About the Disability Rights Unit (DRU)

  The Disability Rights Unit (DRU) aims to assist North-West University (NWU) students registered with the DRU to reach their full academic potential by providing support and adequate access to educational opportunities at the NWU. 

About the NWU DRU

The DRU strives to assist students living with diagnosed disabilities/disorders with adjustment-, accessibility- and academic inclusivity to the NWU. The DRU endeavours to create awareness and promote sensitivity and etiquette around students living with disabilities, whilst attempting to encourage permitted and active participation at the university.

Students living with one of the following diagnoses are encouraged to register with their respective campus’ DRU should they require additional support:

  • Visual disability
  •  Hearing disability
  •  Speech disability
  •  Physical disability including temporary disability
  •  Specific medical disorder
  •  Psychiatric disorder
  •  Neurodevelopmental disorder
  •  Neurocognitive disorder

The DRU and Student Counselling and Development (SCD) assists students with academic support such as concessions during formal assessments. Concession-support include (where feasible):

  • Extended writing time
  • Reader
  • Writer
  • Spelling concession
  • Enlarged exam papers / font
  • Access to a computer
  • Breaks
  • Use of special equipment
  • Ergonomic changes

For more information about the DRU services, concession inquiries, or on applying to become a DRU assistant to serve as invigilators, scribes, readers, and/or amanuensis, please contact the respective Disability Right Unit (DRU):

 

Mahikeng Campus

Potchefstroom Campus/Distance Learning 

Take note of the Concession Procedure Document and specific requirements, including the 2026 application closing dates of 23 February 2026 and 20 July 2026.

Both the DRU Registration and Concession Application forms must be completed for concession applications.

Vanderbijlpark Campus