Questions and answers

The first thing to do in a life-threatening emergency is to call 999.

If your concern is urgent, but not a life-threatening emergency, you can make an urgent appointment with your doctor. The doctors at the Student Health Centre on Streatham Campus can see students who do not have a doctor in Exeter. 

Please see our urgent support page for more information.

All psychological therapies, including groups and workshops, Specialist Mental Health support, and AccessAbility services are free for current students at the University of Exeter.

Funding for extra support may be available for some students with a disability via Disabled Students’ Allowances.

Complementary therapies are provided by independent therapists at a reduced fee for students.

Confidentiality is crucial to the service we provide. Information about you will not be disclosed to anyone outside Wellbeing Services without your permission, except in exceptional circumstances. You can read more about our confidentiality policy under the policies section of this website.

Streatham Campus 

You can register at the Student Health Centre, they can be contacted on 01392 676606, you will need to register before you can make an appointment.

St Luke’s Campus 

You can register at the Heavitree Practice near the campus. They can be contacted on 01392 277409. You will need to register before you can make an appointment.

Out of hours

An out-of-hours doctor service is provided for urgent problems and can be accessed by phoning 0845 6710 270.

Open weeknights 18.00-08:00; weekends Friday 18:00-Monday 08:00; and also on bank holidays.

Other doctors

If you to find another doctor's surgery close to where you live, use the NHS Find a GP service.

Our advisor Georgie McMorrow has put together this short, informative video that takes you through the various aspects of interrupting your studies and your return.

Interrupted students: what you need to know

It takes in students' accommodation needs, Disabled Students' Allowance, setting up and amending an Independent Learning Plan, and more.

If you are applying for mitigation for for an assessment, you should discuss this first with your College or Student Office who should be able to offer advice and support with regard to the application procedure. Please also see the University’s guidelines on mitigation.

It is important to know that the responsibility for decisions around academic progress lies with the college or department concerned.

If you currently receive support from Wellbeing or have done recently, we will be happy to support your mitigation request. Please complete the Wellbeing Mitigation Evidence Request Form and our team will review your request. Please note you will have to apply for mitigation on SRS before completing this form, unless you are a BMBS, CEDAR, Degree Apprenticeship, INTO or fully online programme student.  If you are based in Cornwall, contact the relevant person that has been supporting you directly to obtain supporting statements/evidence. 

If you have never attended Wellbeing services  we will ask that you first see your GP regarding your mitigation concerns. We will then be happy to meet with you to discuss support options. 

Wellbeing Services offer a range of appointments on St Luke’s Campus, including AccessAbility appointments, Psychological Therapies appointments, and Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) funded support. Please get in touch with us if you would like further information, or specify when making an appointment that you would prefer to be seen at St Luke’s. Please be aware that waiting times may differ between locations.

How?

To have exam adjustments in place as a current student, you must have an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) in place. If you have a disability and wish to request an ILP, please complete our initial form, then select  Disability Support. Choose the 'Setting up an ILP' option to continue with your request.  

If you already have an Individual Learning Plan and want to update it or discuss further disability support, please select 'Updating or discussing an existing ILP'.

You should complete our form  even if  your health condition or injury is short-term (e.g. a broken leg). Select Disability Support, then 'Any other disability advice and support', which includes temporary injuries/conditions. 

As part of this process, we will request that you submit some supporting evidence.  

Following review by an advisor, an ILP will be set up in the Student’s Record System, which may include exam adjustments.   

Please note that any past exam arrangements you may have had, such as extra time during your previous study, will not automatically transfer to University exams.  

When?

Exam adjustment deadlines are noted on the examinations webpage. If you request exam adjustments after the deadline for a given exam period, we cannot guarantee reasonable adjustments will be implemented.   

The Equality Act (2010) requires that reasonable adjustments are put in place to remove barriers that may prevent students from participating at University and to minimise the impact that their disability may have on their ability to study.

A reasonable adjustment is a response to an individual student’s needs and includes any slight alternative to the existing framework, elements and assessments of the student’s course. Examples of reasonable adjustments include:

• Putting an individual learning plan in place (ILP)
• Exam arrangements
• Special field trip arrangements
• Renegotiated deadlines
• Alternative assessments

If you are not sure whether you qualify for this support please contact us or visit your GP to discuss the impact your physical, mental, or learning difficulty is having on your work. 

Wellbeing Services have a dedicated team of Mental Health advisors and AccessAbility Advisors who support students with disabilities.  

The service is available to students who experience a range of issues, with a specific emphasis on how they are impacting on your ability to study and cope at University.

The University will ask all students for information about their needs in order to properly advise about the support that is available. Our role is to support you, therefore it helps us to have as much information as you are able to give.

We would encourage you to declare a disability, health difficulty or specific learning difference to us; the University of Exeter welcomes all students and provides you with the best support and advice possible under the Equality Act 2010.

We appreciate that you may have concerns about disclosure, however, we are always willing to have a confidential conversation with you about any questions you may have about declaring your disability.

You may be entitled to:

• An assessment with a member of the AccessAbility/Mental Health team to consider your health and study needs.
• An Individual Learning Plan (ILP); this document recommends reasonable adjustments whilst you are at University, such as special exam arrangements, specific accommodation, field trip support (Equality Act 2010).
• Disabled Students Allowance (money towards your support).
• Additional support whilst at University.
• Protection under the Equality Act 2010.

If you require any of this support it is important that you do declare a disability to the University. If you choose not to, we will still be able to offer you support, although this may be limited.

