Taking assessments can be a stressful time during your studies. It’s important that you are aware of all the support options available to you to access during the assessment period and 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
Personal Assessment Arrangements
If you have a diagnosed Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) or a medical condition that may affect your performance in written exams, you can apply for PAA if you haven’t done so already.
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 coursework cover sheet or exam script sticker that informs the examiner of your specific learning disability
- Using a computer or laptop (provided by the Examinations Team) 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
King’s College London in collaboration with other institutions, have 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
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 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 Accessing Student Support and Wellbeing remotely for more information on contacting the team during this time.
Other articles you may find useful:
I'm struggling with my studies, where could I go for help?
If you are looking for support that specifically relates to how your disability is affecting your study, there are a variety of study support options at King's available to support you:
- You could contact Disability Support 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, who will be able to discuss support options with you and anything specifically provided by your department(s).
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.
- Your personal tutor can provide general guidance on academic practice and can help you understand feedback that you have received from across your modules. They will also encourage you to seek further specialist support with study skills if needed.
- 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 and to consider sharing this information with your personal tutor so that they are aware of your needs within your academic department.
Study Skills Sessions
Our Study Skills Leaders at King’s currently offer online appointments where you can discuss a wide range of topics, such as academic writing, dissertation support, and statistics.
Our article How can I develop my study skills has more information about the Study Skills sessions and includes guidance on how to book an appointment.
Other articles you may find useful when studying online
Study space and facilities
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.
Other articles you may find useful:
- Library space & facilities
- How can Libraries & Collections support me throughout my studies at King's?
Student equipment loans
At King’s, we have a limited stock of King’s loan laptops that can be sent to students who do not have access to a laptop/computer. Please read our article Student Equipment loans during the 2020-21 academic year for more information.