Information for colleges and universities

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects the brain and nervous system. It is characterised by the tendency to have repeated seizures that start in the brain.

Finding out more about a student’s epilepsy, and their seizures, can help you to better understand how it affects them, and what help and support might be useful for them. Epilepsy varies from one person to another and can change over time, and how someone feels about it can also change. Unlike other conditions, it may not be obvious that someone has epilepsy and, for many people with epilepsy, their condition doesn’t necessarily affect them all the time. To find out more, download our information below.

By understanding more about epilepsy, colleges and universities can help to support people better. We want to support higher education providers by sharing knowledge and understanding of how they can best support students with epilepsy. Each year we host our ‘Epilepsy in Higher Education’ course. If you're in higher education, or you want to know more, please email ES.training@epilepsysociety.org.uk and we will let you know details of our course to help support your student disability services.

Epilepsy Society is grateful to Owen Butler and Charlotte Round, Disability Advisers, Disability Support Services, University of Nottingham, and to Dr F J Rugg-Gunn, Consultant Neurologist & Honorary Associate Professor Clinical Lead, Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, who reviewed this information.

Information produced: January 2024