Implementing adjustments

The process of recommending adjustments is initiated when a student registered with our Service.

What is an adjustment?

A reasonable adjustment is a change made to a student's study to ensure they can fully participate in their education. Adjustments are:

  • Intended to help ensure disabled students are not disadvantaged compared to their peers
  • Available to all students who have a disability, long-term health or mental health condition, neurodiverse conditions or specific learning differences or students who experience temporary impairments (such a broken bones).
  • Intended to address a disability related issue, not an ability ‘gap’. 

How are adjustments decided?

Students may be given a standard SoA when registering with the Service.  In most cases, students are invited to then meet with a Disability Advisor to discuss the student’s strengths and areas where they need support studying.  The Advisor will then create a more comprehensive SoA.  Disability Advisors consider the requirement for students to demonstrate core competence standards when exploring support options and adjustments. 

An Advisor will prepare and publish a SoA on EUCLID to be viewed by School, Exams and Library staff, who are then responsible for ensuring the adjustments are implemented. 

Student Systems have produced Guidance on Using the Schedule of Adjustment Tools in EUCLID

Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy (AILP)

The University’s AILP aims to make all students’ learning a more positive and inclusive experience. 

It includes 8 baseline standards that previously had only been recommended for disabled students. 

These 8 adjustments are considered good practice, and we aim to embed them as inclusive teaching practice to make teaching and learning more accessible.  They are intended to reduce the need for specific adjustments to be set up, and to ensure equality for all students. 

Confidentiality 

Disability related information is classed as ‘sensitive personal data’ and is processed by the University in accordance with data protection law and the University’s Data Protection Policy

For information on the legal basis by which DLSS collects and uses students’ data check our Privacy Notice

Specific details of a students’ condition are not required to be included in the SoA, and students are not obliged to disclose detailed information to their School about their condition.  Disability Advisors will discuss with students if they would like details to be included in an SoA, or shared with schools, when support is put in place.

In some instances, it may be useful for the School to know the details of the condition, but in many cases it is not relevant to allow Schools to implement support. 

The Equality Act 2010 makes discrimination against disabled people unlawful.  Implementing reasonable adjustments is intended to ensure disabled students have an equal opportunity to fully access their studies. 

When a student tells a University of Edinburgh staff member about their disability, the University is considered aware of it.  This makes the University responsible under the Equality Act 2010.  This awareness and the Data Protection Act (1998) affect how the University records and shares this information, and what it does if a student wants their disability to remain confidential.

The Equality Act consolidates previous anti-discrimination legislation for England, Scotland, and Wales. 


Student: The Equality Act says that someone has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a long-term or substantial adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.  Physical or mental impairment includes sensory impairment such as those affecting sight or hearing.  Impairments covered by the Act also include specific learning differences, neurodivergence and long-term health conditions such as diabetes, cancer or HIV.

Disability Contact: This role has the designated authority of the Head of School and is a point of contact for disabled students within that School.  Students can raise issues of concerns about implementation of adjustments and other disability issues.

Coordinator of Adjustments (CoA): To oversee/monitor the School's processes to ensure the effective dissemination and implementation of adjustments.  CoAs have access to the Schedule of Adjustments Inbox in EUCLID which has a dashboard that shows all adjustments in that School.

Course Organisers/Course Secretaries (CO/CS): have access to the Course Adjustment Breakdown in EUCLID.  This lists all their courses and provides information of adjustments required in each course.  They can also view the Learning & Teaching summary, which can be printed or exported to PDF to be distributed to teaching staff. 

Teaching Staff: can request viewing access to the Course Adjustment Breakdown view in EUCLID from the CO/CS, and/or a PDF or printed copy.

Student Advisers and PG Supervisors have access to view adjustments via the student’s EUCLID record.  This is only for students to whom you have a professional relationship. 

Ad Hoc Staff can be given access to a particular student’s SoA by the CoA if they do not hold one of the roles above but need access in order to ensure the student’s adjustments are implemented. 


  • One or more disabilities, impairments, health conditions or learning differences
  • No known disabilities, health condition or learning difference
  • Prefer not to say
  • Learning difference such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or AD(H)D
  • Social/communication conditions such as a speech and language impairment or an autistic spectrum condition
  • Long-term illness or health condition such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, chronic heart disease, or epilepsy
  • Mental health condition, challenge or disorder, such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety
  • Physical impairment (a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting or carrying).
  • D/deaf or have a hearing loss/impairment
  • Blind or have a visual impairment uncorrected by glasses
  • Development condition that you have had since childhood which affects motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills, and speech and language
  • A disability, impairment, health condition or learning difference not listed above

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