Disability support in the Russell group

Hello!
I'm a current first year at the LSE, and have had such a great experience with the disability team (which I didn't expect tbh!!). I'd say that it's worth trying to get in contact with someone from the disability team at the unis that you are considering, as support does vary a lot across different institutions and courses.
In terms of support that I received (with physical disabilities and neurodivergence), I got loads - recorded lectures, no penalty for not attending class (as much as possible), all class/seminar/lecture notes in advance, access to rest rooms on campus, deadline extensions, a locker in the library, and exam adjustments. Basically, I got everything I thought I would need and more.
I would also really recommend applying to DSA well in advance of starting uni - I left it until Christmas of this year and was very annoyed at myself as I realised how much better I found uni after recieving this support.
Hope this helps!

What is your experience like with disability support at any Russell group universities? Any would be a help, I'm trying to decide where to go. I've got both a couple of physical disabilities and am neurodivergent?

Hello!
Lancaster is not a Russell group university but I’ve had a brilliant experience with the disability team and lecturers in general as a deaf student! Before I arrived I had a teams call with the team to discuss my needs and any concerns I had. This was then implemented into my Independent Learning Support Plan (ILSP) which is sent to the convenor of every module. At the start of modules lecturers would then approach me letting me know the details of the module and if there were any aspects that needed adjusting. I do Earth and Environmental Science so there are many labs and field trips. As well during exams I had the option to do them in a smaller room and sit at the front so I could hear instructions.
Overall I’ve found the whole experience to be very helpful!
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any more questions,
Lucy (Lancaster University Student Ambassador)

Thank you! I'll certainly look into Lancaster then

In my experience: Exeter was awful, UCL not terrible overall (maybe department specific in some cases? My dept has been fairly good).

Hi @Chronically-in
Just wanted to quickly jump in with my own experience. I have an ILSP for my anxiety, which in my first year allowed me to get extensions on coursework and some additional support with presentations etc. if I required it. However, at the end of first year I realised my exam anxiety was becoming debilitating, so with very little notice I reached out to the Disabilities Team and they immediately arranged for me to get extra time and individual room for all my exams which has helped so much. I hadn't requested this initially because I assumed I'd get "better" for my university exams - despite having terrible exam anxiety as long as I can remember. I have had a great experience as well, and I have never felt like I was a burden or treated as "lesser" than anyone else when I asked for this additional support.
Rebecca (Lancaster Student Ambassador)

Thanks for your reply! I'm certainly going to follow your advice. How did you find applying to DSA?

Applying for DSA was really easy for me to be honest - the actual applications and meetings themselves were lovely (not trying to see if you deserve it, but how they can help in the assessments). The only annoying thing is how long in between each stage (application-assessment-government signing off- receiving support) was, which is why I’d say get the application in ASAP!

What is your experience like with disability support at any Russell group universities? Any would be a help, I'm trying to decide where to go. I've got both a couple of physical disabilities and am neurodivergent?