Navigating London: A Guide for Disabled & Neurodivergent Students

Starting university can be a major transition. For students with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions it can involve an unexpected level of administration and planning.

Now add moving to a World City like London into that equation!

Studying in any capital city can be exciting and rewarding but there may be additional challenges for disabled and neurodivergent students.

This guide aims to help you think about planning for the months leading up to starting your university course in London to help make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Securing Funding For Support (Disabled Students Allowance DSA)

For UK Home students, the Disabled Students Allowance or DSA can pay for specialist equipment, software and support while studying.

The support DSA funds can be invaluable. Along with assistive technology to help make studying as effective and efficient as possible, it can also include specialist support in the form of trained mentors or study skills tutors. In DSA these are referred to as "Non Medical Helpers". Sign Language Interpreters and Specialist Support Professionals for Visually Impaired Students are also funded this way at University. The idea is that the support is not funded or allocated by the university but is managed directly by the student.

Many students attribute their success on their courses to making early and effective use of DSA support.

Your University Disability Team can work closely with you throughout the application process to try to things go as smoothly as possible, so do make use of any help they offer. If you think you need help with any aspect of organising your DSA, ask for it!

Some important considerations about DSA.

Apply Early: Apply as soon as you submit your UCAS application. You do not need a confirmed place to start the process. The University Disability Team can try to help even if you are yet to enrol on the course.
Get Support That Is Relevant To Your Course: Part of the DSA application process involves having a DSA needs assessment, where you meet with a specialist who helps you explore all the potential support DSA might make available to you. The DSA needs assessor will expect you to have researched the details of the course you intend to follow and will follow your lead in covering the areas of support you feel are most important to you. Before your DSA Needs Assessment, check with your University Disability Team to see if they can provide or signpost you to information that might help the needs assessor understand the demands of your particular course.
Ask For Experienced Providers Of Specialist Support: Specialist DSA funded support is provided by agencies and these are often external to the University with many of them providing support workers nationwide. In London, many universities use specific specialist agencies who they will have built up a working relationship with, so will have already worked with many of their students. These providers may have experience of the particular academic structure and policies and the demands of the your courses. This is especially important if you will be studying for specialist courses such as medicine, veterinary medicine, biosciences or advanced postgraduate courses.

Useful Resource: GOV.UK Disabled Students Allowance

International students: check your home government for any similar support availability and if nothing is available, speak to the university disability team to find out what support they can arrange.

Medical & Medication Management

If you are moving to London from abroad, or from another part of the UK, you will need to check that any of your healthcare requirements follow you.

International Students: Check what medication you can bring with you to the UK and how much you are allowed to transport. You may only be allowed to bring a certain amount (e.g. 3 months supply). You may require a formal letter confirming your medication requirements and may need to ensure this is in English. You may also require medical documentation that confirms your diagnosed conditions, especially if you are going to require accommodations at university or may need to access local medical services.
All Students: Register with the University Health Service or a GP service recommended by your university as early as you can to begin the process of transferring prescriptions.
UK Home Students can remain registered with your home GP as a "Temporary Resident" during the holidays.

If you haven't needed any formal up-to-date evidence that confirms your disability or condition, maybe because the school and GP / services you have been attending have known you since you were a child, you might need to think about asking your GP or other medical professionals to now produce something that confirms your diagnoses, any medication you take and includes any other information that might be useful for your University or local medical professionals to know.

Controlled Medications: If you take regulated medication (e.g., for ADHD), be aware that some London boroughs have specific "Shared Care Agreements" that might differ from your home region and might have an impact on obtaining medication via NHS prescriptions. If you currently have a shared care agreement, check the GP you plan to register with can offer equivalent services before registering.

Useful Resources:

Site Visits & Sensory Preparation

The physical and sensory environment of London can be intense so may be something you need to factor into your daily energy levels when studying. London is an old city and even if your university buildings are modern they might be located in a very old area with ancient streets. Unless you are going to be studying in an out of town and modern campus based university, you may find your accommodation is located within busy residential and commercial areas.

A familiarisation visit in June or July is highly recommended.

Think Ahead About Physical Access: London universities often use a mix of modern blocks and heritage buildings, which can mean lifts and 'level access routes' have been added on rather than designed with the building. Lifts might even have been added with a particular user in mind rather than thought of as something that others might use.
Sensory Mapping: If you can, visit the campus during term time at a peak time to experience the noise and light levels and get an idea of the preparation you might need to build resiliance to the sensory experience of studying. Find out about quiet spaces, study pods or outside spaces you might use to manage sensory overwhelm or anxiety.
Do Some Practice Runs: Practise the exact route from where you will be living to the part of the campus you will be using. This is especially important if you have any requirement for level access routes.
Spend Time Exploring The Area Using Google Streetview: great for getting a feel of the local area, local shops, bars and places of interest as well as practising the route between your accommodation and the campus if you can't practice this in person.

Useful Resources:

Accessible & Sensory-Friendly Housing

Finding the right place to live is often the biggest piece of the puzzle. In London, student accommodation ranges from historic halls of residence to modern purpose-built studios.

