Welcome

Welcome to this guide about disability support at Cambridge. This is the plain text version of the guide, designed for people who benefit from documents with less bells and whistles. Each subheading also contains a summary at the end, in case you would benefit from a quicker overview of the text. If you have particular accessibility needs and would benefit from e.g. a large-text version of this document, please get in touch!  

This document is part signposting, and part substantive support and resources. Many of Cambridge’s most useful resources are those that have been funded and supplied by Cambridge through the ADRC (in pursuit of their statutory obligations toward people with disabilities) for a long time. Still, I hope this document is able to offer you something useful, whatever you are looking for out of it.  

If there’s anything you would like to be added to this document, or any questions you still have after reading it, don’t hesitate to get in touch.  

Clare love,  

Lizzie Stocks, evs31  

Current UCS Disabled Students’ Officer & maintainer of this document 

A note on the role of Disabled Students’ Officer

As the Disabled Students’ Officer, my main role is to support those with disabilities, which includes physical impairments, neurological disorders, and mental illnesses. I am elected to help disabled students navigate the institutions of the university in light of their disability, and to work toward equality between disabled and abled students.   

My role is less geared toward the welfare or pastoral side of mental ill-health. Although mental illnesses are often disabling and fall under my role, and many people with disabilities also experience mental illness, my role specifically caters to the disabling aspect of mental illness, rather than the general welfare needs of individuals experiencing mental health issues.   

For more general welfare concerns, your first port of call should be your welfare officers (Eibhlinn Hutchinson (eh816), Josh Beevers (jjb217), Clare Robinson (cyr22)) or the College Nurses. This document also has many resources you may find useful if you are having a mental health crisis (within ‘Other support for disabled students’). If you are not sure who to turn to, please contact whoever you feel most comfortable contacting, and both me and the welfare officers will be happy to redirect you if we feel we are not the right person.

Disability support at Cambridge

To begin, here are some important notes on abbreviation and terminology used throughout:  

ADRC – the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (sometimes shortened to DRC), the centre which manages support for disabled students at Cambridge.  

SSD – your Student Support Document, the document the ADRC will create for you to inform various university institutions about your disability needs.  

Getting support for a disability

Am I eligible for support?  

You may be eligible for support for a wide range of conditions, including:  

• Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and BPD  

• Neurological conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia  

• Physical impairments, blindness/deafness, and chronic pain  

• Long-term health conditions such as cancer, HIV, and diabetes  

How do I get support?  

The main source of support for disability at Cambridge is the ADRC. Your first step should be making an appointment with an ADRC disability advisor. The ADRC should contact you first if you disclosed a disability on your UCAS application.   

This person will listen to you explain your needs. Their next step will often be to work with you to draft a Student Support Document (SSD). This document is circulated to the people who pertain to your studies, such as your supervisors – though note that it is possible to withhold your consent in order to control who sees the document.   

The document contains information on what you need to thrive in your studies. Your disability advisor will suggest some things that may be helpful, and you will have the opportunity to request whatever you need, and work with your advisor to determine appropriate reasonable adjustments for those needs.  

Examples of reasonable adjustments:  

• Access to recordings of your lectures.  

• Extended deadlines for handing in essays.  

• Having your supervisor told ahead of time that they should speak clearly and be willing to repeat themself.  

• Accommodation with step-free access.  

What about exam adjustments?  

The above examples cover your day-to-day needs as a disabled student. Your SSD will also contain information about exam adjustments. Exam adjustments are not sorted out from day one; your SSD will be passed to the Tutorial Office, who have the responsibility of requesting your exam adjustments in Lent term.  

Examples of exam adjustments:  

• Extra time – this is almost always 25%, i.e. what is usually a 2 hour exam will, for you, be a 2.5 hour exam.   

• Rest breaks during the exam.  

• Access to noise-cancelling headphones during the exam.  

I’m worried I don’t ‘deserve’ these adjustments / I’m not ‘disabled’ enough.  

Please do not worry about asking for these adjustments! The ADRC is here to help you, and my experience has been that they will do all they can to support your disability.   

