Applying to a college or university

Everyone who decides to go into further education has to decide where they want to study.

There are several important factors to consider:

  • Where do they do the course or subject you are interested in?
  • Do you want to move or stay at home?
  • What is the reputation of the place?
  • Do you think you will be happy there?
  • What facilities do they have?

What facilities should you look for?

Woman at computerYou may need to visit the college or university to be able to make an informed decision. Open days are a good opportunity to ask questions.

All universities and colleges have student support services which usually offer counselling, student advice and welfare support, and the Student Union will help you approach these if you’re not sure who can help you.

However, some support services are more specialised and are able to provide ongoing support to people who have suffered with mental health problems. In most universities you will be asked to visit a disability adviser who can work with you to determine your needs if you should start studying there. This is beneficial to you as they will be able to liaise with your department to make sure you get what you’re entitled to, such as:

  • exams in a separate room
  • seating near a door or a window in exams
  • exams with time allowances for taking medication
  • a lap top computer to allow work from home when a student is too ill to attend University
  • time out of the course without penalty when a student is not managing
  • personal support where the student may have a particular person to go to if difficulties arise
  • a period of counselling with the a University or equivalent counselling service
    benefits advice
  • extra time to do assignments, and help in other areas.

You might want to contact the disability support department to find out what level of support they could potentially offer you, pending your assessment on arrival. They should also be able to tell you about other support services such as student counselling.

In some Universities a mentor scheme exists where you will be paired up with someone, usually another student, who understands mental illness or your particular disability. Many people with mental illness have reported this to be very beneficial and have both prevented relapses and kept them in their studies.

Disclosing your mental illness

When you have decided where you want to go you will need to apply. There are some courses where a history of mental illness may affect your application. These courses include training to become a nurse, and training to become a teacher, for reasons of fitness to practice.

For other courses it is usually advantageous to declare that you have a disability.
The positives to disclosing your mental illness are:

  • you may be entitled to the extra help in living at University and your studies, even if you do not need it to start with
  • you may be eligible to live in university accommodation for the duration of your course, unlike others who have to move out after 1st year.
  • you may be entitled to extra top up benefits
  • you may have one less worry to think about when you set of for University