What is a Study Inclusion Plan?
The Study Inclusion Plan (SIP) is a confidential report for students with disabilities or SpLDs (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD). It describes any adjustments required for study, including exam and library arrangements.
How do I get a Study Inclusion Plan (SIP)?
1) Appropriate evidence of your disability or SpLD (Specific Learning Difference). For example, a medical report or a Dyslexia diagnostic report.
2) A completed confidentiality form.
You can send these electronically to disabilities@soas.ac.uk or you can bring them in to the office.
Students with other disabilities (e.g. mental health issues, physical disabilities, medical conditions) or two or more disabilities including an SpLD: please contact us on 020 7074 5015 or email studentadviceandwellbeing@soas.ac.uk to book an appointment with a disability advisor to discuss your support and exam arrangements and complete your SIP.
I have been sent a link by email to activate my SIP. What do I do next?
Click on the link which will take you to SOAS Online Student Services and log in with your usual SOAS details (this link can also be found on the home page of the SOAS website and is where you go to complete your course registration online).
Select the option for Study Inclusion Plans.
Please work your way through each page of the SIP by reviewing and amending the contents if appropriate, then click the green Proceed button when you are ready to move on.
In the 'Review SIP' section of your SIP, click on 'Confirm' in order to share your SIP with your module convenors for this academic year.
Return to the 'Review SIP' section of your SIP and download a PDF onto your own device.
Go to your SOAS email to review your confirmation email which confirms which teaching staff have access to your SIP. Please email the PDF of your SIP to any other academic staff involved in teaching who are missing from the list (such at GTA and the programme convenor).
Your SIP will remain in your online student services account until you log in, review it and agree to distribute or redistribute your SIP (or download it as a PDF and email it).
If you are having any problems activating your SIP, please attend a Disability drop-in session (drop-in times).
Who gets to see the contents of my Study Inclusion Plan?
Your SIP will remain in your online student services account until you agree to distribute it. By agreeing to this, you are giving your permission for the SIP to be distributed to all your module convenors for the duration of your programme of study at SOAS. Information from your SIP is also shared with the Exams department and academic student support office on a need-to-know basis.
The only exception to this is the Library and all students who are eligible for a SIP are referred for Library services automatically, but we do not share any Disability information or SIP content with the Library. More information on Library services.
All students will be able to see their completed SIPs online at any time by logging into their online student services account.
Please note: if you change modules, you will be responsible for sharing your SIP with your new module convenor. Also, if you want to share it with other teaching staff (e.g. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) or Programme convenors), it will be up to you to send it separately. You can do this any time by logging into your online student services account which is on the SOAS home page and either redistribute your SIP or download it as a PDF and email it.
What happens to my Study Inclusion Plan for any subsequent year that I study on the same programme?
You are responsible for sharing your Study Inclusion Plan (SIP) for each academic year after module registration in Week 3 of teaching. You can do this by visiting https://studentsonline.soas.ac.uk.
Go to https://studentsonline.soas.ac.uk and log in with your usual SOAS details (this link can also be found on the home page of the SOAS website and is where you go to complete your course registration online).
Go to the 'Review SIP' section of your SIP and click on 'Confirm' to share your SIP with your module convenors for this academic year.
Return to the 'Review SIP' section of your SIP and click on Download PDF to save it on your own device.
Go to your SOAS email to review your confirmation email, which confirms which teaching staff have access to your SIP. Please email the PDF of your SIP to any other academic staff involved in teaching missing from the list, such as GTA or programme convenor.
PLEASE NOTE: If you change modules after distributing your SIP, please repeat the above process.
What happens if I change modules or change my programme of study?
If you change modules after distributing your SIP, please repeat the above process. If you change programme or mode of study (e.g. going from full-time to part-time), you should email disabilties@soas.ac.uk so that we can update your SIP. Please note at any time you can give a copy of your SIP to your new module convenors by visiting SOAS online student services and printing your SIP from there.
Are there any courses where I am NOT able to do an online SIP?
Yes, if you are studying an IFCELS (ICC, FDPS & ELAS) or Language Centre or research programme, you cannot do an online SIP. Please contact Student Advice and Wellbeing on studentadviceandwellbeing@soas.ac.ukand make an appointment to see a Disability Advisor who will assist you to create a SIP.
I already have a Learning Support Agreement (LSA). Do I need to do anything?
No, you do not need to create anything new (the LSA is basically the same as the Student Inclusion Plan). However, remember to distribute your LSA to the staff who are teaching you each year.
What if I only want School Exam Arrangements only - do I need a full SIP?
No. If you only want School Exam Arrangements, please still send a copy of your evidence and a completed confidentiality form to disabilities@soas.ac.uk.
Note: All exam arrangements are subject to confirmation by the exams office or for class test your module convenor. You will receive an email as the exam period approaches which will confirm your exam arrangements. For more information and details about deadlines for exam arrangements, please go to: www.soas.ac.uk/exams/special-examination-arrangements.
What happens if I no longer want a SIP?
If you no longer want a SIP, please attend a drop-in to discuss this with a Disability advisor who can arrange for your SIP to be archived and no longer distributed.
How do academic staff get access to Study Inclusion Plans?
If you are a module convenor you will now be able to view Study Inclusion Plans (SIPs) on Columbus for students you are teaching with a disability/Specific Learning Difference. You will be alerted by email if a student you are teaching distributes their SIP and this will direct you to Columbus. Please log in and select the Columbus link, and below your timetable you should see the link called "Study Inclusion Plans" - click on this link to view any SIPs. For certain programmes you will receive a PDF via email of the SIP instead (e.g. IFCELS or Language Centre, or if your student uses screening reading software as the primary source for accessing text).
For all other academic staff that are not module convenors, or if you have any problems viewing a SIP, please ask the student to email you a PDF of their SIP.
If you receive an email asking you to view a SIP for a module you are not teaching please contact the department student officer for that programme of study so that the module records can updated and the SIP distributed to the correct member of staff.
If you are teaching a continuing student with a Learning Support Agreement (LSA), they do not need a SIP but should continue to send teaching staff their LSA via email.
Students are responsible for ensuring that sharing their Study Inclusion Plan (SIP) each academic year after module registration in week 3 of teaching and they do this by visiting studentsonline.soas.ac.uk. Please encourage all students to share their SIPs by asking all students at the start of each module to share their Study Inclusion Plan with you if they have one.
Problems viewing SIPs? Please ask the student concerned to email you a PDF of their SIP by vising studentsonline.soas.ac.uk on the home page of the SOAS website. Please also speak to the department manager to ensure that the module convenor records are up to date. For assistance using Columbus or obtaining log in details please contact the IT helpdesk.