Disability and mental health support

Your evidence must:

• Be completed by a relevant professional
• Follow sector standards where appropriate 
• State whether it is temporary, long-term or permanent
• Be up-to-date and (where relevant) provide a prognosis and expected duration of the condition
• State how the disability or impairment affects you
• Indicate what study-related support or adjustments you might require

If you have a Specific Learning Difference, such as Dyslexia or Dyspraxia, please send us a copy of your full diagnostic assessment report from a specialist teacher or psychologist.

If you don’t have a medical letter to confirm your disability, please ask your doctor to complete the Disabled Students' Allowance evidence form and return it to us.

A Support Needs Document (SOSN) is a summary of your diagnosis or impairment and study-related needs. It will:

• Be available on OSIS, our student record system
• Include recommendations for reasonable adjustments tailored to your individual needs and course requirements
• Be shared with relevant members of your faculty, including your course team
• Cover you for the duration of your studies

Find out more about the types of support available.

You are in complete control of what information we share, and who we share it with. We won’t share anything unless and until you have signed the Consent to Share Agreement.

In some circumstances, choosing not to share your disability may limit the adjustments we can make. Our teams will guide and advise you throughout this process.

When we might need to share your information

In rare circumstances we might need to share information to third parties without your express permission. If this happens, we’ll do everything we can to talk to you before taking action, and make sure we only share the most critical information.

This would only happen if:

• There was a serious or imminent risk to your own or others' safety 
• We were compelled to disclose the information by law
• University staff were needed to help manage the situation

If you’re based in the UK and need daily personal care or assistance to live independently, contact the social services team at your local authority to discuss the options available.

It can take up to 12 months to organise a support package, so the earlier you get in touch, the better.

Not based in the UK? Make sure you secure funding for your care before your studies start.

Read more about personal care at Kingston University.

During the Clearing process, we will prioritise students who would be substantially disadvantaged by not living in halls. This could be because of physical access needs, sensory impairments or serious mental health difficulties.

Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee a place, as spaces are limited.

If you can show a disability-related reason for needing to stay in halls of residence after the first year of study, you can apply to stay in halls of residence for the next academic year.

You will need to:

• Be registered with the Disability and Mental Health Service
• Complete an application form
• Submit supporting evidence of your need to remain in halls of residence.

Need advice or guidance on finding the right accommodation for you? Drop us an email at disability@kingston.ac.uk.

Kingston University has four main campuses:

• Penrhyn Road
• Knights Park
• Kingston Hill
• Roehampton Vale

Check out AccessAble to get an overview of University access.

All four campuses have learning resource centres (LRCs), which can:

• Assist with physical access
• Locate and retrieving books and other resources
• Arrange for books to be transferred from other sites
• Negotiate limited extended loan periods
• Telephone renewals
• Inform you when interlibrary loans and reservations have arrived

Our free university bus service runs between the campuses, Kingston town centre and most halls of residence from Monday to Friday. You can get a timetable from any of our main receptions.

Kingston town centre is mainly pedestrianised. The two closest stations are Kingston and Surbiton, and there are plenty of local bus routes too.

If you are a Blue Badge holder and a current student, you can apply for a Blue Badge permit here.

If you need accessible parking to attend University but don’t have a Blue Badge, you can request a Student Temporary KU Accessibility Parking Permit by sending the following details to disability@kingston.ac.uk:

• Full name
• Student ID number
• Car registration
• Campus location

If you might find it difficult to evacuate University buildings without assistance, we will ask you to attend individual evacuation training after you enrol. 

Make sure you review your evacuation arrangements regularly. If you have a specific health issue, please let us know at health@kingston.ac.uk as soon as possible.

By law, universities cannot discriminate against a student or prospective student for a disability-related reason. 

The Disability and Mental Health Service can fund Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia assessments for eligible current students. Get in touch to arrange an assessment.

We can’t support students in getting a medical diagnosis of AD[H]D, but we can provide an educational assessment. This will be enough to get the support you need for your studies, but we recommend speaking to your GP about a medical diagnosis.

We don’t provide screenings or diagnostic assessments for autism spectrum conditions. If you’re concerned, we recommend speaking to your GP about an onward medical referral.