Disability and neurodiversity support

Disability and neurodiversity support at SOAS includes specialist guidance and support for disabled students, including advice on the facilities that are available to you and help to ensure that reasonable adjustments are made to make SOAS accessible. 

We work with students who are disabled and/or have neurodiverse conditions. This includes UG, PG, PGR students, distance learning students and students in the Foundation college. 

The term “disability” is wide. According to the Equality Act (2010), disability can include the following impairments:

• Problems with mobility, seeing or hearing
• Specific Learning Differences (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD)
• Developmental disorders (such as Autistic Spectrum conditions)
• Mental illness or mental health difficulties
• Severe disfigurements
• Unseen, long-term medical conditions such as cancer, HIV/Aids, epilepsy, diabetes
• Progressive conditions even at an early stage, conditions characterised by a number of cumulative effects such as pain or fatigue and a past history of disability

If you aren’t sure if you are covered by this definition but are experiencing difficulties, please contact us by email on disabilities@soas.ac.uk for advice. 

How we can help

Disability and neurodiversity support at SOAS can help you with:

• advice and guidance
• Study Inclusion Plans (SIPS)
• exam arrangements
• access to specialist or assistive software or equipment
• referrals to other specialist teams (e.g. other Advice and Wellbeing and other professional services e.g. Accommodation, library)
• exploring self-help resources, such as apps or websites
• advice on support options if your circumstances and current health make study difficult for you

Our learning advisers also offer one-to-one, personalised support sessions for students with SpLDs. This is non-subject-specific support. The learning advisers are not permitted to proofread but can teach you strategies for proofreading yourself. 

The disability administrators can assist with the application process for the Disabled Students’ Allowance. The administrators offer DSA drop in appointments on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

How to arrange a screening: 

• Please either email disabilities@soas.ac.uk or speak with a member of the DNT to arrange a screening.
• You will have drop in appointment with a Learning Advisor who will explain the process of the screening.
• The online dyslexia screening will take approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Please note: A dyslexia screening does not provide a diagnosis. A full diagnostic assessment is required for diagnosis.

After you have completed the screening, we will inform you of your results. If your results indicate a moderate or high probability of an underlying Specific Learning Difference, we generally recommend that you proceed to a full diagnostic assessment.  

An educational diagnosis of ADHD will not result in medication. It will only result in adjustments and support on your course. If you wish to obtain a medical diagnosis, please speak with your GP.

The Disability and Neurodiversity Team is part of the Student Advice and Wellbeing Department and includes: 

• Disability and Neurodiversity Advisers: Angela Taylor, Ros Platton, Jack Dear and Bernadette John-Charles
• Learning Advisers: Carol John, Hugo Plowden, Rosemary McCracken Briggs and Katherine Smythe
• Disability Administrators: Victoria Morrison and Nancyella Smith
• Disability Co-ordinator: Carol John

We use the feedback we get from students to inform the more strategic parts of our role, e.g. the creation of policy and working with other staff members to make SOAS more accessible.

Whether you are an existing student or applicant, we encourage you to declare any disabilities and contact us in advance to discuss your support requirements. This will enable us to make reasonable adjustments for the duration of your studies.

We take confidentiality seriously and you can come and talk to anyone in the Disability and Neurodiversity Team on a confidential basis. However, in order to make any reasonable adjustments it may be necessary for us to pass on information to relevant areas of the School community (such as your academic department, the accommodation office, registry and the examinations officer) or other agencies such as support providers and funding bodies.

This would never be done lightly; we would only reveal the minimum information which that person needs to know and disclosure would only be used as necessary to facilitate your support. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 we are not able to pass on sensitive personal data including information relating to disability to other parts of the School without your explicit approval. 

When you register with DNT, you will be able to complete a Confidentiality Agreement form as part of the process of arranging your Study Inclusion Plan (SIP) More info on Study Inclusion Plan. The confidentiality agreement will cover any additional supporting document you may provide.