

If you have, or think you have dyslexia or a long term health condition or impairment that may have the potential to impact upon your studies and/or your Fitness to Practice duty, you are encouraged to disclose this information on your UCAS application/ UCAS forms.

... impact on your studies - of course it will, but he works hard and smart to get round it.
And with over 800 applicants at Nottingham for 40 places they can pick and choose.

Hi, i am a dyslexic and dyspraxic and about to be a student nurse( an nhs course so similar fitness to practice and occupational health) and declaring dyslexia on your ucas is a good idea as firstly they cant discriminate, secondly it allows you to have adjustments in interview and once you have an offer it helps student support get the ball rolling. You have to be seriously unwell yourself or a real danger to patients , having any diagnosis doesnt exempt you, there is a deaf person whose going to be in my cohort for instance, to be declared unfit for practice, one lecturer i had last was a servely dyslexic qualified physiotherapist so it wont stop your son if he doesnt let it, i also know a dyslexic who has a place on physiotherapy for september.

Disclosure is a personal choice but from speaking to dyslexic health professionals myself and doing an extensive amounts of research, most people have a positive experience, and at the end of the day higher education is worlds better in dyslexia support (from my experience) to that of school education. But they use the word encourage so that they can provide reasonable adjustments, i ve never heard of anyone be signed off as unfit for practice for dyslexia.

Also the nhs bursaries themselves offers a disability support grant which i would encourage your son to look into, so i ve been given equipment, such a voice recognition and a study skills support tutor for september ( heres, a guide to it http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Students/Documents/Students/DSA1_v4.2_Application_and_Guidance_for_Disabled_Students_Allowance.pdf )
I really hoped this has allayed (not sure how to spell that) any worries you have for you son. Feel free to send me a message if i can be of any more help.

Reply 17

claireestelle

22

in fact here is an article on my university lecturer who is a qualified physio, who is completely unable to read or retain anyones names without difficulty.
http://www.csp.org.uk/frontline/article/severe-dyslexia-no-barrier
this is also a good read
http://www.csp.org.uk/frontline/article/dyslexia-one-ten-condition
which describes the benefits of disclosure.

Reply 18

chasingraindrops

Thank you so much, this is really helpful. I will follow the link and read the article.
Good luck on your course and if you don't mind I might be in touch again!

Reply 19

chasingraindrops

Claireesteele - do you mind me asking which university your lecturer is from, just wondering if it is one my son is thinking of applying to. I understand if you think that would be appropriate, I'm not sure of the protocol!

Do you have to lawfully declare dyslexia on UCAS application?

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