Disability support
Disability service
The disability service is here to provide you with advice and guidance, and to discuss the support you need and how you can access this support. We can also signpost you to other relevant services.
If you are a current student and you have – or think that you may have – a disability, medical or mental health condition, or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia which is now beginning to impact on your studies, please contact us using the details below.
How to book an appointment
We are happy to answer your enquiries via email, telephone or face to face. Please contact us at disability@hw.ac.uk to arrange.
Disability statement
Heriot-Watt University is committed to providing a fair and inclusive environment for all. We welcome and value disabled students. In meeting our commitment, the University will strive to ensure that disabled students are offered appropriate advice and support throughout their University career. We recognise that some people who have a disability* will not need any additional support and some will not consider themselves to have a ‘disability’ at all.
The Disability Service is here to offer advice and guidance to all and to discuss and arrange support for those who need it.
*‘Disability’ is defined by the Equality Act 2010 as ‘a physical or mental impairment’ which has ‘a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to perform normal day-to-day activities’.
We have a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that disabled staff, students and visitors do not suffer 'substantial disadvantage' in comparison with non-disabled people. In the case of a student, this would be in comparison to non-disabled students. 'Substantial disadvantage' is defined as 'more than minor or trivial’.
The Equality Act 2010 further categorises disability as follows. You can find additional information about how we support different categories of disability on our Support Available webpage.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to ensuring that disabled people have access, as far as is reasonably possible, to all aspects of University life. Disabled students, including prospective students are encouraged to disclose their disability, seek advice and discuss their eligibility for support and the type of support that is available.
Further details of our wider equality and diversity strategy can be found in Heriot Watt University’s Equality and Diversity web pages.
Alternative formats
If you need information in an alternative formats such as large print or Braille, please contact us using the details below.
Key information
AccessAble
Edinburgh Campus
- +44 (0) 131 451 3386
- disability@hw.ac.uk