Who can we support?

DAS works with students who have a disability which meets the Equality Act 2010 criteria. This includes:

• Sensory impairments such as those affecting vision or hearing
• Mobility impairments, including musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis
• Long-term mental health conditions such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety disorders
• Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD
• Autism spectrum conditions
• Long-term illnesses health conditions, such as cancer, epilepsy, chronic heart disease, and autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, HIV or diabetes 

Under the Equality Act 2010 a person is considered disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial ('more than minor or trivial') and long-term (lasting or likely to last 12 months or more) adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal daily activities.  

‘Daily activities’ include things people tend to do on a regular or daily basis, such as shopping, reading and writing, getting washed and dressed, preparing and eating food, walking or travelling, and taking part in social activities.  They can also include study and education-related activities.  

Conditions of a fluctuating or progressive nature may be covered, and some diseases like cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis are included immediately from initial diagnosis. 

We are not able to support students with temporary illnesses or injuries, or conditions which fall outside the Equality Act (2010) definition of a disability. You should contact your college doctor or senior tutor for advice on temporary college support.

Watch a series of videos of students discussing their experiences studying at Oxford with a disability:

If your needs or circumstances change or your support is not working, you can discuss making changes with the DAS. Whatever your concerns, stay in touch with your disability advisor, or your disability coordinator in your college or department. Let the DAS know about any questions, queries or concerns and they will do their best to help.