Chapter 9: University application
9.1 Information sessions for prospective students
9.1.1. Basic principles
- Efforts should be made to ensure prospective students with disabilities have equal opportunity to receive information about university programmes and details of available accessibility services to inform their choice of university application.
- “Accessibility support” and/or “Applicants with disabilities” should become major categories of information tab in the “Admission” webpage. Prospective students with disabilities can more easily look for the details of accessibility services.
- Contact should be provided for prospective students with disabilities who have enquiries about possible accommodations for study programmes. Inherent requirements of each programme should be stated for students’ consideration
- It is also the responsibility of the prospective students to be aware of the characteristics and inherent requirements of the intended programmes. Students with disabilities who have enquiries about studying within the particular department(s) may proactively contact the university for further details.
- Examples of relevant activities are the Information Day for prospective students and taster programmes for secondary school students. Refer to Chapter 8 Accessible event planning
9.1.2. Essential practices of Information Day as an illustration - Preparation
- Incorporate accessibility awareness and practical guideline into the training of the staff and students-in-charge of the organization of the Information Day.
- Ensure all-rounded venue accessibility for Information Day. Refer to Chapter 5 Campus environment accessibility and Chapter 8 Accessible event planning.
- Include the accessibility service information clearly on the Information Day website, such as accessible shuttle bus stops within the campus and enquiry contact on the Information Day. Include an accessibility statement in the Information Day promotional notice such as: “To obtain disability-related accessibility service, visitors with disabilities are welcome to contact our Accessibility Service Coordinator at 23452345 or <[email protected]>”.
- Provide multiple and accessible forms of information. Ensure the availability of the electronic version of the equivalent information for online access as hardcopy of the information leaflets or brochures are often inaccessible to people with visual impairment.
- Ensure the accessibility of programmes, e.g. admission talks, departmental exhibitions, laboratory demonstrations and consultation sessions. Show captioned videos. Arrange the sign language interpreter with advance notice by visitors with disabilities.
9.1.3. Essential practices of Information Day as an illustration – On the event day
- Set up a booth of “Accessibility Services” similar to the booths of other faculties and teaching departments for on-site consultation, for promotion of an inclusive culture and for immediate enquiry contact. Email communication might not be suitable for prospective students and visitors with disabilities on the Information Day as it might take time to reply. Video clips and real products of some assistive technology such as Braille displays might be shown at the booth. Current students with disabilities can serve as consultants at the booth.
- Accessible Service Coordinators can collaborate with the student representatives of the respective departments to organize accessible campus tours, departmental tours, and hostel tours.
9.1.4. Other consideration
- Accessible hostel arrangement should be arranged for overnight taster sessions, such as summer immersion programmes for prospective students.
- The University may work with secondary schools to organize experiential programmes for secondary school students with disabilities to experience the campus environment and to be better prepared for transition to universities. It also facilitates university staff to identify any accessibility needs of prospective students earlier for planning ahead the accessibility service policy.
9.2 University programmes admission systems
- There should be no discrimination against applicants’ disability status. Applications should be judged on the basis of the fulfillment of the admission requirements and the competency of the applicants with disability.
- All participating institutions should be requested to mention the relevant information about accessibility support.
- All participating institutions should provide enquiry contact on the JUPAS website and websites of the corresponding institutions.
- Declaration of one’s disability status, if any, on the application form is not mandatory. However, applicants are encouraged to indicate the disability status and/or required accessibility service(s) so that the institution can identify what kinds of accessibility services they can provide as early as possible.
- The universities should do their best to accommodate students’ disabilities through the accessibility services and discussion with the students to work out the appropriate accommodation plan, rather than excluding the students on the basis of their disabilities at the outset.
- It is also the responsibility of the prospective students to be aware of the characteristics and inherent requirements of the intended programmes. Students with disabilities who have enquiries about studying within the particular department(s) may proactively contact the university for further details.
9.3 Selection interview
- The University should inform applicants with disabilities about the selection interview schedule as early as possible to allow more time for preparing for their required accommodations, e.g. checking for accessible transportation or booking sign language interpreters. It might also take the Accessibility Service Coordinator some time to communicate with the applicants with disabilities regarding the interview accessibility arrangement.
- Arrange an accessible interview venue.
- Allow multiple and reasonable forms of responses in the selection interview, e.g. verbal, written, sign language.
- Focus on the competency and not how the skill is to be completed, keeping in mind that the process may be accommodated.
9.4 Offer announcement
- Provide multiple and accessible forms of announcement, such as online system, email, phone call, and/or letter.
- Ensure the availability of the electronic version of the equivalent information of the offer announcement as hardcopy of the offer letters are often inaccessible to people with visual impairment.
- Ensure the offer announcement online system, and the procedures for offer acceptance and/or appeal is accessible. Provide point of contact regarding all these issues.
9.5 Reporting and registration day
9.5.1. The University should:
- Include the accessibility service information clearly on the New Student Orientation website and/or any “New Students Package” to be distributed to new students on the reporting day.
- Provide enquiry contact for new students with disabilities who have enquiries about the accessibility of the reporting day, registration and orientation programmes. Include an accessibility statement in the Reporting and Registration Day promotional notice such as: “To obtain disability-related accessibility services, students with disabilities are welcome to contact our Accessibility Service Coordinator at 23452345 or <[email protected]>”.
- Include the information guide about disability registration and accessibility service initiation in any “New Students Package” to be distributed to the new students upon offer acceptance and registration. The access needs declaration form and the reminder of preparation of supporting documents might be attached for earlier preparation as well.
9.5.2. New students with disabilities should:
- Go through the programme’s inherent requirements and the recommended course patterns to identify any plausible and required accessibility services as early as possible.
- Contact the Accessibility Service Coordinator to further discuss the required accommodation as soon as possible.