It is true that some health conditions may not qualify for ADRC support, and that the ADRC generally cannot support you unless you have a diagnosis. However, please be reassured that we at Clare can still support you, and I will personally do all I can to make you feel supported! You will also still be able to get support from the University Counselling Service, which offers support for mental health conditions and struggles resulting from other conditions.  

Even if you are not sure whether you qualify for reasonable adjustments, you should always go to the ADRC yourself to make sure. The ADRC will be able to tell you in your initial appointment whether or not you qualify for support.   

I think I have a disability, but I haven’t been diagnosed.  

If you have a physical health condition that hasn’t or cannot be diagnosed, seek as much evidence from your GP as possible about your medical history with your condition. The ADRC will be able to advise you on what kind of evidence they need to see (see their webpage about this here: Evidence of your diagnosis).  

With regards to neurological conditions: the ADRC cannot support students for ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other specific learning difficulties unless they have been professionally diagnosed. Therefore, you should seek a diagnosis as soon as possible if you think you will need extra time in exams.   

Note that there is a process to get a ‘diagnostic assessment’ through the University which suffices to prove you have ADHD for the purposes of reasonable adjustments, though not for general purposes. Contact the ADRC or myself about this.  

If you wish to seek a general-purpose diagnosis: NHS waiting lists for these conditions are often very long, and it may be necessary to go to a private clinic. Unfortunately, the Crane fund (the main source of medical-related funding in the University) no longer funds private diagnoses for autism and ADHD, so you would have to self-fund a private diagnosis. A typical cost is around £1000, but I have known them to go down to £700. Please speak to me as soon as possible if this is you, so that I can help you explore options for private clinics. If you do not feel you can afford this, please do not lose hope, and contact me anyway, and I will see if anything can be done.  

The ADRC also offer advice about getting diagnosed if you email them at disability@admin.cam.ac.uk.  

Pastoral support for disabled students

With gratitude to prior Disabled Students’ Officers Anna and Abi, who originally wrote this list!  

For financial support, see below.  

Support within Clare College  

• Pastoral Tutors: Your Tutor oversees your pastoral care within college. They are very knowledgeable about the inner workings of Clare and the University in general. They are College Fellows and typically come from a different subject to yourself. They can act as your representative when dealing with university institutions such as the Exam Adjustment and Mitigation Committee (EAMC), to whom they will submit evidence of your need for exam adjustments.  

• Director of Studies (DoS): They are responsible for your academic welfare. They can answer any subject-specific questions and concerns.  

• UCS Disabled Students’ Officer (Lizzie): I am here to informally support and advise you and signpost you to formal resources. I am also always available for a tea and a chat! I will be arranging further support and events for disabled students throughout the year.  

• Contact: Lizzie Stocks (evs31)  

• UCS Welfare Officers (Eibhlinn, Josh and Clare): Their role is to ensure the happiness of students at this sometimes stressful university(!), and they are a great place to go for welfare concerns. They host regular welfare events where they are available to chat with you as fellow students.   

• Contact: Eibhlinn Hutchinson (eh816), Josh Beevers (jjb217), Clare Robinson (cyr22)  

• UCS Welfare & Liberation Officers (Aryan, Aster, Jad, Lev, Belle, Cassian): If you are experiencing issues that intersect with your identity as BAME, LGBTQ+, a woman or AFAB, or from a Class Act background; or your position as an international student, then do feel free to reach out to the other Welfare & Liberation Officers as well as myself.  

• Contact:  

• Ethnic Minorities Officer: Aryan Bhuskute (ab304)  

• LGBT+ Officer: Aster Delarue (acd80)  

• Trans and Non-Binary Rep: Jad Younis (jy541)  

• Class Act Officer: Lev Tichonov (lt599)  

• Women+ Officer: Belle Prentice (ip426)  

• International Students’ Officer: Cassian Anderson (ca647)  

• Clare College Nurses (Naomi and Esther): They are both lovely, supportive, and helpful!   

