Disability Support

Disability Support

To ensure that your needs are catered for we can offer:

  • individual consultation and supportive sessions with the Senior Disability and Welfare Advisor and/or the Senior Health and Welfare Advisor,
  • screening for specific learning difficulties (including Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and ADHD and Autism),
  • a programme of specialist study skills tuition within the School,
  • assessments, recommendations and adjustments of residential and learning environments,
  • liaison with academic departments to make special arrangements for auditions, interviews, examinations and to ensure students’ needs are being met in learning and performance contexts.

In addition we have counsellors and mentors who are available to support students who need this.

We can make referrals for diagnostic assessments, guide students through the process of applying for Disabled Students' Allowance, provide information on alternative financial support where required, support students as they begin to use specialist equipment/software and implement new strategies for studying.

The Senior Disability and Welfare Advisor

If you are thinking about coming to the Guildhall School to study, the Senior Disability and Welfare Advisor can meet with you online or via phone call, to discuss your needs, the demands of the course and the provision for people with disabilities – in order to assist you in making a decision about applying or accepting a place. This can take place at any time during the academic year that is convenient for you.

Learning Resources

The IT department has provided additional workstations which offer specialist facilities for dyslexic or visually impaired students including large letter keyboards, Inspirations; Read and Write software, Lunar magnification package and Dragon Speech software. 

The Library is also extremely supportive of students with disabilities – help is available for navigating around library resources, using electronic databases and extended loans can be arranged for those who need them.

Please note that support for English as a foreign language is provided by the Academic Departments. 

Getting Support

The following FAQ should help to guide you through any questions you might have about accessing support for a disability and/or a long-term medical condition, and direct you to the people who can offer more information.

Non-Medical Helper Information for Practitioners/Needs Assessors

The information below is intended for disability practitioners, particularly Needs Assessors who are writing an Assessment of Needs report. It includes the current rates charged for supporting students with a disability and is a requirement of DSA- QAG, (Disabled Students Allowances Quality Assurance Group), that we publish this information on our website.

Non-Medical Helper Support

Guildhall School of Music & Drama aims to provide non-medical helper support to all of our disabled students as required. Where we do not necessarily have the support in-house, we work and liaise with external specialist agencies to provide this.

If you require any further information regarding this information, please do not hesitate to contact:

Disability Statement

At Guildhall School of Music & Drama, we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all students, regardless of disability or specific learning difference (SpLD), can achieve their full potential and thrive creatively, academically, and personally. We support students with a wide range of disabilities and SpLDs through tailored services provided by our Student Services team, and we can also help you access relevant external support where needed. 

What do we mean by ‘disability’? 

Disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities (Equality Act 2010).  

Including but not limited to the following:

•    physical disability
•    sensory loss
•    mental health conditions
•    health conditions (e.g. asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis)
•    medical conditions which may cause pain or other symptoms which affect your studies
•    specific learning differences (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia)
•    ADHD and autism
•    any other condition which has a significant effect on your ability to study.