Student Support (Undergraduate)
Health & Wellbeing, Counselling and Disability Support
Our Student Support team offers a team of specialist advisors who can provide information and guidance in a variety of areas, including finance and funding, disability support, counselling, health and wellbeing.
We are fully committed to providing equal opportunities to all, and the Student Support Team work alongside lecturers to support students.
Arts University Plymouth is an inclusive environment where the individual is celebrated. Please discuss your needs with us as early as possible to ensure that we can put appropriate and timely support in place. You can be reassured that any details you disclose will only be shared with relevant staff in order to enhance your learning experience at the university.
All staff in the university aim to reduce barriers to learning for all students through an inclusive neurodiversity approach. We work with the individual student, and will make a wide range of reasonable adjustments that may include the following:
Recording of lectures/tutorials/technical demonstrations where possible
Flexible assessment methods
Access to one to one and group study skills support through the Learning Lab
Access to resources in adaptable and varied formats
Advice and support for accessing practical sessions
General Welfare, Counselling and Holistic Health Support
Additional Tutorials for students who need extra time to understand learning content and assignment briefs
Lecture materials in advance via Google Classroom
Flexibility in attendance and punctuality for students with medical needs
Students can access Disability Advisors directly if students are experiencing challenges
Quiet rooms to relax/rest
Access to PowerPoint/Google slides in advance of the lecture so they can be imported into software
Sufficient time with library resources to accommodate reading needs and make use of assistive technologies
Support for students who find group work or presentations challenging
Learning materials/assignment briefs in accessible language
Extra time immediately after studio/group sessions with academic staff to check understanding
Flexible process in place for students with medical needs to receive additional time to meet deadlines for formative and summative assessments.
Constant and consistent messages regarding behaviour
The Library has a wide range of audiobooks and spoken word texts to help process information
Specialist support via the Academic Skills Team for study issues which may include; time management; understanding briefs and assignments; language support; creative writing skills, motivation
Considerate timetabling and fair warning of changes in timetables and venues
Early advice and agendas for off-campus activities
The standard adjustments listed above are not all-encompassing and we are more than happy to discuss your individual needs.
If you have any medical needs please contact Student Support so we can discuss how we can support you, by calling +44 (0)1752 203423 or emailing studentsupport@aup.ac.uk
Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) can help support you with your learning and to cover extra costs you have because of a disability including a mental health condition, a learning difficulty, or a long term illness.
You can visit the Student Finance England (SFE) site for more information on how to apply: https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas
The DSAs process is summarised by:
Apply online from March when you do your Finance application
Get medical evidence, preferably using the Disability Evidence form
Get an eligibility letter called a DSA1
Book and attend a DSA Needs Assessment
Receive the DSA award letter called a DSA2
You should aim to get your medical evidence in by July if you want your DSA support to begin in September. If you do not have an existing diagnosis, you may need an assessment for conditions such as Dyslexia, ADHD and Autism. The Disability Advisers at AUP can discuss this with you.
The support you can get through DSA can include the following:
Equipment such as a laptop computer to run Assistive Technology and software, for example, Dragon and Glean
One-to-one support such as Study Skills or Mentoring to help you understand and manage your academic work
Travel allowance if your condition means you are unable to use public transport to get into University
General allowance to cover basic ink and paper
For further information including other parts of the UK please click here. Alternatively, please email dsa_team@slc.co.uk.
Arts University Plymouth works in close consultation with Amano Student Support as its primary provider of DSAs non-medical help along with other companies. For more information on the support available please contact:
Email: dsa@amanotech.com
Call: +44 (0)1822 600060
The university offers a variety of free in-house services during your studies through the Student Support team including counselling, mindfulness, ear acupuncture & other forms of stress and anxiety management, signposting to external services and wellbeing workshops.
Appointments with the Student Support Counsellors and Wellbeing/Welfare Advisors are professional and confidential and you can get support for a range of issues such as:
Anxiety and depression
Abuse
Self-harm
Issues that affect your academic work
Bereavement
Issues at home such as those relating to relationships
Experiencing bullying or harassment
Safeguarding advice
If you are a current student, you can access a range of services online through the Student Counselling site, the Wellbeing site and the Student Support site. These web pages will help you to book a session with a counsellor, and Wellbeing/Welfare Advisors find information and tips on improving mental health and wellbeing, as well as where to go for specialised support and help on a wide range of subjects, from fitness and mental health to bereavement and LGBTQ+ support groups.
For more information please contact studentsupport@aup.ac.uk.
Our Library, Academic Skills and Learning Technologies teams support all academic and research pursuits for students across the university. In partnership with the university's other facilities, we offer 1:1 support and group sessions across a broad range of topics:
Accessibility tools
Time management
Critical reading and note-taking
Reading and research into writing
Writing skills (reflective, critical and academic writing)
Hidden talents of dyslexia
Dissertation support (referencing and researching)
Confidence in your presentation skills
Everything from essay research and referencing to dyslexia tools and help using online submission tools. Guidance is available throughout your studies either via booking on Smarthub, dropping-in to scheduled sessions or for individual support, booking face-to-face and through telephone or email is also available. The vast majority of topics covered are also available online in video format, together with further supporting information, so you can access support 24/7.