• Naomi is a Registered General Nurse and Esther is a Registered Mental Health Nurse.   

• They can offer confidential counselling and Wellbeing Clinic appointments. They can also give advice on general wellbeing support available around College and the university. They also leave appointment spaces available for support sessions needed on short notice. As nurses, they can also offer support with physical health conditions.   

• They are bookable through here: <https://www.clare.cam.ac.uk/current-students/health-wellbeing-service>  

• They are reachable via email at collegenurse@clare.cam.ac.uk.   

• Their waiting room is on the first floor of X Staircase in Lerner Court and has a ton of pamphlets full of advice.  

• Room Requirements: If you have specific room requirements due to your disability, you can contact the Tutorial Office (tutorial@clare.cam.ac.uk).  

• Porters: Porters can offer help with medical emergencies and first aid, as well as offering general help, advice, and support. For quick inquiries, you can reach the porters on duty via porters@clare.cam.ac.uk. If you feel there is information the porters should know about you during a time of crisis, contact the college nurses to discuss.  

• Wellbeing Section in the Library: In the Library, you will find both general self-help books and books offering information or support for specific conditions. These are in the ‘Wellbeing Section’, in the same room as the computers and printer.   

• Library Support: The library staff are incredibly kind and helpful and can provide drop-off services for students who cannot access the library themselves.   

• Rev’d Dr Mark Smith: He is Dean of the Chapel, but he also has a general pastoral role in College and offers support to students of any (or no) faith.   

University Wide Support  

• Disability Resource Centre (DRC/ADRC): As discussed above (under ‘Getting support for a disability’), this is your main source of support, info, and advice as a disabled student. Their website is here: <https://www.disability.admin.cam.ac.uk>.  

• University Counselling Service: Available through self-referral. Generally, people are allocated 6-10 sessions.  

• The Student Advice Service: This is run by the Student Union and can offer practical support in academic and personal matters.  

• Student Union’s Disabled Students Campaign (DSC): This SU campaign fights for disabled students’ rights full-time. They signpost available resources as well as creating their own. For example, they have templates on their website for emails that you may need to send relating to your disability.  

• AccessAble: A website and app which has accessibility audits for all the central university buildings (like departments and lecture halls), and many commercial buildings in the city.   

• Crane’s Fund: This fund can cover medical costs for treatments not easily available on the NHS.  

• Student Wellbeing Website: This website offers a wide range of resources for student wellbeing.  

• Disabled Student Allowance (not Cambridge-specific): Student Finance offer a special grant to anyone diagnosed with a physical or mental disability who requires additional financial support as a disabled student.    

If you are in crisis & preparing for potential problems  

• The NHS: Consider registering with a GP surgery in Cambridge (Newnham Walk Surgery is often selected by those living in Memorial Court) so that you can arrange emergency and routine appointments.   

• A&E: If you need to go to A&E, the porters will be able to arrange a taxi to take you there and can issue a voucher to cover the cost.   

• Mental Health Helplines: Make a note of them if you are struggling.  

• Nightline (+44 1223 744 444)  

• Nightline are open from 7pm-7am during termtime. It is run by students in Cambridge, for students in Cambridge, and is completely anonymous.  

• Samaritans (116 123)  

• A country-wide confidential listening service open 24/7.  

• Papyrus HOPELineUK (+44 800 068 41 41).  

• Papyrus is a specialist support line for those having thoughts of suicide.  

• NHS 111: For urgent medical advice on mental or physical health issues, call NHS 111.  

Medical support for disabled students

Please see this link for available GPs near Memorial Court: https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-gp/results/CB3%209AJ  

Note that some transgender students and students with anxiety disorder have reported negative experiences with certain GPs at Newnham Walk Surgery. If you feel you are not getting adequate care, note that you have the option to switch GP surgeries.   

Also note that it is not obligatory to switch to a GP surgery in Cambridge if you already have one at home. Sometimes switching GPs can cause a hassle with medical records, so if you have complex medical needs, it may be worth reaching out to your current GP surgery to get their advice on how to proceed.  

