Taking assessments can be a stressful time. It’s important that you are aware of all the academic support options available to you to access throughout your studies at King’s.
Academic support at King's
Additional support if you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)/mental health condition/medical condition
Personalised Assessment Arrangements
What adjustments can I request?
Students eligible for PAA can request for arrangements which can include:
- Having additional time during an exam which can be used for rest breaks
- Having a neurodiversity assessment coversheet or exam script sticker that informs the examiner of your specific learning disability
- Using a computer or laptop (provided by the Examinations Office) to type up answers for a written exam.
Important to know: If you are granted PAA, you will not be granted any additional time when completing 24-hour online assessments.
Articles you will find useful when applying for PAA include:
Additional support when preparing for your exams
In collaboration with other institutions, we've put together a resource you can use to help you prepare for your assessments and cover topics including:
- Organisation & time management
- Academic support
- Referencing
You can access the resource on our webpages.
Additional learning support from Disability Support & Inclusion
A team of Specialist Learning Support Tutors provide interim learning support sessions for:
- Students who are in the process of applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)
- International, EU, and other non-DSA funded students
Disability Support and Inclusion also have a small team of Specialist Learning Support Tutors who provide learning support sessions to students not eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance.
I need further support
You can book a one-to-one online appointment with one of our Disability Advisors who will be able to support you further. Take a look at our article What student support services are available at King's? for more information on contacting the team.
I'm struggling with my studies, where could I go for help?
If you're looking for support because your disability is affecting how you study, there are many study support options available.
- You could contact Disability Support & Inclusion for advice. The service provides one-to-one appointments, drop-in sessions and study skills workshops which you may find useful.
- You could contact your personal tutor or course leader. They'll be able to discuss support options with you and anything specifically provided by your department. You can find out more about your personal tutor's role by reading our article Who is my personal tutor & what do they do?
Who can I contact if I need academic support?
- For specific support on an assignment topic, you can contact your module leader/lecturer. Academic staff usually hold dedicated ‘office hours' for students throughout the week. Your course handbook or our faculties and departments webpage will include a list of key contacts within your faculty/department. Alternatively, you can find a list of academic contact details within our article Faculty Student Hubs: Contacting & visiting your faculty.
- Your personal tutor can provide general guidance on academic practice and can help you understand feedback that you have received across your modules. They will also encourage you to seek further specialist support with study skills if needed. To learn more about your personal tutor, and to discover how to contact them, please read our article Who is my personal tutor & what do they do?
- If you’re currently enrolled on a study abroad programme at King's, please read Global mobility & study abroad at King's for guidance on contacting your personal tutor.
- If your studies have been affected by unforeseen circumstances, you may be able to apply for mitigating circumstances; read our article What are mitigating circumstances? for more information.
Does my personal tutor need to know that I'm disabled?
If you require adjustments to support your learning, or your disability/disabilities are having an impact on your studies, then you are encouraged to seek specialist support through Disability Support & Inclusion and to consider sharing this information with your personal tutor so that they are aware of your needs within your academic department.
King's Academic Skills for Leaning (KASL)
King’s Academic Skills for Learning (KASL) offers a range of resources and activities to help you approach your assessments with confidence, including workshops and online self-study resources themed around revision and exams.
KASL offers one-to-one online academic skills sessions to support you with revision, exams, and coursework, including enhancing your skills in writing and statistics.
Explore our resources, book workshops, and one-to-one appointments via KEATS.
Our article How can I develop my academic skills? has more information about resources and activities from King’s Academic Skills for Learning and other ways to enhance your academic skills.
Study space and facilities at King's
There are a number of informal study and bookable spaces across our campuses. For more information on availability, read our article Where can I study on campus?.
You may also find this article useful: How can Libraries & Collections support me throughout my studies at King's?
Student laptop loans from IT
If you need to borrow a laptop you can borrow this from King's. Laptop loan cabinets can be found across all our campus libraries. Find out more information by reading Can I borrow a laptop? on our LibAnswers page.