General advice for a student with a disability
considering applying to Regent's College
Contacting the Disability Officer
Undertaking a course of study at higher education can make
demands on any student. An applicant with a disability (or specific
learning difficulty) may have particular questions about
how they will cope with studying at the level of higher
education.
Any prospective student who has a disability can contact the
Disability Officer to discuss any queries. Any discussion will
be treated as confidential and will typically cover advice
about what support may be available whilst at Regent's College, any
necessary arrangements and the likely extent of any support.
In order to be able to offer the best advice
to an applicant with a disability, the Disability Officer may need
to ask the applicant specific questions about some of the following
issues:
- Their level of mobility and ability to self-care.
- Their ability to read/comprehend information and their ability
to write with, or without, the use of assistive technology.
- Their ability to communicate with their peers and lecturers,
including details on any preferred means of
communication.
- Their ability to undertake course assessments, such as giving
presentations, taking part in group work or sitting a written
examination.
- Whether their disability is likely to impact on their class
attendance.
- Details of any specific equipment that they might require
whilst at College.
- Their ability to undertake
the necessary academic workload for the
course.
- Any relevant health and safety issues - for example, if a
student may have difficulty evacuating a College building in an
emergency they may need a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. If
the student's prospective course includes off campus teaching as
core modules, such as field trips, study abroad or work
placements, it may be necessary to discuss this in further
detail.
When necessary, the Disability Officer will liaise with
College staff, to discuss any specific issues relating to course
requirements, in view of a student’s needs. Following such
discussion, the Disability Officer can then advise a
prospective student about how to proceed with any College
application.
Disabled applicants requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa:
Tier 4 visa conditions require a student to attend a full time
course or a minimum of 15 hours a week organised daytime study. A
student would need to leave the UK if they did not meet the above
conditions or did not have authorised absence(s) to be away from
their studies for a long period of time, as this would be in breach
of immigration rules. The student would need to apply
for a new visa upon return to the UK. For further information
contact the Student Immigration Officer at visas@regents.ac.uk
Further specific information is available for a student
considering applying for a Counselling
course.
Non UK students should be aware that Regent's College is unable
to fund any costs related to personal care (e.g. washing, dressing,
toileting) during their time here. Therefore, if a disabled student
is likely to need assistance with personal care activities they
will need to ensure that they have sufficient funding available to
cover such costs. UK students are expected to contact their
Social Services department to discuss personal care requirements
and funding. The student is also advised to contact the Disability
Officer at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss their
specific needs.
Visiting Regent's College
Disabled students are advised, where possible,
to visit Regent's College for an informal interview. This
enables the student to see the campus and gives them the
opportunity to discuss their individual needs. The student may be
asked to sign a Disability Disclosure form at this stage, to
confirm if they consent to relevant information about their
disability being shared with appropriate staff.
It is advisable for students with
more complex support needs to bring documentation about their
disability with them, as this will be needed in order to advise on
the extent of likely support. Where an informal visit is not
possible, disabled students are advised
to contact the College by telephone or email for a
detailed discussion.
Disability disclosure
If a student chooses not to disclose their disability, please be aware that
this may have implications for the support available. A
student can choose what details about their disability they
wish to be disclosed or kept confidential. Whilst the
College recognises that disability is not necessarily a
health issue, if a
student requires any special medical
treatment they are advised to register with a doctor as soon as
possible, so that they can find out about the availability of
treatment.
Disabled Students Allowance
A disabled student who is a UK resident (or has 'settled
status') may be able to apply for Disabled Students Allowance. Please
ensure that any guidance notes are
read and all eligibility
criteria checked before applying (degrees validated by Webster
University and standalone College foundation courses are
not eligible). A student can ask the Disability
Officer for further advice.
Learning a foreign language: information for students with
a specific learning difficulty
Learning a language can be both a rewarding, and challenging,
experience. If a student is a complete beginner, the following
information may be helpful.
A total of 72 hours language teaching is
delivered during the first semester: six hours of classes each
week. In addition, students are expected to undertake a minimum of
two hours self-directed study weekly. It is very important that
students attend College during induction week, as four days of
intensive language teaching is given.
After week 3 students take in-class tests
every two weeks. These tests contribute towards the final marks for
the assessment. At the end of the semester final examinations are
taken: speaking, listening, writing and reading.
Page last updated 3/7/2012