Financial support for disabled students

Name of fund	Who is eligible	Source of fund	Purpose of fund
SFE Disabled Students’ Allowance	Only students on Home fees (i.e. not international students)	Government (managed through Student Finance).	You can get up to £27,000 (depending on your disability-related financial need) which you do not need to pay back.   It is not means-tested, meaning it does not take into account your household income or the amount of student loan you receive. It is based upon your disability and what financial setbacks it presents you.   You are eligible for any disability that I have described above (under ‘Getting support for a disability’), including specific learning difficulties, autism, mental health conditions, physical disabilities, sensory disabilities, and long-term health conditions. You will need to give evidence, usually a doctor’s note or, in the case of learning difficulties, a diagnosis from a psychiatrist.
International Disabled Students Fund	International students who do not qualify for the Home fund.	University funded.	This is a University of Cambridge fund that covers international students who do not qualify for the UK Student Finance Disabled Students’ Fund.   Contact the ADRC or your disability advisor to apply.
Disabled Students’ Bursary Fund	University of Cambridge students.	University funded.	This is a University of Cambridge fund that provides one-off “exceptional” awards for academic-related services or equipment where funding is not available from other sources.   Contact the ADRC or your disability advisor to apply.
Reasonable Adjustments Fund	University of Cambridge students.	University funded.	You apply to this fund through the ADRC. You do not get the money directly, but rather it is used to fund reasonable adjustments that the ADRC offers you, such as paying a Study Skills Tutor or Note Taker to work with you.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)	UK citizens.	UK government.   See Citizens’ Advice.	The PIP is a type of social welfare payment offered by the government to certain disabled people. It used to be called the DLA. To claim this payment, you must show you have difficulty doing certain specific everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition.   For more details on this, see the government or Citizens’ Advice website.
NHS Wheelchair Services	Recipients of the NHS.	NHS.   See Cambridge SU.	For more details on this, see the SU website.

Summary

Getting support  

• To get support from the Disability Resource Centre (DRC), you need to contact them, though they may contact you if you indicated a disability on your UCAS application.  

• A wide range of conditions are eligible for DRC support, including mental health issues, neurological disorders, physical disabilities, and long-term health issues.  

• The DRC will issue you with a Student Support Document (SSD). You will get the opportunity to negotiate what gets put on this document, but examples are extended essay deadlines and extra time in exams.  

• To be eligible for this support, you must provide evidence of your condition, which in the case of neurological conditions (such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia), must be a professional diagnosis. If you need help getting a diagnosis, contact me to explore your options.  

Other support  

• Clare’s internal support system, including your Tutor, Director of Studies, UCS Welfare Officers, and College Nurses, are a major source of pastoral support.  

• Your academic needs can be met by your Director of Studies and the Librarians.  

• Your pastoral needs can also be met by the College Dean, Rev’d Dr Mark Smith, who takes appointments, and the Porters, who are on duty all hours of the day.  

• University-wide support includes the Cambridge Students’ Union (SU), which has its own Disabled Students’ Campaign dedicated to helping disabled students. The SU also runs the Student Advice Service. There is also the University Counselling Service, which offers a few free sessions, and AccessAble, which provides accessibility information on buildings in Cambridge.  

• If you are worried you may experience a mental or physical health crisis, you should have preparations in place, such as registering with a GP, and making a note of other help available.  

Financial support  

• The Disabled Students’ Allowance provides extra money to students whose disabilities present financial challenges.  

• Various university, government, and NHS funds support other needs of disabled people.  

• International students may be able to get money from their country of nationality to support their studies – consider contacting your embassy.   

Navigating Clare College

Getting around the College

Here is some information about getting around the College, with a particular focus on how to traverse the College step-free.

AccessAble has accessibility information on the various courts of the College, as well as information about the accessibility of some College accommodation. Find that here: <https://www.accessable.co.uk/clare-college/access-guides>

Old Court

Old Court has uneven but generally level paving. To access the Great Hall, there is a stairlift which you must contact a member of staff to operate.   