Apply for "Priority" Housing: Many London universities prioritise disabled students for on-campus or university-managed halls. Ensure you share information about your requirements on your housing application early, before your place is confirmed. Ask for consideration even if you are not sure you have a condition that might warrant this consideration: your university might surprise you by having awareness that some conditions need priority for reasons you might not have considered.
Audit the Sensory Environment: London is rarely truly silent. Londoners become used to the constant level of background noise. If you have sensory processing sensitivities, ask about "quiet flats" or rooms facing away from main roads. Consider lighting (flickering fluorescents vs. LEDs) and whether the halls use loud communal fire alarm tests.
Check "Step-Free" Logistics: Even if a building has a lift, check if there are heavy fire doors or small lips on doorways that might impede a wheelchair or mobility aid. Ask if the laundry and social spaces are truly accessible.
Private Sector Support: If you are looking at private rentals, be aware that "Reasonable Adjustments" still apply. Landlords must allow you to make necessary disability-related improvements, though who pays for them can vary.

Useful Resources:

Mastering London Transport (TfL)

London's transport network is vast and old, but can be your ally to living successfully in London if you learn all the routes that can help you navigate strategically. You will get the most out of your time in London if you can learn to independently navigate the public transport network.

Travel Mentoring: Transport for London (TfL) offers a free mentoring service. A mentor can accompany you or talk you through your first few journeys to help you learn accessible routes and build confidence. The mentor team is small so do book ahead (they can have a 6 week waiting list).
The "Step Free" Map: Think about using the Step Free Tube map and consider what step free means for you. Be aware that "Step free from street to train" is different from "Step free from street to platform".
Sensory Navigation: Download the TfL Go app to help work out "Quiet Times" on routes you need to use. This may help you avoid certain lines at busy times, for example the Central Line during rush hour is one of the loudest and hottest parts of the network.
Visual Cues: Wear a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard or a TfL "Please Offer Me a Seat" badge. These are increasingly becoming recognised by staff and fellow commuters.

Useful Resources:

Exams & Assessments: The London Factor

In London, exams tend not to be held in classrooms and are often not even held on campus. This can take students by surprise, especially when they haven't needed to think too much about written exams after completing A levels. Exams are also typically no longer handwritten with many exams now taken using computers. This can be beneficial for some students but can be an additional factor to consider for others, especially if you only even tend to use on type of computer platform.

External Venues: You may sit exams in large conference centres or hotels away from your usual campus. These can feel like cavernous spaces that can be sensory overwhelming. Think about what might help you manage this in exam conditions, such as earbuds or fidget toys.
Travel Logistics: Exam venues may be several miles from your campus in locations you've never needed to travel to before. Plan your travel well in advance. If you have mobility issues, notify the university; they can often arrange for the venue to provide mobility assistance or might explore alternative examination accommodations with you.
Plan Reasonable Exam Adjustments Early: Ensure your "separate room", "smaller group" and or "rest break" adjustments are confirmed specifically for large scale venues, as the setup can be very different from on campus exams. Do not assume exam accommodations you received prior to university will be automatically implemented. You will have to ask for them in good time for them to be implemented.
Variations in Exam Adjustments: Be aware that universities may have different accommodations and adjustments policies to those you experienced at school or college, or for international students those provided in your home country. The amount of additional time available might be lower than you are familiar with. Accommodations for errors in spelling or grammar might not be possible. Speak to the university Disability Team as they will be able to advise on what accommodations are possible and offer support with becoming familiar with any new accommodations.
Check If Your Exams Will Be On Computer: If this is the case, your university Exams Team will be able to advise on how this works but often this mean you are using a laptop with external keyboard and mouse and software that is stripped back and strictly controlled for examination security purposes (so may not allow simple keyboard or display adjustments you might be used to). Think about what you normally have to do when using someone else's computer to make it accessible and check with the University Disability Team that you will be able to make these adjustments to computers in exams. Think about what using an unfamiliar Operating System might mean and practice beforehand. Do you normally use a non-UK keyboard layout? Think about any challenges having to read questions from a screen might present and consider asking your university if they can ensure screen access features are enabled or provide a print copy of the exam questions even if you do have to submit the answers on computer. If you only use an Apple Mac / Macbook, don't assume these will be available as many universities only provide Windows laptops.

In Person Campus based Learning

Most UK universities offer a level of blended or hybrid learning options but many are actively working towards a return to full in person attendance for lectures and other taught sessions. This may be because they want students to have the full experience of campus based learning but may also be because professional bodies that validate courses and award qualifications are increasingly expecting universities to encourage and record in person campus based student interaction as part of the core requirements of the course registration.

