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Staff & students

Providing medical and diagnostic evidence

The Disability Service requires medical and/or diagnostic evidence of your impairment, condition or Specific Learning Difficulty to establish your entitlement to disability support and funding.

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You will need to provide an authorised translation if the original evidence is not written in English. See your embassy for a list of authorised agencies. The original (untranslated) document must also be provided, and this must be signed by the author.

Forms of evidence

Letter from a doctor

Any medical evidence if in the form of a letter should be signed, dated in the last six months and on headed paper. It should include details of:

  • The diagnosis and date of commencement
  • Expected duration of the condition or impairment, or confirmation that it is ongoing
  • The impact on normal day-to-day activities
  • Potential difficulties when using public transport, where relevant
  • Details of side effects of prescribed medication, where relevant
  • We cannot accept GP records printouts as evidence

Medical evidence form

Download the Medical evidence form (Word document)

This can be given to the GP or other appropriate qualified professional. It cannot be completed by a therapist or counsellor. 

A Diagnostic Assessment from a psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher. Please note that the author must hold a current SpLD Assessment Practicing Certificate or be HCPC registered at the time of the assessment and follow SASC guidelines.

If you had a diagnostic assessment before the age of 16, and you were awarded reasonable adjustments in your exams, you will need to provide a JCQ Form 8 with your diagnostic assessment.

Goldsmiths offers further guidance and can arrange an assessment for students who have, or think they have, a Specific Learning Difficulty.

A written statement or letter from a doctor, or appropriate qualified medical professional, which confirms a substantial and long term adverse effect on the individual’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Alternatively, a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) issued by a Local Authority can be given.

Medical evidence form

Download the Medical evidence form (Word document)

This can be given to the GP or other appropriate qualified professional. It cannot be completed by a therapist or counsellor. 

Sending us your evidence

First, read our Data Protection and Confidentiality Statement to understand how we will use what you send us, then email it to disability@gold.ac.uk.

Payment for evidence

It is your responsibility to obtain evidence and, if your Doctor charges you for this service, pay any fees incurred.

Our local partners, Amersham Vale GP Practice, will provide medical evidence for free. We recommend our students register with them.

If you are experiencing financial hardship you may be able to apply to the Student Hardship Fund for a contribution towards the cost of obtaining evidence.