Disability FAQs – Athlone

Visit our Registering with the Disability Support Service page. It explains how to use the online Registration Portal and what supporting documentation you will need.

You can register once you have accepted your place at TUS and have access to your TUS student email address. There is no set deadline, but we strongly recommend registering as early as possible to allow time for your application to be reviewed and for you to complete a needs assessment.

It is better to register and then choose how much or how little support you use than risk unnecessary stress later. If you need help or advice, contact the Disability Support Service at disability.midlands@tus.ie.

Please note: Exam support deadlines apply each semester. After these dates, exam accommodations cannot be added or changed for that exam session. Visit our Exam Supports page for further information.

Yes, you can still register. Many students do not identify with the label “disability.” However, in higher education, the term is used to connect students to funded supports. To access these supports, your condition must meet the criteria of a disability as defined nationally.

Yes. You can email disability.midlands@tus.ie to arrange a meeting or visit us during a walk-in session, Monday to Thursday from 2.00–3.00 pm. You can find out what registration involves before deciding whether to proceed.

Yes. DARE is an admissions scheme that applies only to entry. Once you are a student at TUS, you still need to register with the Disability Support Service and attend a needs assessment to access supports. While we may receive your details from the CAO, supports are not put in place automatically, you must complete the registration process like any other student. Like all students, those entering through DARE should register with us when they start, but there’s no deadline, so you can register anytime.

Yes. You do not need to have applied through DARE to access disability support. Any TUS student who meets the relevant criteria and provides appropriate supporting documentation can register with the Disability Support Service.

For information about applying through DARE, contact the TUS Athlone DARE Advisor at dare.midlands@tus.ie.

For questions about the number of DARE places available on a particular course, contact the Admissions Office at admissions.midlands@tus.ie.

International, visiting and Erasmus students register with the Disability Support Service in the same way as other students and are encouraged to register as early as possible.

Before registering, please read the information for international students on our Registering with the Disability Support Service page. It explains the requirements for supporting documentation and professional English translations. It also explains that reasonable accommodations available in your home country may not be available at TUS.

A needs assessment is an informal, one to one meeting with a member of the Disability Support Service team. It is not a test.

You will discuss any challenges you are experiencing, what has helped you in the past and the supports you may need at TUS. The reasonable accommodations and supports agreed during this process will be recorded in your LENS.

Reasonable accommodations are changes or supports that help students with disabilities access and participate in their studies. They are considered individually through the needs assessment process and take account of the impact of your disability, your supporting documentation and the requirements of your course.

Examples may include exam accommodations, assistive technology, learning support or access to course materials in an alternative format.

You can read the TUS Student Reasonable Accommodation Policy for further information.

LENS stands for Learning Educational Needs Summary. It records the supports and reasonable accommodations agreed following your needs assessment.

Your LENS may include:

• Exam accommodations
• Assistive technology
• Learning support

With your consent, relevant information from your LENS may be shared with TUS staff where needed to provide your agreed supports and accommodations. If you do not give consent, some supports or reasonable accommodations may not be available.

Support is based on your individual needs and may include:

• Exam accommodations
• Assistive technology
• Learning support
• Access to materials in an alternative format
• Support in planning for work placement

Visit the Athlone Disability Support Service page for more information.

Learning Support is one to one support for registered students where it has been identified through the needs assessment process. It can help with organisation, study techniques, assignment planning and exam preparation.

Visit our Learning Support page for more information.

Assistive Technology (AT) includes software, apps and equipment that can make tasks such as reading, writing, note-taking and organisation easier. It may be recommended during your needs assessment, and training is available to registered students.

Visit our Assistive Technology page for more information.

You do not need to reapply each semester or academic year. Your disability supports roll over each year.

If your disability, health condition, course requirements or support needs change, contact your Disability Advisor. Your supports and reasonable accommodations can be reviewed where necessary.

Yes. A range of services and resources is available:

• One-to-One Learning Support is available to registered students where it has been identified as an appropriate support through the needs assessment process.
• The Learner Success Toolkit is open to all students and includes practical help with planning, organisation, academic writing, research, revision and time management.
• The TUS Library provides research and referencing support, workshops and other academic resources.
• The Academic Writing Centre offers free support with academic writing, structure, clarity and referencing.
• Your Essay Builder is an interactive, step by step guide to planning and structuring an essay.

Your approved exam accommodations are put in place automatically for the Christmas, summer and autumn exam sessions.

If you have a separate exam venue, go to Room B08 15 minutes before each exam to meet your invigilator. If you are sitting in the main exam hall, your extra time and/or Marking Guidelines will be applied automatically by the Examinations Office.

Visit our Exam Supports page for more information.

No. If you need your exam accommodations for a timed in-class exam, such as a midterm exam, you must complete the Continuous Assessment Exam Supports Form.

You must provide at least seven days’ notice for supports to be arranged.

Temporary exam supports may be available for students with an injury or temporary condition that affects their in person, end-of-semester exams.

You must provide appropriate medical documentation that covers the exam period and is dated within four weeks of your application. Temporary exam supports apply for one exam session only.

If you have an ongoing condition, you should register with the Disability Support Service for ongoing support.

Visit our Exam Supports page or email disability.midlands@tus.ie for further information.

Yes. Reasonable accommodations can apply to work placement, but placement supports need to be considered in advance.

A Disability team will meet with you to discuss your needs and may complete a Professional Learning and Educational Needs Summary (PLENS). This document outlines the supports you may need while on placement. You decide if, when and how your PLENS is shared with placement staff. The Disability Support Service will not share it without your permission.

Visit our Placement Support page for further information.

Yes. Apprentices can access disability support. You will need to meet with a Disability Officer and provide appropriate supporting documentation. During the meeting, you will discuss the supports available and complete an exam support form where required.

Email disability.midlands@tus.ie for further information.

Yes. Our Bridging the Transition to TUS page includes:

• The Starting University Guide for Students with Disabilities
• Information about registering with the Disability Support Service
• Practical advice about preparing for and settling into college
• Information about our Transition to University event
• Guidance for parents and guardians

Yes. The Autism&Uni Toolkit provides practical information for autistic students at the Athlone Campus who are preparing for and adjusting to university.

It includes information about what to expect, accessing support and managing common challenges during the transition to college.

Yes. Our Supporting Your Student page provides information and practical guidance for parents, guardians and caregivers supporting a student as they prepare for college. Once a student begins their studies, the Disability Support Service works directly with the student.

Our annual Transition to University Event includes a campus tour, an overview of available supports and an opportunity to meet members of the Disability Support Service team. Event details are published on the Bridging the Transition to TUS page.

Yes. Quiet spaces are available in several locations on the Athlone campus. Students can also use the Sensory Room on the D corridor. Visit our Accessibility page for information about quiet spaces and other accessibility resources.

You do not need a TUS parking permit to park in an accessible parking bay, but you must display a valid Disabled Person’s Parking Permit or Card.

There is no charge for parking in an accessible parking bay. If you park in a standard marked parking space, you must have a valid TUS parking permit, even if you display a Blue Badge