Did you know that around 17% of Royal Holloway students have self-identified as having a disability? That’s a big and vibrant part of our community, and there’s a whole network of support, services, and student-led spaces here for you.
Vaishnavi Vajja
VP Wellbeing & Diversity
Did you know that around 17% of Royal Holloway students have self-identified as having a disability? That’s a big and vibrant part of our community, and there’s a whole network of support, services, and student-led spaces here for you.
A disability is defined as “a physical or mental condition which has a substantial and long-term impact on your ability to do normal day-to-day activities.” This can include (but isn’t limited to) visual impairments, hearing loss, physical or mobility issues, neurodivergence, learning differences like dyslexia, mental health conditions, and other hidden disabilities.
If this sounds like you, whether you’ve had a formal diagnosis or you’re just beginning to explore support options, just know that you are not alone here.
The Disability & Neurodiversity Team
Sitting within the Wellbeing team, the Disability & Neurodiversity team is your go-to for advice, guidance, and practical support. They work with any student who has disclosed a disability, long-term medical condition, specific learning difficulty, or mental health condition.
They’re here to:
- Organise the right support for you
- Liaise with your academic department
- Coordinate with external providers and specialist services
To access their help, you’ll need to declare your disability and register. From there, they’ll work with you to put support in place as quickly as possible.
They can help with:
- Exam Access Arrangements
- Reasonable Adjustments
- Diagnostic Assessments
- Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
- Accommodation advice
Financial Support – The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
The DSA helps cover extra study-related costs you have because of a disability, mental health condition, or long-term illness.
Key facts:
- It’s available in addition to Student Finance loans and grants
- It’s not a benefit or a loan—no repayments, no means testing
- The amount you get is based on your needs, not your household income
- Available to both full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students
- You must have lived in the UK for at least three years before your course to be eligible
You can learn more and apply via the Disabled Students’ Allowance website. If you have questions, the Disability & Neurodiversity team is happy to help.
Contacting the Disability & Neurodiversity Team
- Drop-in hours (term time):
- Online: Mondays & Fridays, 11am–2pm
- In person: Tuesdays–Thursdays, 11am–2pm (Founder’s East 153)
- You might need to wait, but a Disability Adviser will get to you as soon as possible.
- Email: disability@royalholloway.ac.uk
- Phone: 01784 414621
Library Support
Our library team offers a range of accessibility services, including:
- Extended book loans
- Book retrieval service
- Claiming back printing costs via DSA (if applicable)
- Alternative formats (audio, braille, large print, electronic)
- One-to-one appointments with a Library Information Consultant
- Access to an Assistive Technology Suite (for registered students)
- RoboBraille software to convert documents into accessible formats
Departmental Support
If you choose to disclose your disability to your department, they can help by arranging:
- Reasonable Adjustments
- Lecture recordings
- Accessible course materials
- Preferred seating arrangements
- Extra time in assessments
- Adjusted marking guidelines
- Reading aloud in class
- Support during work placements
Disabled Students Community
Within the Students’ Union, the Disabled Students Community brings together disabled students to connect, share experiences, and drive change.
Your Disabled Students Community Officer for 2024/25 is Julian (JJ) Littleton (he/they). JJ works to:
- Promote, defend, and extend the rights of disabled students
- Organise awareness-raising events and activities
- Create a comprehensive campus accessibility resource (so everyone can check building, room, and route accessibility in advance)
- Advocate for better campus accessibility in the long term
- Establish a Neurodiversity Diagnostic Fund to help students access private diagnoses and related healthcare
Neurodivergent Society
This student-led society is all about making life better for neurodivergent people at RHUL. They’re open to all neurodivergent students and allies, with a mission to raise awareness, build community, and have fun in a safe, inclusive environment.
They offer:
- Peer support
- Signposting to RHUL and local resources
- Friendship and social events
Get in touch:
- Email: neurodivergent@royalholloway.su
- Instagram:
- Discord: Link available on their SU page or Instagram
💌 Final note: If you’d like more information, you can contact disability@royalholloway.ac.uk or drop me a message, and I’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.