26 February 2026
You don't owe anyone a diagnosis. But if you'd like adjustments — extended deadlines, lecture recordings, a different format for an assessment — telling your tutor or personal tutor is usually the fastest route, and most are genuinely happy to help.
Lead with the practical impact, not the label. 'I find it hard to take notes and listen at the same time, so I'd like to record lectures' is more useful than 'I have ADHD'. The tutor doesn't need to know what your diagnosis is — they need to know what would help.
Bring your DSA Needs Assessment report if you have one. It lists exactly what reasonable adjustments you're entitled to, and most universities are required to honour it. If you don't have one yet, your university's disability service can help you put a Learning Support Plan together — that gets shared with all your tutors so you don't have to keep repeating yourself.
If a tutor pushes back, that's a disability service issue, not a you issue. Forward the request to them and let them follow up. The protections you're entitled to are not optional, even if individual staff are unfamiliar with them.