To access the River Room, it appears that you must go through North Passage. A lift also leads, I believe, to the Senior Common Room (i.e. the balcony above the Great Hall, and the room behind).   

The bridge is a considerable slope, and assistance might be needed to surmount it and get safely down. The middle gate of the bridge is step-free.   

To access the Fellows’ Garden, the entrance closest to The Backs is step-free. The path is stoned. The paving around the Fellows’ Garden can be uneven, and at rainy times some paths are muddy or closed off altogether.  

Memorial Court

The paving is level and even. Not all staircases can be accessed step-free, but there appears to be a supply of ramps available.  

The FML is accessed by stairs or a stairlift. I do not think there is step-free access to the first floor.   

Access to the Prayer Room is, to my knowledge, step free, but the door to the room itself may be heavy.

Castle Court

There is a considerable slope into Castle Court with small speed bumps on it. Not all parts of Castle Court have step-free access. Castle End is the most accessible building and contains accessible amenities such as the Common Room, vending machine, and Laundry Room.  

Places to rest and refuel in College

Here is some information about which places in the College can provide you with a place to sit, eat, or use the toilet.

Rest

Memorial Court

• Ashby Court
  • There are chairs and sofas in the LCR, open until midnight. The LCR can be accessed by steps, but there is a stairlift option, if you press the help button.
  • There are outdoor benches outside the LCR.
  • It is permitted to sit on the grass in front of the LCR, if the weather is appropriate and there are no barriers up.
• Lerner Court
  • There are outdoor tables and chairs outside X Staircase. There is also a raised surface outdoors opposite the Garden Room where people often sit.
• Thirkill Court
  • There is not really any seating inside Thirkill Court, although the Prayer Room is in W Staircase (W2) where you can sit quietly if needs be.

Old Court

• There is seating in the Porters’ Lodge.
• The River Room Café is open to sit in from 9:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday.
  • Note: check how it can be accessed step-free

Castle Court

• There are chairs and sofas inside the Common Room in Castle End. Castle End is accessed by stairs, but there is a wheelchair lift that can be used.
  • Check with porters if key is needed / how obtained?

Food

Old Court

• Breakfast is served at 8:00 to 9:00.
• Lunch is served at 12:30 to 13:30.
• Dinner is served at 18:15 to 19:15.
• The River Room Café serves food and snacks from 9:00 to 18:00.
• The Porters are usually happy to offer you tea in the Porters’ Lodge, and may have a few biscuits if you ask nicely.

Memorial Court

• The LCR vending machine is stocked with snacks and drinks, and is open until midnight.
• The Porters are usually happy to offer you tea in the Porters’ Lodge, and may have a few biscuits if you ask nicely.

Castle Court

• The Castle End vending machine is stocked with snacks and drinks, and can be accessed 24 hours a day, but is empty more often than the LCR machine.
• The Porters are usually happy to offer you tea in the Porters’ Lodge, and may have a few biscuits if you ask nicely.

Toilets

Old Court

• There are gender-neutral toilets in the buttery, and a disabled toilet outside the buttery near the River Room. This can be accessed step-free via North Passage.
• There are gender-neutral toilets downstairs in E staircase.

Memorial Court

• There are men’s and women’s toilets in the LCR, open until midnight.
• The LCR toilets have narrow doorways and corridors that are not wheelchair accessible or gender neutral. There are plans to renovate the toilets and make them accessible and gender neutral in 2025.
• There are open, ground-floor, gender neutral toilets in several staircases around the court. The closest to the LCR is in J staircase. The closest to the entrance of Memorial Court is in P staircase. The closest to the back gate UL entrance is in I staircase.

Castle Court

• There are open, ground-floor, gender neutral toilets in several buildings around the Court, including CastleBrae and Castle End near the entrance, both accessible by steps. Castle End toilets can be accessed by a stairlift but I am not aware of the nearest disabled toilet in Castle Court.

