Access Statements
Access Statements recommend reasonable adjustments so that your studies aren’t disadvantaged by a disability, learning difficulty or long-term health condition. They ensure that our staff have all the information they need to support you.
Who needs an Access Statement?
If you have a specific learning difference such as dyslexia or ADHD, an autistic spectrum condition, a physical, sensory or long-term health condition, or a diagnosed mental health condition, we can arrange for an Access Statement based on your medical evidence.
It's worth getting in touch even if your diagnosis isn't confirmed, but you've been referred for assessment for a diagnosis of a disability or medical condition, or previously had a Form 8 for exam arrangements. We may still be able to put an Access Statement in place for you.
The Access Statement is an important part of your support at NTU, as it details the adjustments that you need to access your studies. When the content of your Access Statement is agreed with your adviser, it normally takes 10 working days to write up and send across to your School and / or the Exams Office.
What does an Access Statement include?
The statement helps explain how your condition affects you and your work, so that our staff can understand why certain adjustments have been made. However, you don't have to share this information if you don't want to.
An Access Statement includes (but is not limited to) reasonable adjustments based on individual support needs, including:
- general support, such as:
- providing lecture notes in advance
- receiving subsequent recordings of lectures
- having a named point of contact in the School
- support in the learning and teaching environment implemented by the School, such as:
- adjustments with presentations
- course materials in alternative formats
- exam adjustments (see below for further details)
- details of any non-medical helper support you may have in class
- library support, such as extended library loans
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan recommendations.
Your Access Statement is shared with your Academic School and the Exams Office to enable them to put this support in place.
If you have disclosed on your UCAS application that you have a disability or medical condition and have accepted your offer of study at NTU, we will email you with information on how to get an Access Statement in place.
You should contact us as soon as possible to agree or update an Access Statement in the following circumstances:
- you are a current student with a new diagnosis or change of circumstances
- you have a diagnosis but have not declared a disability on UCAS or at enrolment
- you are a student returning to NTU to start a new course or postgraduate course.
Further details of the institutional support we offer and FAQs relating to your Access Statement are below.
Access Statement FAQs
The Access Statement enables the Disability and Inclusion Service to provide details of any adjustments you may need in class to your Academic School, and to tell our Exams team about any exam adjustments you may require. Without it, you won't be able to have exam adjustments put in place and your tutors will not be aware of how they can support you at NTU.
The statement provides brief details of your disability and where relevant how it may affect you in your studies. This helps our staff understand why certain adjustments have been made.
It will only be read by the staff responsible for putting your support in place. Typically, this will include your course tutor and the Academic Registry representative. Where necessary, details of some adjustments will also be shared with other staff including your module and year tutors.
Under no circumstances would we disclose the details of your Access Statement to other students. If you want to talk to your peers about a disability or condition, that's entirely at your own discretion.
Your support needs might alter during your time at NTU. This may be due to a change in your studies, or even in your own condition. You can contact us at any time to review the scope and recommendations of your Access Statement.
Examination arrangements
There is an expectation that recommendations in Access Statements should reflect a student's normal way of working. However, the arrangements you receive will be individual to you and will depend on your normal way of working and the medical evidence you provide. All recommendations must maintain the integrity of the exam.
Examples of standard Access Statement recommendations for exams include (but are not limited to):
- additional time allowances
- “stop the clock” rest breaks
- food and drink
- use of a PC
- smaller / personal rooms
- a reader and / or scribe
- a bespoke chair with lumbar support
- a reading and / or writing slope
- a foot and / or wrist rest
- an operator chair
- an adjustable-height desk.
All requests or recommendations from third parties – from adjustments to arrangements for exams – need to be supported by appropriate documentary evidence of a disability. If you have a disability, learning difficulty or long-term health condition, please remember that it’s your responsibility to provide this evidence.
Dyslexia access requirements
If you are dyslexic and your assessment report recommends the use of a PC, scribe, or reader in exams, you must confirm your exam arrangements with us before your Access Statement is agreed. It’s important that you attend a dyslexia advice session to discuss this further, and qualify the kind of support you require.
Please note that we are unable to include recommendations that are not detailed in your evidence regarding a scribe, reader, extra time and rest breaks.
Deadlines for exam adjustments
Please be aware that the NTU Exams team observe deadlines for notification of students requiring additional exam arrangements, such as extra time. To have these adjustments in place for the January and end-of-year exams, you must provide sufficient evidence of a diagnosis, confirm your examination arrangements and have an Access Statement in place prior to exam deadlines.
Please see the exam web pages for important information, such as the deadline dates for the submission of individual exam arrangements and your responsibilities as a student.
Any adjustments recommended after published exam deadlines will not be implemented until the following exam period. Further information is available on our exam pages.
How do I set up my exam adjustments?
If you have an Access Statement in place detailing exam arrangements, the Exams team will put these in place for you. These will appear on your personal exam timetable around two weeks before a formal exam. They are not visible to anyone other than yourself.
Further useful information
Financial support
We provide a range of support and resources to help you manage your finances while you're studying at NTU.
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)
You may be eligible to receive the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). This can be used to cover extra costs that might arise during your studies on account of a disability, health or learning condition.