You can apply in several ways: 

 

Documentation

You must provide appropriate evidence of a disability, specific learning difficulty or ongoing medical/mental health condition in order to progress your application.  

  • Your DARE application if you were a DARE eligible CAO applicant
  • A report from a relevant medical consultant/specialist with evidence of your disability, significant ongoing illness, mental health condition and/or specific learning difficulty. Type of Documentation Accepted
  • An Evidence of Disability Form completed by your GP/Health Professional/Specialist
  • A copy of your RACE Accommodations for the Leaving Certificate exams.
  • An Assessment of Need or School Statement from your secondary school

 

Code of Practise and Consent to Disclose

You will be asked to sign a code of practice which outlines your rights and responsibilities in receiving reasonable accommodations on application. All information provided by Students is completely confidential. Once permission to share information is received, this will only be sent to the relevant people/departments as outlined in the code of practice.
 

Needs Assessment Process

You will be invited to attend a Needs Assessment meeting with one of our Disability Support Staff. This can take place online or in person and is an opportunity to discuss and identify any reasonable accommodations or other support requirements. After checking personal details, staff will go through:

  • Previous supports/resources/aids
  • Strategies/compensatory skills and strengths
  • Impact of a person’s disability/condition on daily life and education
  • Course demands
  • Any questions students may have
     

Learning Education Needs Summary (LENS)

Your reasonable accommodations will be agreed at the Needs Assessment and a link to a LENS report will be sent to you and your module leaders outlining these accommodations. The LENS report will also contain information relating to any end of semester exam accommodations once the main UL exam timetable is released. Students should pay close attention to any alternative exam venues at this time. It is vital that students check their LENS report to ensure all details are correct and immediately contact disabilityservices@ul.ie should any adjustments need to be made.

Students with a disability are entitled, under law, to reasonable accommodations. The university receives funding through the European Social Fund to support students with disabilities.  Please see related documentation regarding reasonable accommodation policy and practice  within the university.

Making a reasonable accommodation might involve changing procedures, modifying the delivery of the course taken, providing additional services (e.g. examination arrangements), or altering the physical environment.

Reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis during a needs assessment and in accordance with the individual's certified disability/specific learning difficulty.

Please note we have a duty to comply with the Equal Status Act, 2000 which provides that an educational establishment cannot discriminate in relation to the access of a student to any course, facility or benefit provided by the establishment and the Disability Act 2005, which places a statutory obligation on public service providers to support access to services and facilities for people with disabilities.

After you register with the service, you will be invited for a Needs Assessment.  DSS assess students’ needs for reasonable accommodations in their examinations during the needs assessment.  DSS liaise with Academic Registry to facilitate reasonable accommodations in end of semester exams for students with a disability.

Here are the steps to ensure correct end of semester exam accommodations are in place for you.

  • Confirm your module registration in Week 1 on the student portal as required by the University
  • Your accommodations are confirmed at your Needs Assessment
  • A LENS (Learning Educational Needs summary) will be issued outlining these accommodations.

On Monday, Week 2, DSS will download your data from SI. DSS cannot issue a LENS (Learning Educational Needs Summary) or put any type of support in place (including exams) if you do not confirm your registration in Week 1.

A LENS (Learning Educational Needs Summary) will be emailed to relevant staff (academic and administration) and to you by Friday Week 2 of each semester except the Autumn Semester, of your first year.  It is extremely important that you check all the information on the LENS including module code and name, lecturer, semester and exam accommodations.  

If there are any errors or changes to module registration in your LENS you must email Disabilityservices@ul.ie immediately with relevant corrections. An updated LENS will be issued which you must check to ensure the relevant changes are made.  This is the information that will be used for your end of semester exam accommodations, so it is vital that it is correct.   No amendments will be made after Week 5.  The onus is on you to check that all information relating to your exams is correct.

A specific disability related exam notification will be emailed from Disabilityservices@ul.ie to you and relevant faculty by Friday of week 10.  You must check that modules dates, time are correct and notify me immediately if they are not.  

For any further information phone on 061-213478 or email Disabilityservices@ul.ie

In Course Assessments

For in-class assessments or examinations not organised via Academic Registry, students should contact the lecturer concerned to apply the reasonable accommodations.

  • If you need help with any of the below tasks please contact a member of staff from Disability Support Services. We can only assist you if you inform us of a problem.
  • Complete all tasks as instructed by Academic Registry
  • Log on to a campus computer and activate your student email. Check your emails first thing every morning. All information which is disseminated throughout the university is done so through email. 
  • Print student timetable.
  • Locate lecture halls and classrooms relevant to you. 
  • Disability Support Services will provide you with print credit at the beginning of the semester in order for us to do so you must activate your print account by printing one page on campus.
  • Attend all classes/labs/tutorials
  • Become familiar with sulis/module or whatever resource the lecturer is using to provide notes to the class via Sulis or Moodle.
  • Print or save course outlines. Course outlines are given out by each lecturer at the beginning of each semester. They outline important information for the module. Learning goals and expectations will be outlined in this document as well as course assessments. All contact details for the lecturer will be included here as well as the lecturer’s office hours. This is a vital document.
  • Familiarise yourself with who your academic advisor is. Your academic advisor can help you with any academic issues you may have and their contact details can be found through the student portal.
  • Become familiar with the library and the library website. Attend a tour and learn how to use the electronic catalogue.
  • Learn how to type. A typing program is provided by Disability Support Services. Typing is one of the key skills needed by first year students.

International and Erasmus students are required to register with Disability Support Services in order for us to put academic and exam supports in place. Documentation regarding your disability should be submitted, a Needs Assessment will take place with Disability Service and reasonable academic accommodations will be agreed upon.

Ideally students should make contact with the Disability Support Service before they arrive in Ireland so that an appointment can be made with one of our staff.

If you have any other questions about Disability Support Services in the University of Limerick please contact:

Disabilityservices@ul.ie
Tel: 353 (0)61-213478

The Cooperative Education & Careers Division is responsible for the management and development of the Cooperative Education and Careers programmes. Some 2,000 students are placed annually under the Cooperative Education programme with a network of over 1,600 employers.

Careers

The Careers Service is part of the Cooperative Education & Careers Division. Their primary mission is to support students and recent graduates in developing and implementing successful career plans, and to facilitate the recruitment process for students and employers. Each School has Cooperative Education & Careers Division Manager.  There is also a Employability Careers Advisor in Careers Service, these are their contact details: www.ul.ie/careers

Clinical Placements

Please contact your clinical placement officer for any queries you may have about your clinical placement. If you have any disability related queries please contact us

School Placement

Please contact your School Placement officer for any queries you may have about your School placement.  If you have any disability related queries please contact us

University of Limericks Students Complaint Procedure

Frequently Asked Questions

Disability Support Services Handbook

Policies, Procedures & Handbooks for Students

Code of Practice