About

Support for students with disabilities 

There is a range of support available for students with disabilities in TU Dublin. To access these disability supports, we require you to submit evidence of your disability. The evidence of disability you provide is used to assess the impact of your disability and ensure that you get appropriate support. It will be assessed by professionals in our institution who have expertise and an in-depth knowledge of the impact of disability in the academic environment.

What supports are available for short term illness or injury? 

For students who experience a short term or temporary disability (e.g. injury or temporary illness) there are other Students Services available for example: Student Health, Student Counselling and Examinations Office, if temporary exam accommodations are required. https://www.tudublin.ie/for-students/student-services-and-support/  

What documents do I need to provide to show Evidence of my Disability? 

When submitting your evidence of disability documentation, please make sure that it has been completed by the appropriate medical professional for your disability.  A list of the appropriate professionals for each disability type is provided in the table below. Students may provide either a report from their medical professional or complete the Evidence of Disability form which can be found here Evidence of Disability Form.pdf

Guide to providing evidence of your disability for support in TU Dublin  

What if I have no documents in table above?

Students who are unable to provide the disability evidence from the source specified in the table above can avail of a general level of disability support (e.g. limited Exam Accommodations / Academic Supports and advice on assistive technology) by providing evidence of a disability from a General Practitioner or other health professional (e.g. Psychologist).  

Students with a Specific Learning Difficulty who do not have a full report from an Educational Psychologist, may present evidence of a history of a specific learning difficulty or receiving educational supports e.g. as part of the DARE Educational Impact Statement or State Examinations Commission letter regarding RACE (Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations) accommodations, or evidence of previous provision of accommodations in post-secondary education or training centres.  

Examples of Documents that are NOT sufficient for Registration with the DSS 

• Reports that do not contain a diagnosis or official signature, where one is required 

• Documentation missing key pages or conclusions  

• Where recent evidence is required, reports that are outside the required timeframe 

• Reports that have been altered or are illegible 

• Letters from an inappropriate professional describing observed difficulties e.g. high-street optician, audiologist or chiropractor 

• Self-referrals or self-written statements without supporting clinical evidence 

• Prescriptions or Medication lists 

• TU Dublin EC/PO Forms   

• GP Sick Certificate 

• Hospital or GP appointment letters / reminders 

• Letter of discharge from a service which does not confirm the diagnosis or functional impact 

• Non-diagnostic preliminary screening reports 

• Self-assessment / online screening tool 

• Photographs of medication, mobility aids, or assistive devices 

• Photographs / images that do not contribute to the verification of disability 

• Blank documents 

Please note: While these documents cannot be used as the sole evidence of disability, they may be submitted as supplemental documentation alongside appropriate diagnostic evidence, as listed in the table above  

You can download the above information here Guide to Providing Evidence of Disability.pdf

EU, Visiting or International students including Erasmus  

EU, Visiting or International students may register with the Disability Service for general disability supports. EU, Visiting or International students do not qualify for supports through the Irish HEA Fund for Students with Disabilities.  Visiting and Study Abroad students are advised to contact us in advance of applying for admission to discuss their support requirements. Evidence of Disability must be provided in English and if provided by home University it must be on their official headed paper.

How to register with the Disability Support Service?

Your Learning Support Officer (LSO), Autism Coordinator or Assistive Technology Officer (ATO) will work with you to assess the level of support required. There are several steps involved in the registration process:

Step 1

Contact the office by emailing disability.support@tudublin.ie or phone 01 220 5184. You will then be notified who your Learning Support Officer will be and how to make an appointment.

Step 2

When you meet with your Learning Support Officer they will take your details and examine your supporting documentation, as well as discuss the supports that you received previously (either at school or another college). You should bring copies of all of your supporting documentation with you to this meeting.

Please ensure all your documentation is up to date. Note: If you are entering our university through the DARE Scheme, we will already have copies of your documentation.

Step 3

Your LSO will then work with you to prepare a support plan, including exam supports, ongoing supports, and a referral for an Assistive Technology assessment.

Step 4

You will then meet with your Assistive Technology Officer (ATO), who will carry out an assessment to determine what, if any, software/hardware you need to assist you in your studies.

Step 5

Once this process has been completed, the DSS contacts relevant departments within TU Dublin (e.g. Examination Offices) on your behalf to inform them of your support needs.