Choosing Accommodation

See also the information on accommodation on AccessAble: <https://www.accessable.co.uk/clare-college/access-guides>  

• Castle End has the best options for wheelchair users as there are rooms with accessible shower and toilet ensuites.  

• Certain Clare buildings have reputations for being especially warm, cold, thin walls, etc. If you have any concerns, get in touch with Stanley, the Buildings Officer (sf790).   

Navigating the town centre

Some shops in Cambridge have what is known sometimes as a ‘quiet hour’. This is where the music is turned down or turned off and the lights are dimmed. The aim is to make the shopping experience more comfortable for those with autism or other sensory needs.

I also find that wearing sunglasses and headphones or earplugs helps.

I have also noted which shops and restaurants are wheelchair accessible, and given some door measurements for shops I wasn’t sure about.

A tick (✓) indicates that a shop is wheelchair accessible.

Food shopping

• Sainsbury’s, Sidney Street ✓
  • Sainsbury’s is wheelchair accessible. The exit is stepped with a narrow door, so after shopping you would have to go back around to the entrance to leave.
  • There is no quiet hour.
• Tesco Express, Petty Cury ✓
  • Wheelchair accessible.
  • Sunflower lanyards are welcomed.
  • The quiet hour is Wednesdays 9-10am.
• M&S, Market Square entrance ✓
  • Wheelchair accessible; the drop kerb is a little down the street from the shop entrance.
  • A lift takes you to the Clothing department.
  • No quiet hour.

Other shops

• Stationery and books
  • Ryman’s, Sidney St ✓ – There is a bit of a ramp to get in.
  • Waterstones, Sidney St ✓ – May need to open the double doors to get in. Lift in the very back, by the Hobson Street entrance.
  • W H Smiths, Market Hill ✓
  • Heffers, Trinity St ✓
    • There is a lift down via the main entrance and a lift up via the Children’s department.
• Toiletries
  • Superdrug, Sidney St ✓
  • Boots, Petty Cury entrance ✓ – Note the Sidney St entrance is stepped, but Petty Cury entrance is step-free.
• Clothes
  • Next, Sidney St ✓
  • Lucy & Yak, Green St ✓
    • For wheelchair access, you must ring the bell outside so they can bring out the ramp.
    • Instead of a quiet hour, the shop dims lights and turns off music on request, if you ring the bell outside.
  • T K Maxx, Market Hill entrance ✓
    • Entrance is around 110cm wide.
    • There is a lift to higher floors and ramps to access the higher levels on each floor.
    • Note that the other entrance is stepped – Market Hill is step free.
• The Grafton Centre ✓
• The Cambridge Market ✓
  • The Market is on cobbles which are quite uneven.
  • The Market is loud and crowded on weekends.
  • Browsing should be fine on weekdays and early mornings.

Cafés

• M&S Café ✓
  • A hidden gem. Always quiet.
  • See notes on M&S Foodhall for access.
• Costa, Market Hill ✓
  • There is a press for assistance button.
  • It is quite dark in there but tends to be crowded at busy times.
• Caffe Nero, Market Hill ✓
  • Doors are non-automatic but wide.
  • Quite dark and quiet.

Restaurants and fast food

• Itsu, Sidney St ✓
  • Step free. Entrance is 111cm wide.
• McDonalds, Market St ✓

Academic options if you are struggling

If you are having trouble keeping up with work in light of your health or due to personal issues, there are some short-term solutions, such as taking advantage of your SSD to request extended deadlines, or seeking support from your Tutor, DoS, or the College Library. However, if your problems keeping up feel more long-term, you may wish to consider applying for intermission or double time.

If the College notices you are struggling, they may initiate a procedure known as the Capability to Study procedure. This procedure is aimed at checking in to make sure you are fit to study at the university, in light of health issues, personal issues, poor academic performance, et cetera. However, if the situation advances, they may begin to consider options such as asking you to intermit or even asking you to withdraw from your studies. Therefore, it is important that you seek external support early if you are struggling with your studies. And if you have already been contacted by the Senior Tutor, please see the Capability to Study heading below.

