Fund enabling Access for Disadvantaged and Disabled Students

Please click to donate to the Fund for Disadvantaged and Disabled Students

Director of Access - Dr Denis Staunton

UCC PLUS⁺ Programme Manager - Ms Olive Byrne

Disability Support Officer - Ms Mary O'Grady

University College Cork provides support to students from socially and financially disadvantaged backgrounds through the UCC PLUS⁺ Programme and to students with disabilities through the Disability Support Service.  By giving to the Access for Disadvantaged Students Fund you are enabling UCC to continue to support these students and to enhance the facilities and programmes currently available.

UCC PLUS⁺ Programme

Education plays a crucial role in the social, intellectual, cultural, economic and political life of Ireland. Third level education is seen as increasingly necessary for a good quality of life and broader and more exciting career opportunities. Many groups and communities, however, are still very underrepresented at third level and in the University sector in particular.

The UCC PLUS⁺  Programme targets students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and provides motivational and educational assistance to them through their secondary schooling to enhance their ability to compete for third level places.

Having achieved entry to the University UCC PLUS⁺  enables students to participate fully in student life and reach their full potential.  Once admitted to a degree programme, UCC PLUS+ students receive many forms of support including a financial bursary and book allowance, extra tuition, access to computer equipment including the use of laptops, on-going personal support and guidance from academic mentors and UCC PLUS+ staff, careers advice and information and referrals to other Student Support Services at the University.

Disability Support Service

UCC welcomes applications from students with disabilities and there are over 500 students registered with the Disability Support Service at present.  The Disability Support Service is committed in as far as is reasonably possible, to empowering students with disabilities achieve their educational and vocational goals in an inclusive learning environment.

Students who utilise the service include students who are blind or vision impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, students with physical disabilities, students with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia and students with hidden disabilities such as mental health difficulties, epilepsy and other medical conditions.

The Disability Support Service aims to empower students with disabilities attain their educational and vocational goals in an inclusive learning environment, to integrate students with disabilities in all areas of College life, to raise awareness of the rights and needs of students with disabilities throughout College and the wider community and to assist students with disabilities make a successful transition to employment.

Make a Donation to UCC

Please click here to find out about other ways in which you can support UCC.

If you have questions which have not been answered on this site please contact Karen Kelly on:

 +353 (0) 21 490 3643 or k.kelly@ucc.ie