D/deaf

If you were born Deaf, or have become deaf later in life, support is available to you whilst you are studying at the University.

Coming to university is a major step and we are keen to support you so that your time with us is enjoyable and successful. The Student Services team is experienced in supporting students and will be able to guide you through the process of getting the support you need throughout your studies.

We work with qualified BSL Interpreters who have a wide knowledge and experience of interpreting in a full range of both theory and practise based subjects. We are able to provide a flexible service and work closely with lecturers and the Support Coordination Service to continuously improve and develop our service.

If you live with a non-visible disability, it can be hard to communicate your need for special requirements in a quick way. We want to help our students and staff overcome this challenge, and are introducing the sunflower badge to the University.

What support is available?

There are a number of opportunities for you to meet with us and start setting up support before you start your course. A visit to the University can be arranged for you to get a feel for the facilities and accommodation. You can also discuss your needs with an Advisor. If you are attending for an academic interview or an Open Day, it may be possible to meet with an Advisor. You can do this by emailing disabilityteam@derby.ac.uk.

Organising your support

We provide a wide range of support for our students; this will vary according to need. To enable us to put support in place we need you to provide us with evidence of your disability. This is usually in the form of a doctor's letter or audiologist's letter.

If you have this, please email it to disabilityteam@derby.ac.uk with your details (full name, student number if known, date of birth, general availability and course you're hoping to study).   

Once you have provided evidence, we can put a Support Plan in place containing reasonable adjustments to the way you are taught or assessed. These could include:

Technology support:

When you arrive at the University of Derby, interpreting support can be booked for your Welcome Week activities. We will contact your lecturers for course materials so that you can prepare before your lectures and seminars. You can also book interpreters for anything extra to your timetable, for example, a tutorial with a lecturer or a meeting with a subject librarian.

We know from experience that students sometimes benefit from extra support, therefore we encourage you to talk to us about this as early as possible. Once you do this, we can provide you with access to a wide range of support that will enable you to make the most of your time at university.

Disabled Students' Allowance

As well as reasonable adjustments you might also be eligible for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). DSA is available from your funding body and pays for the additional support that students need for university. Our experience shows that students really benefit from the support of DSA. For help with applying for DSA, please contact the Disability Officer at your university. It can take up to three months to get your DSA, so you should apply for it as soon as you have applied for a course.

Examples of support funded through DSAs for deaf students may include: