KEY UNI DOCUMENTS
Uni guidance for undergrads and most Masters students on
- Exam access arrangements (exam adjustments) including Adjusted Mode of Assessment
- Intermission, resuming study, dissertation & coursework extensions
Uni guidance for taught and research postgraduates on
GET INVOLVED WITH DSC COMMUNITY
Contact us, find our social media, Facebook groups & mailing list!
GET A DISABILITY ADVISOR AND A STUDENT SUPPORT DOCUMENT
Sign up with the Disability Resource Centre!
GET ADVICE FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL CASE OR APPLICATION
Students’ Advice Service
SAS are an advice service made up of a number of trained professionals within Cambridge SU. You can contact them by email, phone, or by attending drop-in sessions, and they offer appointments in person or by phone or Skype. They can help students with any problem, from academic to personal, and are based in the SU building at 17 Mill Lane.
BEING A DISABLED STUDENT AT CAMBRIDGE
Does it Count? Infographic
Not sure whether a health condition is ‘enough’ for you to get support? Our infographic sets things straight.
Know Your Rights! Infographic for rights to adjustments in your education
Email Templates
To ease some of that ‘why do I have to do so much more admin as a disabled student’ burden!
What to do if something goes wrong in Exam Term
You’re not alone, and there is support ready in case you need it.
OIS information on accommodation costs (2016 onwards); plain text version of summary images on social media.
Since 2016 it has been the responsibility of the college to pay any extra costs relating to accommodation, e.g. if you need an ensuite or the accessible accommodation is more expensive than a ‘standard’ room. Colleges were informed of this at the time but many still don’t meet their legal duty – get in contact with us if you need help escalating this!
Disabled 101 (Guide 2019)
All the info you need if you’re not sure where to start!
Uni 101 Guide
A one-stop, simple breakdown for incoming students.
Guide to Reasonable Adjustments and Student Support Documents
Our guide to reasonable adjustments – what they are, how you can have them put in place, and what to do if your needs aren’t being met.
Intermission Guide
A guide to the process of intermitting – taking time out from study at Cambridge.
Double Time Guide
A guide to going Double Time, or part time for health reasons. Most people don’t even know this is an option – so we wrote a guide!
Disablism at Cambridge
A short guide to discrimination and harassment as a disabled student at Cambridge.
Surviving (at) Cambridge Zine Guide
A zine of crowd-sourced tips from disabled students, otherwise known as ‘how to hack your degree’ and ‘don’t let the b******s get you down’.
Accessibility in Organising & Student Activism Zine Guide
Our non-exhaustive guide to making your activist organising more accessible to disabled students.
So you want an assessment for ADHD?
It can seem daunting – but here are the details you need.
Mental Health Awareness Week resource (2017)
REPORTS AND DATA
2020 Varsity Disabled Access Report
2019 ‘Substantial Disadvantage’ Academic Reasonable Adjustments Report
2019 Summary of Findings from the Academic Reasonable Adjustments Forum
2018 Healthcare and Services Report
2018 Wheelchair & Step-Free Access in the Collegiate University Report
ACCESSIBILITY
Access Statement Generator
Most people running events do not provide proper access information, because they don’t have the information or because they don’t know what to include or that they should be providing access information at all. The truth is that even if an event would be accessible to someone if they can’t find that out they can’t go (or they risk being turned away) and ultimately it is not accessible until the information is there. We therefore provide this generator to enable people to provide good, clear access information and to raise awareness that there should be access information for all events.
Accessibility Pledge
The SU Disabled Students’ Campaign Accessibility Pledge is a pledge for any and all groups in Cambridge, such as J/MCRs, University and College clubs & societies, campaigns and activist groups, social and discussion groups, etc., to sign and adhere to. By signing the Pledge, your group will demonstrate to its disabled members and potential members that it is committed to considering their access needs, and to creating a positive, accessible environment!