Intermission and double time

With gratitude to prior Disabled Students’ Officers Anna and Abi, who originally wrote this list.

Intermission

Intermission is the formal term for taking a year out from your studies, usually for health reasons. Intermission can be very helpful if you are having health issues that are interfering with your studies that can be improved by taking time out. If you are considering intermission, contact your Tutor or the college nurses.

Also see the SU’s information on intermission, including more complete information about what the process of intermitting is like, and its implications for your studies: <https://www.cambridgesu.co.uk/advice/information/academic/intermission/>

Double Time

This is where each year of study is instead spread over two years – for example, a 3 year degree is instead spread over 6 years. It is designed for those who take longer to complete work for health reasons. It is most often granted to those with ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Applying for double time is done through your tutor, and will require medical evidence. If you have any questions about this, contact your Tutor, DoS, Nurses, or the SU Disabled Students’ Campaign.

Also see the SU’s more complete guide to Double Time: <https://www.cambridgesu.co.uk/disabled-students-campaign/resources/double-time/>

Navigating the Capability to Study procedure

Unfortunately, as disabled students are not always able to work at the same rate as non-disabled students, some disabled students may become involved in a Capability to Study procedure. This is a procedure that the College initiates, under the Senior Tutor, if they are concerned that you are not fit to study at the university, in light of health issues, personal issues, poor academic performance, et cetera. At first instance, it is simply supervision of your studies to help you get back on track; but if the situation advances, the Senior Tutor may consider options such as asking you to intermit or withdraw from your studies. Therefore, it is important that you seek external support with this procedure early, so that you have plenty of time to consider your options and get back on track.

If the College initiates the Capability to Study procedure, you may feel afraid, helpless, and alone. But this is not the case. The Capability to Study procedure is not a death sentence, but an opportunity to get back on track. And there are many people and institutions you can involve, armed with information on getting through the procedure and appealing its decisions. Still, it is important to take the situation seriously, as there can be very real consequences if the College considers that your academics have not improved.

The university has their own webpage on the Capability to Study procedure, found here: <https://www.studentcomplaints.admin.cam.ac.uk/supporting-and-assessing-capability-study>

Advice if you are involved in a Capability to Study procedure:  

• You have the right to bring somebody to your meetings to support you, which could be myself or one of the Welfare Officers, who have all volunteered to be available for these meetings.  

• Disabled Students’ Officer: Lizzie Stocks (evs31)  

• Welfare Officers: Eibhlinn Hutchinson (eh816), Josh Beevers (jjb217), Clare Robinson (cyr22)  

• You have the right to appeal the decisions of the procedure, including to an external regulator, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA).   

• Some of the most competent people to help you navigate the procedure will probably be at the SU, which holds regular drop-in sessions where you can come with academic issues, and whom you can contact for a meeting at any time.  

• The ADRC may also be able to support you, particularly your Disability Advisor. As the purpose of ADRC adjustments is to make you equal to an abled student, the Capability to Study procedure may be a sign you need more comprehensive adjustments.   

• At any rate, please tell somebody what is going on, whoever it may be, as nothing is more harmful than facing it alone.  

Summary

Academic options if you are struggling

• Intermission is the formal term for taking a year out of your studies, to recover from a health problem or personal issue. You should contact your Tutor or the College Nurses if you are considering intermitting.
• Double Time is the term for a form of study offered by the university where you complete your degree over twice the usual amount of time, usually for chronically ill students. You should contact your Tutor or the College Nurses if you are considering applying for double time.
• The Capability to Study procedure is a procedure by which the College assesses whether it is appropriate for you to continue your studies in light of a personal, health, or academic issue. You should contact myself, the Welfare Officers, or the SU if you are involved in Capability to Study proceedings and would like support.

Acknowledgments

Getting support for a disability

• Guide to Reasonable Adjustments and Student Support Documents, Cambridge SU, available here.

Other support

• Prior Disabled Students’ Officers Anna and Abi’s wonderful document listing support options.

And various University ADRC websites, linked wherever they are drawn upon.