Help With Stammering At University & College

Are you at, or going to, university or college? Find out what support you can get to help with stammering.

When going to college or university, the prospect of having to speak on your course can be a major worry. It's usual to take part in tutorial discussions, ask questions and give opinions. You might be asked to do  the dreaded 'let's go round and introduce ourselves' thing. Or, more worryingly for some, you may find that you have to do a presentation that counts towards your marks.

The good news is that you can get help to make things easier and less stressful.

Reach out to student services

If you're willing to tell the college or university about your stammer, they can support you. If you talk to them early enough, support can be put in place before you start your course.

Every uni has a service for supporting its students. Each one will have a slightly different name, but fundamentally it will include a general wellbeing service and a more specialised disability service. These are there to make sure changes are put in place to support you.

I wish I'd spoken with the Student Support Service earlier, as it could have saved me a lot of worrying.

Read Kyle's story.

You might feel weird about going to Student Support Services. But they are there for you and universities actively want their students to be successful. Wellbeing services can provide all kinds of general support around your mental health and your coping skills.

If you don't see stammering as a disability, you might feel particularly weird about going to Disability Services. But you'll only be able to get formal adjustments to the way you are taught (mentioned below) through them. If stammering affects your college/uni experience and academic success, you're entitled to support.

Chat with them in person or download and fill out our template letter below to make first contact. Or you could talk to your personal tutor and show them our Guide For University Staff. 

Explain to them how stammering affects you. Then ask them to make 'reasonable adjustments' (see below) to help you make the most of your course.

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Caption

Orla, Babszie, Bhupinder,Tayo & Steven

Getting 'Reasonable adjustments'

You're entitled to support thanks to a piece of law called the Equality Act. Or the Disability Discrimination Act if you're in Northern Ireland. These are there to make sure you aren't at a disadvantage because of your stammer. The Acts mean that universities are obliged to make 'reasonable adjustments' for you. These are changes or adaptations to how things are done to accommodate your stammer.

Below are some examples of reasonable adjustments you can ask for. For more ideas, download our 'Reasonable adjustments for students' guide further down.

Making introductions

Lots of people who stammer find it hard to say their name. If you're worried about this, you could ask for reasonable adjustments to:

• get the tutor to make the introductions for everyone
• wear name tags in first sessions
• let you choose the order in which you want to introduce yourself
• pair up and introduce the other person instead of yourself. 

Tutorials, seminars & lectures

You may fear speaking in front of a large group. Or you might be reluctant to contribute or read out your work. You could ask for reasonable adjustments to:

• agree with your tutor on the best way for you to contribute
• give you the option of asking someone else to read out your work
• work in pairs or small groups instead

• use software where people can type questions.

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  Tayo & Orla

Presentations

Doing presentations in front of a group might be especially difficult. If so, you could ask for reasonable adjustments to:

• video your presentation beforehand instead of doing it live
• let you co-present with someone else
• read from a written script, if you'd prefer
• give you extra time (if it's being timed)
• let you practise in front of a smaller group beforehand
• give presentations in a less formal way. Eg sitting around a table instead of standing in front of a group
• adapt the format to include written elements
• arrange to submit a written or visual piece of work instead
• let you use an app to help with stammering or an electronic fluency device. (See Apps & Devices). You might be able to get funding for this. See 'Getting Funding Support' below.

One thing which has helped is requesting reasonable adjustments. I was allowed to record presentations, so I had plenty of time to practise it in my own time.

(Keelan, via Facebook)

Oral exams

If some of your course marks are based on presentations or oral exams, you may worry that you'll be put at a disadvantage. You could ask for reasonable adjustments to:

• give you extra time
• incorporate a different form of assessment (eg a written element or recording)
• let you use an app to help with stammering or an electronic fluency device. (See Apps & Devices). You might be able to get funding for this. See 'Getting Funding Support' below.
• give examiners information about stammering before the exam.

