Learning support and study skills

Students with a specific learning difference, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia, are likely to be offered specialist study skills support through the Disabled Students’ Allowances DSA scheme.

We can advise about applying for this and arranging the support.

King’s Disability Support & Inclusion Team also has a small team of Specialist Learning Support Tutors who provide learning support sessions to students not eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances.

To request more information about these sessions, please contact disability@kcl.ac.uk .

For current students

King's Academic Skills for Learning (KASL) provides a range of support to all students in mathematics, statistics and academic writing.

Libraries & Collections

Libraries & Collections are committed to providing inclusive, user-oriented services to support students and staff during their time at King's. Library staff are available to help users make full use of its services and facilities. All students registering a disability on their Student Record will receive extended library loans.

There is a range of services and facilities including, adjustable desks in most Libraries, book collection service, video magnifiers or CCTVs, ergonomic equipment.

King's Libraries & Collections - disability support

Assistive Software

There is a wide range of assistive software available at King's College London. These include:

• Inspiration 9: Create diagrams, mind maps, memory tools, visual learning, essay planning, comprehend and communicate.

• Text Help Read and Write Gold: Proof read your work, listen to your work, documents, convert text to a high quality audio and create audio revision files

• Dragon Naturally Speaking: Voice recognition software. With Dragon you can dictate documents in Microsoft Word, send emails and more all by speaking.

• Zoom Text 11: a screen Magnifier and Reader it reads most documents and can change background colours this applications is beneficial to users with a visual impairment.

• Jaws 18: Jaws enables users with vision loss to independently use a keyboard with a computer along with a connection to braille output devices.

• Abby Fine Reader 14: Abbyy Fine Reader helps you to convert an in-accessible document to a more friendly file format.

• Sensus Access: allows you to convert documents that would normally be inaccessible. These include image-only PDF files, scanned documents, pictures of text and Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.

Support and Training

King's also offers use of Assistive Technology Rooms (or Booths). You will need to email the Disability Support & Inclusion Team to register for access. If you have been assessed as requiring Dragon Nationally Speaking software, a Dragon account will be created for you.

We have 10 Assistive Technology Rooms (ATRs) that are distributed over 5 campuses. ATRs provide a quiet study area with PCs loaded with assistive software applications. There are also printer / scanners. To use an Assistive Technology Room or Booth you will need to contact or email the Disability Support Team to register for access.

Disability Careers and Employability Support

The King’s Careers and Employability Support service are able to provide individual support for help with writing CVs and job applications, preparing for interviews and assessments and offer guidance on how to disclose your disability to employers.

For more information, please visit the King's Careers Disability Homepage on KEATS or you can email careers@kcl.ac.uk directly.

Disability Support & Inclusion Funding (including Disabled Students Allowances, DSAs)

We recommend you apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). This is a government funded scheme that provides assistive software and specialist tutor support for home students. Find out more about applying for DSA.

Screening questionnaire

The first step in the process is to complete our screening tool on Student Records (available from September 2025)

The questionnaire will help us to decide if you are likely to have a specific learning difficulty or if there may be other issues that could be affecting your academic work. Complete the questionnaire and return it to the same email address. You must complete all sections of the questionnaire, providing as much detail as possible.

 The Learning Support Coordinator will review your responses and will then contact you to:

1. Offer you a follow-up appointment to discuss your concerns in more detail

1. Refer you directly for a full diagnostic assessment

Diagnostic assessment for Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs)

After we have received and reviewed your screening questionnaire, you may be referred to an assessor for a full diagnostic assessment.

This is carried out by an Educational Psychologist or a Specialist Teacher Assessor holding a current practicing certificate. 

King’s has partnership arrangements with a number of independent professionals who are fully qualified to assess higher education students.

A diagnostic assessment investigates whether your difficulties with studying and learning might be due to a Specific Learning Difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, or characteristics of ADHD.

The aim of the assessment is not just to provide the individual with a formal diagnosis, but also to explore and understand the person’s pattern of strengths and weaknesses so that to identify the best ways to manage any underlying difficulties.

A diagnostic assessment takes around 3 hours and includes an in-depth background interview and a range of tasks and tests related to reading, writing, memory and information processing.

Please note that ADHD can only be identified as a specific learning difficulty for the purpose of putting in place support in the education context. To obtain a full medical diagnosis of ADHD, which will allow you to access medication or CBT, you need to contact your GP and ask for a referral to a consultant psychiatrist for a medical diagnosis.

At the end of the assessment you will be given a short verbal feedback.

The assessor will send a written report to you and also to the Disability Support & Inclusion Team at King’s College London within two weeks of your appointment. 

On receipt of your written report you should contact the Disability Support & Inclusion Team to discuss the findings of the report and to implement appropriate support.

Fees and charges

An administration fee of £50 will be charged for all students enrolling at King's from September 2019 onwards.

All other costs (and the full costs for students who joined King’s in 2018-19 or earlier) will be covered by King’s College London. Assessments cost the university approximately £350.00.