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Disabled Students Allowance

Disabled Students Allowance

Last updated: May 2024

The DSA covers the extra disability-related costs or expenses you have while studying which are over and above those provided as reasonable adjustments by the college or university.

DSA support is split into 4 different areas of need.

  • Specialist equipment
  • Non-medical
  • General
  • Travel

DSA is not intended to pay for disability-related costs that you would have whether you were a student or not, such as personal care support or study costs that every student might have.

It is available to full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Before applying for DSA, if you know which Uni or college you want to go to,  it can be helpful to have an early discussion with the disability adviser. They can help you complete the application form for DSA if needed.

You can usually apply for DSA at the same time as making your main online application to Student Finance. The application process can take around 14 weeks so it is best to apply early in the year so that you have time to respond to the letters and emails before the summer holidays.

The needs assessment for DSA is not like other ones you may have had to go through. Its purpose is to ensure you have the best possible opportunity in higher education to show your abilities, make good progress and achieve your goals.

The needs assessor will discuss your course and identify areas where you might benefit from using, for example, computer technology. They will talk to you about different equipment and software and discuss its features. Assessors are experienced in the range of equipment and human support that is available and will help you decide what is best. They will write a report detailing recommendations for support. This report will be sent to Student Finance, and a copy to you if you wish.

Think carefully before this assessment what you might need at Uni as this will help the assessor.

 

It can take up to 3 months to process a DSA application and things can sometimes go wrong, so it is better to start this process sooner rather than later.

Once you have secured your DSA package, the University you have chosen should help explain how it all works and how to use it.

"If you start getting offers that are conditional on grades, don’t be scared to contact the Uni and ask if you could have an unconditional offer. Explain that it is going to be very complicated and take time for you to get your funding and care package sorted and it is unrealistic to try to do this if you only know where you are going in August and start a month or so later.”

Disability Rights UK/Applying for Disabled Students Allowance gives much more detail

The Snowdon Trust  charity also helps student in higher education meet any higher costs that they should not have to try and meet themselves.