Other reasonable adjustments

You could get other types of adjustments such as:

• having a support worker in the room, if appropriate. They can support you with any spoken elements
• a review of the college or uni's assessment criteria. If it gives marks for 'fluency', this could be replaced with 'effective communication'. It should instead focus on your ability to convey thoughts and ideas logically. Not being fluent doesn't mean you aren't an effective communicator. 

If you need medical evidence

Your college or university might ask you to provide medical evidence that you stammer. Here are some options:

• You could ask your GP to provide a letter — they may charge for this (around £30).
• Or contact your local NHS speech & language therapy department. Ask for an assessment — they should be able to provide a letter at no charge. See Adult therapy & courses for details of how to contact your local service. 

The letter needs to confirm that you stammer and describe the impact it has on your uni or college life. Check with Student Support Services what they need from you. 

Getting funding support

You might be able to get funding for things that could help you. For example:

• going on a stammering course or attending private speech & language therapy sessions
• going on a course to develop public speaking skills
• an electronic fluency device, if you know this is something that would help you. (See Apps & Devices.)

Applying for funding for these will depend if you're in further or higher education. In College, it might be through Learning Support. In University, it might be through Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA). See below for more details:

Further education

Learning support should be available from your college. See the Student Services or the Disability Service. Or your training provider, if you're on a traineeship or apprenticeship. You can also apply for Access to Work towards extra work-related costs. For more information, see gov.uk's Access to Work page.

Higher education

Contact the Disability Service within the Student Support Services to ask about DSAs. In England, you can apply online for DSAs when making your university application. You can also download the form from the Student Finance section on gov.uk. You can apply before you have a confirmed place at a college or university.

If you haven’t applied at the start, please keep in mind that you can contact Disability Services to be assessed for DSA at any time later on in your course.

Read more about Disabled Students' Allowances at gov.uk.

Disability Rights UK has a range of factsheets on their website all about the law and the benefits you could get. Or phone their Student Helpline on 0330 995 0414 or email students@disabilityrightsuk.org  

Bullying

Any type of bullying is unacceptable. All colleges and universities have a zero tolerance policy towards this. Report any bullying immediately to someone you trust so that action can be taken.

Links & resources

More support at uni

• See our Socialising At University If You Stammer page. Get tips on coping at Freshers Week and meeting people.
• Watch the video: 'Supporting Students Who Stammer'. Three students talk about their uni experiences and give advice to others who stammer.
• Read articles from our members about life at university. Or write something yourself.   
• Share our Guide For University Staff page with your tutors/course leaders, so they can support you.
• Visit the Stammerers Through University Consultancy website. It supports students & higher education staff who stammer.​ Read founder Claire Maillet's article on why she set it up.

Disability Rights UK

Disability Rights UK provides free information and advice to disabled students, their parents, carers and key advisers about opportunities in 16+ education and training. This includes apprenticeships. Phone their Student Helpline on 0330 995 0414 or email students@disabilityrightsuk.org 

Stammering support

• See Help For Your Stammer for all the support options out there.
• See what in person and online stammering communities & groups you could join.
• Follow us on Instagram @stammauk
• Join our 'STAMMA: Space for Stammering' Facebook Support Group.
• Visit these American websites for young people who stammer: Friends and Stuttering Association for the Young (SAY).
• Stamily. An international community of people who stammer. 

Resources

• Download our 'Reasonable adjustments for students' guide below to get changes to your course.
• Stammeringlaw.org.uk provides detailed information on the Equality Act 2010 and how it relates to stammering and further & higher education. See its College & university section.
• Read the book: Stand Up and Be Heard: Taking the Fear Out of Public Speaking at University by Rob Grieve, who stammers. Read our review and Buy on Amazon.

What next?

• Become A STAMMA Member for free and join the community. We'll keep you updated with our activities.
• Get involved with the STAMMA community. Find an event, fundraise, share your story, volunteer, take part in research and more.