Considering joining the UM community as a student?
Are you an individual with a physical, sensory or mental health impairment and/or a medical condition and/or specific learning difficulties?
If so, you have a right to access arrangements to successfully complete your chosen course of studies:
- during your lectures
- in the preparation of your assignments
- as well as throughout examinations.
The aim of access arrangements is to remove barriers and help students become independent learners.
Arrangements are intended to enable students to access the course programme and examinations or other assessments without changing the objectives of the programme or the assessment criteria, and without giving an unfair advantage over other students.
Access arrangements may include, but not be limited to, extra time which may be used as settling down time and/or rest breaks, flexibility with deadlines, the use of a computer with text-to-speech automation or any other assistive technology to read your notes. In exceptional circumstances, a scribe may be used to access examinations due to difficulties in writing.
Access arrangements are made on an individual basis following a review by the ACCESS-Disability Support Committee and its working groups. If you’ve already had arrangements at school and/or other educational institutions, it is highly likely that you are also eligible for arrangements at UM.
Please note you’d have to reapply for them, preferably as soon as you decide to apply for a course at UM. It is always important to let the University know in advance.
Once you have successfully submitted your application for access arrangements through your e-sims portal, the coordinator at the ACCESS-Disability Support Unit (ADSU) will be in contact with you to discuss the required support needs and explain the process for application.
The ADSC and ADSU will do their utmost to make sure that your requirements are catered for, so you can enjoy the learning process with your peers.
Throughout the years, students with disabilities have applied and successfully completed their course of study with the support of access arrangements.
The numbers of students requesting for access arrangements at UM are continuously on the rise since the inception of the ADSC/ADSU.
To give an idea, in the last 5 years, the ADSU had 201 registered students in the academic year 2019-2020 and has just concluded the current academic year with 461 students.
As already mentioned, having access arrangements because of your impairment is a right for a full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. We encourage you to come forward to discuss your queries and/or concerns whenever you need and you will be provided with academic and emotional support accordingly.