Thursday, 01.01.1970
Students with Disabilities

If you are considering coming to Ireland to study, and you have a disability, then you need as much information as possible about the support and assistance available to you. There are a number of bodies and authorities in Ireland in existence to make life and education as accessible as possible for those with a disability; we at Learning.ie are here to guide you through the main ones…

The Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) is a good place to start. It will give you a sense of what to expect in moving to Ireland with regards to the cost of accommodation, socialising and surviving!

The National Disability Authority (NDA) will provide you with information on legislation such as the Disability Act of 2005. The Act introduced, among other things, a directive for Irish companies to maintain a minimum of 3% disabled employees working in the firm. The aim of the Act was to improve the lives of all disabled people in Ireland and is being enforced and revised on a continuous basis. Another target is to give adults with disabilities an individual assessment of their needs from the health and education sector from 2011.

FÁS (a training and employment board) run a Disability Awareness Training Scheme that is designed to heighten education and awareness of disability in the workplace. It accepts that many people may be uncomfortable in dealing with disabled people and seeks to eradicate this out-dated and patronising attitude.

The Disability Federation of Ireland is another centre for those looking for any information about disability support in Ireland; it especially focuses on the policy and research side of things and any updates that might be relevant.

The Association for Higher Education Access & Disability (AHEAD) is an invaluable source for any disabled student. It was established in 1990 and aims ‘To promote full access and full participation in higher education by students with disabilities; and to assist in their employment on graduation.’

Perhaps the most valuable source of information for any international student with a disability is the college itself. All universities in Ireland (e.g. TCD, UCD, DCU, NUIM) have a Disability Officer and most other Institutes of Technology and colleges have an Access Officer.

Both of these provide assistance to students in dealing with all parts of college life; such as applications for funding, accommodation problems or exam support.

You can find the details for these officers on the website of your chosen college.