Disability - CS052207
Case summary May 2022 | Justified
A student suffered a serious injury in an accident during their studies. Some months later they asked their provider for support for the ongoing impact of their injury on their studies.
Disability - CS052208
Case summary May 2022 | Not Justified
A student experiencing complex mental health difficulties interrupted their studies during their first year. The provider backdated the student’s interruption so that they weren’t charged tuition fees.
Disability - CS082007
Case summary September 2020 | Not Justified
A student needed an ergonomic chair. The provider agreed to pay for a chair for use on campus; DSA funding covered the cost of a chair for the student to use at home. Following an assessment with a chair specialist, the chair was supplied to the campus.
Disability: funding reasonable adjustments - PI071904
Public interest case July 2019 | Justified
The Open University
A disabled student enrolled on a distance learning master’s degree, having successfully completed undergraduate studies at the provider. The student found the process of applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) more difficult than in previous years, in part due to the changes in which funding body was administering the process. The provider and the funding body had to resolve a concern about how to deal with non-conventional academic years.
Industrial action - CS051913
Case summary May 2019 | Partly Justified
A student was in the final year of a BSc programme at the time of the industrial action. In March 2018 they raised concerns about the impact of the action on their assessments and the availability of their tutors, and on their mental health. After successfully graduating, the student instructed solicitors. In a Letter before Action the solicitors said the student was dissatisfied with the University’s response to their concerns and that the University had breached its contract with the student.
Student mental health - CS041909
Case summary April 2019 | Justified
After some time away from study, a student living with long term mental health conditions returned to their course. They provided medical evidence that they were fit to return.
Student Mental Health - CS031801
Case summary March 2018 | Justified
An LLB student had been diagnosed with depression, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety which prevented her from leaving her house.
Student Mental Health - CS031803
Case summary March 2018 | Partly Justified
A medical student complained to us after the provider dismissed her academic appeal. The provider concluded that she needed to repeat Year 4 because she had not satisfied the progression requirements.
Student Mental Health - CS031805
Case summary March 2018 | Partly Justified
The student, who had been diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder, was pursuing a Doctorate which involved a practical element of assessment. After a few periods of absence and an extension to her registration period the student was warned that no further sustained absences could be supported.
Settlement - CS011803
Case summary January 2018 | Settled
The student withdrew from his course nine weeks after enrolling and lodged a complaint.