DEMOS Project - Module: Admissions

Open Days, Interviews and Information visits

Open Days

Try to make Departmental Open Days accessible for disabled applicants. For instance, you should consider the use of BSL ^[?] interpreters for any speeches or lectures. Also, ensure that tours are accessible to people with mobility impairments or at least that alternative arrangements are made. Make sure that student ambassadors or tour guides are disability aware and if possible consider recruiting disabled students as ambassadors.

Provide any marketing information in alternative formats.

Interviews

Academic interviews should focus on academic issues not on the applicant's impairment. However, it may be necessary to discuss issues around completion of the course. For example, field trips and laboratory work may not be accessible and the course may have to consider reasonable adjustments ^[?].

Information visits

Many universities use a system of information visits. These are usually coupled with an interview or Open Day and someone from the Disability Office will attend alongside an admissions tutor to discuss, in depth, any support needs with the student.

N.B. : If support issues are complicated, it is necessary to involve the Disability Office of your university. Although you can explore some of the issues, the student often requires a level of information that you are not equipped to provide.

If you decide to see an applicant on your own you need to have some awareness of the support available in your university and around the issues of accessibility. Perhaps your university offers some training or guidance on what is available. It is important not to give misinformation to any applicant or enquirer about access to the university. Remember don't make promises to an enquirer if you are unsure that the promise can be met. It is always safer to refer the matter on to the Disability Office if you are unsure.

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