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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

How much support should DD expect with her dyslexia from her university?

30 replies

Ineedcoffeenow · 14/09/2025 15:17

I’ll preface this by saying that I’m a lecturer so I know how much support my uni give to dyslexic students. (We give them special dyslexia supporters, access to relevant software, extra time in exams, extra time to proofread course work) but I’m not sure whether that’s the norm/what we can reasonably expect for a dyslexic student and what’s done at other universities.

She completed a form for disability services at her uni over the summer. She’s had an email about exam adjustments, but nothing else. Can she expect more? I think she needs to send an email to ask for an appointment to go over support needs, but she’s reluctant as she doesn’t want to “bother anyone.” I have heard on the grapevine that her uni is not good with student support. So far, it’s been terribly organised so that’s playing a part in my thinking. .

OP posts:
caringcarer · 19/09/2025 11:37

My foster son is getting 50 hours 1-1 tutor who will review his work before he submits it and can recommend improvements to him especially in terms of structure, and 50 hours 1-1 mentoring to keep him organised plus a laptop, printer, consumables, software, 25 percent extra time in exams, a reading pen, and additional time to hand in coursework (up to 14 days) should he request it. He is also allowed to record lectures to play back to himself. He has a learning disability as opposed to specific learning disability though. He had a needs assessment carried out by Capita. I was dreading it because he is embarrassed he needs support so minimalises his needs but the lady who did it couldn't have been more helpful. His Sports course is largely practical. He won't need support with that just the written aspects.

TheLivelyViper · 19/09/2025 12:26

BendoftheBeginning · 19/09/2025 11:19

Watching with interest. My DS (who is not terribly proactive about self-abdicating) is also dyslexic and starting uni next week. I know he’s filled out an application for a grant as part of his student finance, but haven’t heard about how we goes through DSA. Does he need to be independently assessed through them? He’s been assessed at primary and secondary age for reasonable adjustments.

DSA support is separate to the univeristy support, they always say just because you are receiving DSA it doesn't mean that the extra support in terms of the uni will happen automatically.

DSA stuff is seperate, so has he applied for that? If so has she had her needs assessment to get the software etc. She needs to apply through student finance website initially, it will be on his home page, that involves uploading evidence initially onto the portal then they asses it and send a DSA1 letter saying whether they've approved her application or not. So apply through student finance and upload all the evidence, if it's for a learning need e.g dyslexia then they have to upload the report from the SPLD and diagnostic report. ECHPs don't apply at university or to DSA, they don't use that at all - however when he communicates with univeristy he can use some of the stuff he knows is helpful from before and ask for those similar reasonable adjustments.

After that they send him a link to book a DSA Needs Assessment through capita often, that isn't a test or anything, as he's already gotten approved. That's where they'll decide software things, a specialist study tutor, equipment to record lectures, assistive technology software etc.

At the end they then send a DSA2 letter. Then at the end they ask her if hewants this sent to the univeristy, make sure he consents or otherwise they won't send it. They then send the report to student finance, then she'll get a DSA2 letter from SFE saying what they've approved and then he just needs to liase with them as they send him the equipment. It's actually quite simple but the process has quite a few steps.

He needs to seperately contact his univeristy disability service - they'll have something on the website to send them a form with evidence again of your condition. Then he needs have a meeting with his university Disabiltiy service, they are often called disability advisors, they can make him an LSP/ISP and that will have details on exam arrangements, teaching arrangements etc.g lecture material 24h before etc, not asking questions on the spot, arrangements for things like coursework, presentations etc. They'll likely have extra library induction and study support workshops for disabled students as well
. They'll have plenty of information on the website or the university specific portal - so have a good look at everything on there, get him to fill the form uploading evidenxe to the univeristy and also informing them of his struggles etc again the evidence needs to be an SPLD report etc. If not they'll be information on the website/student portal with how to contact them to get support in place. You need to do both separately but at the end if he consents at his DSA Needs Assessment, then they'll send his DSA2 letter to his univeristy team as well but again that doesn't mean he'll automatically get other support from the univeristy - if he doesn't contact them and liase with them separately. I hope this all makes sense and you can pass it on to him.

BendoftheBeginning · 19/09/2025 15:19

LIZS · 19/09/2025 11:25

Does he have a post 16 assessment? It might be worth contacting the student support department in advance in case he is required to book a Needs Assessment or a meeting to access support from DSA funding.

I think so? He was assessed via the SEN team at school so he continued to have extra time for exams through GCSEs and A-Levels.

I’m assuming that would have been a post-16 assessment? Or does he need another one as he’s now 19 (he took a gap year to work).

BendoftheBeginning · 19/09/2025 15:20

Thanks @TheLivelyViper, super helpful!

TheLivelyViper · 19/09/2025 17:12

BendoftheBeginning · 19/09/2025 15:19

I think so? He was assessed via the SEN team at school so he continued to have extra time for exams through GCSEs and A-Levels.

I’m assuming that would have been a post-16 assessment? Or does he need another one as he’s now 19 (he took a gap year to work).

He doesn't need another assessment, those are enough evidence, what he needs is all and any reports. It's better to have too much evidence than too little, so any reports, assessments etc should be uploaded to the DSA portal from the inital student finance account and then also to his university on their seperate disability service, which they'll have information about on their website. Just search what ever university it is and then disability service registration or lsp etc.

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