The Prevalence of Specific Learning Difficulties in Higher Education: A Study of UK Universities Across 12 Academic Years.

Specific learning and attention difficulties are often first identified in childhood, but they can cause lifelong academic and occupational challenges. We explored the prevalence of these difficulties and the representation of sex and ethnicity amongst all first-year students in UK higher education across 12 years-almost 5.7 million students-and compared course preferences and University destinations of those with and without difficulties.