Visual impairment

If it would be helpful for you to be seated close to the front in talks, we recommend arriving early for any talks you have booked to ensure that you are able to get a suitable seat. If you arrive after a talk has already started or when visitors are entering a lecture theatre, we will not be able to ensure this.

There will be a University staff member working at each lecture theatre venue, so if you let them know when you arrive that you’ll need to sit at the front (and you have arrived in good time) they will do their best to let you in to the talk first to get a seat.

While our policy is to prioritise prospective students for busier talks, if you will require an accompanying guest in talks, to take notes or support you, let staff at the venue know and we can accommodate your guest.

We will be providing green lanyards for you, and if relevant a guest, to wear or carry with you. This will make it easier for our staff to identify who will require priority talk access and which accompanying guests are permitted to support students in talks. 

Using the lanyard means you will not need to explain your requirements at each talk venue. However, it is completely optional, so you do not need to take a lanyard if you are not comfortable with this arrangement.

You can collect lanyards from the following Helpdesks:

• Central campus: Informatics Forum Helpdesk
• Edinburgh College of Art: Main Building Helpdesk
• King’s Buildings: Nucleus Building Helpdesk

Certified Assistance Dogs are permitted to access all University premises under the control of their handlers (or where necessary in order to control the Assistance Dog for a short period of time, someone other than the handler).

Ensure that they are clearly identifiable as an assistance dog so that our staff do not need to check, as only assistance dogs are allowed into University buildings.

Read our policy and guidelines on assistance dogs. The Assistance Dogs UK list has been expanded since this policy was published.

You will be able to speak with staff from our Disability and Learning Support Service at their information desk, located in McEwan Hall from 10am to 4pm.

Their role is to provide support to prospective and current students who are considering studying at the University of Edinburgh who have a disability, learning difference, neurodivergent or health condition that may impact on their studies. 

They will be very happy to speak with you on the day about your specific support needs in relation to studying at the University of Edinburgh. You can also get in touch with them outside of the Open Day.

Disability and Learning Support Service website