If you have sensory processing challenges, consider putting together a sensory 'toolkit' that might help you participate in in person teaching activities. Most universities will allow students to use noise attenuating ear buds, caps or visors (to manage bright lighting), discrete 'fidget toys' and more. The university will be able to make adjustments that include the ability to take sensory breaks or to make audio recordings of lectures.
If you have anxiety about group activities, use support available from the university Disability, Wellbeing, Counselling and Students Union to help build strategies and resilience.
If you have physical/mobility challenges, speak to the university Disability Team as early as you can so they can advise the timetabling team to ensure rooms selected for teaching activities can best meet your particular access requirements.
If your course requires you to participate in practical lab based learning consider the additional challenges this might present for any sensory processing issues you might experience well in advance. Ask the university if they can offer you time to familiarise yourself with the environment before learning starts.
If you hope to study on a mainly remote basis, consider applying for a distance learning course.
If you applied for a campus based course but the university is trying to convince you to study via mainly remote methods to overcome any challenges they are having making in person teaching accessible to you, be aware that universities need to ensure their campus based courses are accessible to students with disabilities, so you should not feel pressured into studying remotely if your fellow students on the course will be attending campus based activities.
Use all the support available to you while studying: Along with the important Disability Advisers, most universities offer support for all students from experienced professional Wellbeing Advisers, Counsellors, Study Skills Tutors, Study Buddies and Mentors. These can be invaluable sources of support to managing a smooth transition into University life. Introduce yourself to these people early, even if you don't intend to start using them right away.

Managing the "Admin Burden"

Studying with a disability can feel like you have a part time job just managing the administration this creates. Starting university can mean you find you are being treated as an adult for the first time, meaning you now have to be actively involved in applying for and arranging support that otherwise might not happen. Nobody is telling you you must get things done, making it easier to put things off. The level of extra work and energy this requires might take you by surprise.

Your University Disability Service can be an ally in reducing your administrative load.

The Reasonable Adjustments Form: Many UK universities now use a "Disability Passport", "Reasonable Adjustments Form" or "Learning Support Plan" (LSP). This is a single document outlining your required adjustments. Once this is signed off by the Disability Service it should become available to university staff, so you should not have to "prove" or explain your disability to individual lecturers.
"Medical Evidence": While it helps to have a formal diagnosis ("medical evidence") of a disability or other conditions, do not wait to obtain this before approaching your university for advice and support with reasonable adjustments. Many will now start to set up adjustments for you without you having to "prove" you have a disability by providing "medical evidence". Having this documentation is still important as it can enable access to funding and to external services for which formal evidence is required. It might be required for external or professional exams or qualifications your course requires you to undertake.
Centralise Your Records: You'll find it much easier if from the start you create a digital folder (ideally on a cloud based service) that contains important documents related to your disability. This could include medical 'evidence', a diagnostic report (e.g. for Dyslexia), your DSA Needs Assessment Report, DSA Entitlement Letters, current prescription lists and any previous EHCP or equivalent support plans. If you are an international student, arrange for any medical records that might be important to be translated into English. These documents can be important so it's useful to know you can access them if you need one. You can also ask your Disability Service to store copies on their secure server so you always know they should have a copy if you need one.
Use The Disability Office For Intermediary Support: Self advocacy is important and you will be encouraged to study independently and proactively seek out support from lecturers or other staff at university, but you should not feel you are alone. If you find a lecturer difficult to communicate with or your department is not implementing your adjustments and you aren't sure how to resolve the issue, you do not have to handle this yourself. Contact your Disability Advisors, who will be able to help resolve any issues you might have. Part of their job is to help ensure people understand their need to comply with the Equality Act 2010. Getting disability involved can be a good way of ensuring there is a record of discussions related to your support, for future reference if needed.

Useful Resource: Disability Rights UK Higher Education Guide

Suggested Preparation Timeline

April / May: Apply for DSA, check accommodation deadlines and start putting together your digital "Admin Folder".
June / July: Arrange a familiarisation visit to London and research local GPs if you are going to need them to help manage prescriptions for medication. If you haven't already done this, contact the University Disability Team and start to discuss an in person or remote meeting.
August: Finalise medication supplies and download all relevant TfL and campus access maps. If you think it might help, start approaching the TfL mentor team.
September: Meet your Disability Team in person, register with your new GP, check your university email address inbox for information about 'Freshers' activities from the Student Union and Wellbeing Team. If it might help, ask if any quiet Fresher sessions are being offered or if there might be any fast track registration services available to students with disabilities / learning differences.

Tips & Final Thoughts

Online student forums can be an important source of advice and useful for support (but do remember your lived experience might not be the same as others).
Many London boroughs have active local disability advice and support networks. Joining these can help you feel you are part of the local community and can give important local information that the University Disability Team might not be aware of.
Be open about your disability as early as possible with the University Disability Team. Tell them about any conditions or suspected conditions which might have an impact on studying but for which you've yet to receive a formal diagnosis. This will help you plan your support as early as possible. Any information you give to the University Disability Team will remain confidential until you agree they can share it with others.
Sort out international student admin as early as you can, you don't want to be panicking at the last minute and starting university life of in a stressed state or stuck at the airport!
Find out about all the student discounts available to you and look online for London living 'hacks'. London can be an expensive city to live in, but smart locals make use of discounts and bargains to keep on top of their living costs.

Finally: Enjoy your time in London, it's an amazing and inclusive city. People are friendlier than you might expect and as long as you are sensible it's an incredibly safe place to live.

Last update 07-06-26