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Accessing disability support for international PGRs

results and data analysis of our service users shows that disabled PGR students may not be accessing our service for various reasons.

Below are some commonly cited reasons for this, alongside our responses to these concerns.

“DDSS is a service only for home students and not me as an international disabled PGR”

This is not the case. The university and DDSS provide exactly the same support to home and international students.

“DDSS is for physical disabilities such as being blind or in a wheelchair, I struggle with depression and this is not a disability”

The definition of a disability that we follow  is set out in .

It says you're disabled if:

• you have a physical or mental impairment, and
• your impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to do normal day-to-day activities. 

“In my home country this is not something we can talk about. I am embarrassed or ashamed to ask for support”

We completely understand that there are cultural differences around disability and accessing support.  

We offer a completely objective and non judgemental service, and feel strongly that while you're studying in the UK you are entitled to the same support as a UK-born student.

You will also meet with a professionally trained specialist in disability. They will guide you through the process and conversations if you are unsure how to raise the topic yourself. 

“The university will think that asking for support means I am not capable of completing my studies”

The university follows the social model of disability, which says that someone is disabled by the environment around them, not by their individual impairments or conditions. We do not define disability as a deficit or a negative characteristics.

The university works to remove barriers so that individual students can demonstrate their abilities. 

“Accessing DDSS will be recorded on my university information and will follow me into employment and further studies”

DDSS is a confidential service. DDSS will only share information with staff outside of DDSS with your consent and permission.

You can see more about how we store and share your information here.