Your concerns

Some students can feel unsure about declaring a disability for a range of reasons, we encourage you to consider the following points:

• The word ‘disability’ is used as part of the Equality Act 2010 to help define who is eligible for support.
• This can apply to physical, learning, and mental health differences as well as some health concerns.
• Applying for DSA does not constitute a formal registration of disability.
• It will not be recorded on your University academic records.
• You do not need to inform future employers about any DSA applications.

How and when to disclose

Current students can declare a disability via our Individual Learning Plan (ILP) request form. Please see the information above under ‘How to request exam adjustments’ for further instructions on how to access this form. 

If you have any questions or concerns about requesting an ILP, you would be welcome to contact us in the first instance to discuss this.  

Prospective students can enter the information on their UCAS application, and can complete our prospective students online form. 

You may be entitled to claim the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) which is administered by your local funding body. DSA is designed to provide students with the resources they need to give them an equal opportunity to succeed at University.

It is advisable to make enquiries about this to your funding body as soon as you know you are applying to go to University as the application process can take around 12 weeks. Wellbeing services can help to ensure you get what you are entitled to and can support you in the application process.

There are two campuses in Exeter:

Streatham Campus

Whilst this campus is beautiful, it is also very hilly and we would recommend that you visit or contact us before coming to University. We can discuss options for getting around the campus, such as using an electric wheelchair or scooter, or using the travel allowance part of your Disabled Students' Allowance.

St Luke's Campus

This campus is level, and smaller than the Streatham Campus, although we would still recommend you contact us to discuss accessibility so that we can ensure your needs are met.

Both campuses are approximately 15 minutes from the City, and regular bus services run into the centre.

Detailed building access information can be found on the AccessAble website.

If you are based on the Streatham Campus, you may wish to register with the Student Health Centre as soon as you arrive at University. If you’ll be based at Rowancroft or studying at St Lukes, the Heavitree Practice is in close proximity. 

If you have been referred to a specialist by your current GP, or you have treatment that is linked with a specialist service (such as a prescribed controlled drug e.g. some ADHD medications), we strongly recommend speaking to your current medical team before deciding to register in Exeter, to ensure that your care can be transferred. See our list of local and national services. 

There may be a number of options to consider to ensure that you receive the specialist support you require in the most appropriate place for you. This is often best put in place before you arrive at University, and Wellbeing services are able to advise on this.

If you have a temporary injury or condition, you can still receive support from our AccessAbility pathway.  

Please complete our initial form, then select Disability Support. Choose the 'Any other disability advice and support' option which includes support for temporary injuries/conditions.  

To arrange a DSA Needs Assessment (Study Needs Assessment), you first need to have received a letter of eligibility (DSA1) from your funding body e.g. Student Finance England.

Once you have received your letter, you will need to book an appointment to see an access centre assessor.

If you would like to speak with someone regarding any questions you have around your personal circumstances when it comes to careers and employment then please make an appointment with one of our Careers Consultants.

There are two application forms which are available to students on the DSA Website:

Slim form

This form is for students who have already applied for a student loan. You are able to send this application form directly to the funding body with any up to date medical evidence. This form does not require a signature or stamp from the University.

Long Form

This form is for students who have not applied for a student loan. You will need to have section 5 signed and stamped by one of our advisors. The university will then send this form to their funding body to await confirmation.

Some students may be required to re-apply for DSA each academic year, if you are required to, you will be told this on your current DSA2 entitlement letter. In this case, you will need to fill out the appropriate application form (Slim or Full), which can be found on the DSA website.

There are a range of signs or symptoms that may be associated with having a mental health difficulty that can impact on your ability to study and cope at University.

You can book an appointment with Wellbeing Services even if you are unsure exactly what the problem is. We will be able to discuss the kind of support that may suit you best through an Initial Consultation appointment. 

We're here to provide confidential support and advice. Psychological therapies are offered by qualified therapists who help you cope more effectively with any personal problems or emotional difficulties that may arise during your time at University.

Common concerns for students include:

Sometimes we cannot identify one specific problem, however we are happy to discuss anything that may be causing you concern about your mental health.

During an Initial Assessment, the practitioner will explore this question with you to agree the number of sessions that may be helpful and available to you. The counselling and CBT we offer is short-term. Some people find that they just need one appointment and in this instance, a Single Session Intervention can help you formulate a plan and consider strategies you can take immediately to deal with a specific worry or concern.

There will also be times when a student may require longer-term therapeutic work than we are able to offer. In such instances, we will do our best to sign-post you to other resources and agencies that may be more suitable. 

If you have concerns around your academic studies or progress, for undergraduate and postgraduate taught students, we recommend that you contact your departmental Pastoral Mentor, who can provide initial signposting, short-term support and onward referral to specialist support - including the Education Welfare Team - if needed. You can contact them directly here: Pastoral Mentors.

For Postgraduate Research students, your Pastoral Tutor or PGR Support Team can provide initial signposting and support, including onward referral to specialist support if needed. You can find the contact details for your Pastoral Tutor listed on your MyPGR record, or your local PGR Support Officer on this webpage: PGR Support Teams.

Witnessing friend or loved one going through a troubling time can be stressful and upsetting. We are happy to offer a confidential consultation, which can help to clarify your concerns and decide how best to respond. A discussion with a member of the Wellbeing Services team can also help you to keep in mind your own limits and to know when to stop intervening.
If your friend or loved one is also a student, and wants to see a member of the team, they should contact us directly. By making his or her own appointment, they will feel more committed and involved, and will be much more likely to keep the appointment.

Timing and motivation are both factors in the effectiveness of our services. This means it is important that students book their own appointments and decide for themselves whether this is the right time to seek help.

See our Advice for family and friends section for more information.