Skip navigation
Search
Search

Not sure what to do?

Browse subject guides

Explore subjects

Popular topics

Popular subjects

Undergraduate

How accessible is university for learners with SEND?

Tue 27 September 2022 - 08:15

By Alex Grady Head of Education and Whole School SEND, nasen in Widening access and participation

What do you understand by ‘SEND’ or ‘special educational needs and disabilities’? There can be an assumption (probably an unconscious one) that learners with SEND will not be on a pathway to higher education, as they have ‘learning difficulties’. This is a misconception. There are many reasons why a young person is on the SEND register, many of which should not and do not mean that they don’t have the academic potential to access HE.

Take the young person with autism, who achieves highly in their chosen subjects but may find social interaction and change or transition challenging, and so is anxious about moving on to HE and doesn’t apply. Or the young person with a physical disability who communicates via eye gaze technology, but has exceptional ability in science (Stephen Hawking, anyone?). How about the young person who has recently been identified with dyslexia, which helps to explain why they have struggled to get their essays in on time – their potential in history...

No longer in contact with your parents? Tick the UCAS ‘estranged student’ box!

Thu 19 May 2022 - 09:57

By Susan Mueller, Higher Education Director at Stand Alone in Widening access and participation

Are you are applying to higher education without the support from your parents or even your wider family due to a breakdown in your relationship with them? Are you already living independently and have little or no contact with your parents and maybe also other close family members? Or is this likely to be your situation before you start uni? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then you might be classified as an ‘estranged’ student which means you could get support to study.

In higher education, if your relationship with your parents has permanently and irreconcilably broken down and you have no contact with them, this is referred to as ‘estranged’. If that is the case for you, you may be wondering about things like: how to finance your studies, where you will live, and how to make friends and fit in. Maybe you are also thinking about how you can keep yourself safe from unwanted contact and...

Are you from a UK Armed Forces family? Let your university or college know!

Thu 19 May 2022 - 09:56

By The Global Education Team – Ministry of Defence in Widening access and participation

UCAS has introduced a new flag that will immediately identify to universities and colleges whether an applicant is from a UK Armed Forces background (sometimes referred to as ‘Service children’).  This flag will be generated simply by students ticking a box on the UCAS application form.

This is positive news from several perspectives. 

It is a clear sign to universities that children from Armed Forces families deserve additional attention; recognising that many Armed Forces children have a unique set of experiences and personal skills that are highly valuable in academic and employment settings.

Of course, it also enables universities to consider applications against the context of some of the more challenging aspects of Armed Forces life. For example, admissions teams will be able to assess students’ achievements...

Sponsored articles