Disability Resource Library
Founded in summer 2012, SU DSC Disability Resource Library is a growing collection of material related to disability. The library is open to all members of the University and lives alongside the Harry Harris LGBT+ Library and the other Liberation Libraries in the SU lounge at 17 Mill Lane. We encourage you to email us suggestions of further materials to include as the library grows.
ZINES
Zines are small artistic creations made by our campaign members!
Surviving (at) Cambridge (2018)
Accessibility in Organising (2018)
For student activists and other groups
Cam Neurodiversity (2016)
‘Autistic People, Not Gendered Minds’ (audio and transcripts)
In Camouflage (2016)
On the intersection of autism and gender
ACCESS AROUND CAMBRIDGE
University of Cambridge AccessAble
A comprehensive guide to accessing university buildings, including up-to-date photos and descriptions of access features
DRC Building Access Guide
Practical access information regarding the University of Cambridge for students, staff and visitors (redirects to AccessAble for many university sites)
Cambridge Accessibility
Our quick guide to accessing Cambridge (both the city and the university) and things it’s useful to be aware of.
Disability Access Guide
An extensive guide to access within the University. Slightly out of date in parts, especially the information about the city generally.
Accessible Cambridge
A resource site holding information about the accessibility of Cambridge, including guides for cafes and pubs. This site is somewhat out of date, but members of the DSC Committee are in the process of updating it; do get in touch if you’d like to input.
Cambridge Shopmobility
Cambridge Shopmobility loan out wheelchairs including electric wheelchairs and scooters during the day in town, generally 10am to 4pm weekdays and Saturday. There are two offices in Cambridge: one is in central town under the Grand Arcade and the other, which is also open Sundays, is in the Grafton Centre by the Vue Cinema.
WELFARE & SUPPORT RESOURCES
Facebook support groups
The DSC runs a handful of Facebook-based community groups for disabled students, as well as specific groups for intermitting and double-time students.
Students’ Advice Service
SAS are an advice service made up of a number of trained professionals within Cambridge SU. You can contact them by email, phone, or by attending drop-in sessions, and they offer appointments in person or by phone or Skype. They can help students with any problem, from academic to personal, and are based in the SU building at 17 Mill Lane.
University Counselling Service
The UCS provides free counselling to all students, including group meetings and workshops.
Disability Resource Centre
All disabled students, or students who think they may be disabled, should get in contact with the DRC as their first port of call. They provide advice and resources, write your Student Support Document with you, help you with Disabled Students’ Allowance, and generally look after your needs as a disabled student at Cambridge.
Nightline (Formerly Linkline)
Support to all students 7pm to 7am in term time. Call them on 01223 367 575 or 01223 744 444.
Cambridge Peer Support
A scheme for offering peer support within colleges, only operates in some colleges.
The Samaritans
Tel 08457 909 090; they also have a step free central Cambridge Office with disabled toilet just off Christ’s Pieces.
Resources from the Library Catalogue
The DSC Disability Resource Library Catalogue contains a list of (mostly online) resources in addition to those listed here.
INCLUSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING
Content Notes Guidance for Faculties and Departments
For teaching staff who would like to read about best practice in using ‘content notes’ (/’content warnings’), and for anyone who would like to push their faculty/department to implement a policy.
UNIVERSITY RESOURCES
Code of Practice: Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Students
The University’s General Board for Education reviews this yearly, and it’s a good all-round document to refer to or send to relevant staff if reasonable adjustments are not being met.
Exam Access and Mitigation Committee
There are forms and guidance notes here for examination allowances (including “allow to progress” and alternative modes of assessment among others), intermission (“disregarding terms”), extensions, and fee remissions among others. Some particularly useful documents include:
- Examination arrangements: student guidance notes
- Examination arrangements: staff guidance notes
- Alternative modes of assessment guide for colleges, departments, and students
Disability Resource Centre site
Some useful pages for students include:
Some useful pages you might want to direct staff to are: