This is a guide to UCL’s Support to Study procedure.
The full procedure from the UCL Academic Manual can be found here.
What is Support to Study?
Support to Study is a UCL procedure that can offer you support if you have engaged with UCL’s standard support processes, such as a Summary of Reasonable Academic Adjustments, Exam Adjustments, Study Adjustments and Extenuating Circumstances, but these have not offered the right level of support, and you require additional support to study.
The Support to Study procedure is usually initiated if you are having significant, long-term difficulties in engaging with your studies, including classes, attendance, formal and informal assessments, or in other circumstances where you might require more support. The stages of the Support to Study process have been outlined in the next section.
Throughout this process, you are allowed to be accompanied by a ‘friend’, who may be a member of staff, or student at UCL, or a Students’ Union Advisor.
Who can have a Support to Study plan?
A Support to Study plan can be created for students in many different circumstances who are finding it difficult to keep on top of their studies. This could be because of ongoing or repeated extenuating circumstances, a disability, caring or parenting responsibilities, amongst other circumstances. In some cases, there may be more than one reason for initiating a support plan, or no underlying reasons.
A Support to Study process is initiated by your department, but if you think you need additional support, you should contact someone in your department or the Students’ Union Advice Service who can help you look at your options.
Can I refuse being under the Support to Study procedure?
The Support to Study process is designed to support you with your study, so it is in your best interest to engage with the process. If you do not engage with the process, including not responding to communications or attending meetings, you may be required to attend a Mandatory Faculty Interview.
Stages of the Support to Study Process
Once a student is identified as having a need for additional support, Stage 1 of the Support to Study process is initiated.
Note: In some circumstances, a direct referral may be made to a Support to Study panel for you. In this case, you will go directly to Stage 3 of this process.
Stage 1: Support Plan
A Support Plan is a tailored support package that includes actions for you and your department to support you in your studies. It is set up in a meeting with you and a staff member, normally the Departmental Tutor.
The actions in a support plan vary and depend on your individual circumstances. It will include recommendations for you and actions that you and your department must take. These can include for you to maintain a certain level of attendance, apply for study adjustments, and for the department to provide pastoral support, amongst other things. You can look at a range of possible actions and recommendations available here.
Stage 2: Review of your Support Plan
Your support plan should be reviewed regularly, in a meeting with you and the author of your plan to ensure that it is supporting you effectively, and the first review should be between four to eight weeks after it is set up.
The review meeting has a few possible outcomes:
- The plan has worked effectively and no longer needs to be continued
The plan will be closed, and no further action will be required .
- The plan is working effectively and will be continued
The plan may be established as a long-term support mechanism, and periodic check-ins will be conducted with you to ensure that it is continuing to work effectively.
If anything changes, another Stage 2 review can be initiated.- The plan is not working effectively, and you are still having significant difficulties
You may either
- Be referred to the UCL Support to Study Panel (see Stage 3), or
- Receive a revised support plan with actions for you and your department, following which another Stage 2 Review meeting will be conducted. A revised support plan is normally only drawn up on one occasion, after which you may be referred to a Support to Study Panel .
Stage 3: Support to Study Panel
If you are referred to a Support to Study panel, you should receive a notification about the panel, either
- Within 15 Days of your Stage 2 Review meeting, if you were referred after receiving a support plan, or
- As soon as is possible, if you were directly referred to Stage 3 of this process.
In advance of the panel, you will be invited to submit a statement to the panel. It can be written, or a video or audio recording. Submitting a statement is optional but can help the panel understand your circumstances and the issues you have been facing. Information on what to include in your statement is below.
The Secretary will also write to your Support Plan Author and Faculty Tutor (or their nominee) to ask them to provide a statement. This may include a case history, supporting evidence and any recommendations which they may have for possible panel outcomes.
What should I include in my panel statement?
When writing your statement, you should consider:
- Any mitigating factors, such as extenuating circumstances, disabilities or long-term conditions.
- Any steps you have taken to address your circumstances (this may include undergoing treatment, having therapy, etc).
- What support you are accessing (this may include support from SSWS, family, friends or a therapist).
- What further support from UCL you may benefit from.
Alongside your statement, you will be asked if you would like to submit any supporting evidence. This can include:
- Supporting medical evidence from your doctor.
- Supporting statements from UCL support services, such as Student Support and Wellbeing or Disability Services, who may have been supporting you.
- Any other relevant independent evidence.
At a Support to Study Panel:
The panel will:
- Ask you about any mitigating factors which you would like to be taken into consideration and what outcomes and/or support you would like to see.
- Discuss how UCL can provide immediate and/ or longer-term support with your mental and/or physical health and wellbeing.
- Explain the possible outcomes of the meeting.
Outcomes of a Support to Study panel:
There are several possible outcomes of a Support to Study panel. Some possible outcomes can include:
- A new support plan
- Reasonable Academic, Exam or Study Adjustments
- Change of Programme Diet and Module Substitutions
- Mandatory Interruption of Study
- Mandatory Withdrawal from UCL
A full list of potential outcomes is available here.
Receiving a panel decision:
- You will be invited to a follow-up meeting to discuss the outcome.
- You will receive a formal written notification of the decision within ten working days of the follow-up meeting.
- You will have a ten-working day appeal window, after which the outcome will be formally applied to your student record.
Appealing a Support to Study panel decision:
If you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the Support to Study panel, you may submit an appeal on the grounds that there was significant procedural irregularity in the conduct of the panel that had a material impact on the fairness of the panel outcome .
Appeals must be submitted within ten working days of the official notification of the panels decision, and submitted to the panel secretary.
Your appeal will be considered by a senior member of staff who has previously not been involved in the case.
- If your appeal is upheld
You will receive an outcome letter explaining the actions that will be taken.
The possible outcomes of a successful appeal are:
- The original Support to Study Panel reviews its decision, with recommendations as required, or
- A new Support to Study Panel is appointed with members who were not involved in the original decision to look at the case and make a new decision.- If your appeal is not upheld
You will receive a clear reason for any decisions reached and confirm that the original decision being appealed against will stand.
If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to submit a complaint for review to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. You can find information about complaining to the OIA here.
Mandatory Faculty Interruption: What It Means and Why It Happens
In rare cases, if your engagement with studies remains low despite support, your Faculty may decide that a temporary break is in your best interest. This is called a Mandatory Faculty Interruption, and it’s designed to protect your wellbeing and academic progress.
If you are placed on Mandatory Faculty Interruption, the UCL Interruption of Study Procedure will apply.
If you believe the decision made by your Faculty Tutor to interrupt your studies is unreasonable in your circumstances, you may submit an appeal to the Director of Education Services, through this form.
How can the Advice Service help you?
Your Advice Service can offer support throughout the Support to Study process, including:
- Helping you understand the process
- Reading through drafts of your statement for a Support to Study Panel
- Attending a panel meeting as your ‘friend’ for moral support
To book an appointment, please use our contact form. If you would like an advisor to accompany you, let us know the date and time of your meeting, as well as if you would like to have a conversation beforehand.
You can send our guide on how to Support a Student in a Meeting/Panel to any UCL staff or student you would like to have accompany you as a 'friend' to a meeting or a panel.