Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs)

Navigating the DSA During Covid-19

NUS Disabled Students Campaign, Diversity and Ability and NADP have created a video guide to help disabled students apply for DSA and organise vital support during these challenging times. The video can be found here

What Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) can pay for:

DSAs can help with the costs of:

specialist equipment, eg a computer if you need one because of your disability
non-medical helpers
extra travel because of your disability
other disability-related costs of studying

For further information go to the GOV.UK Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) page.

As of 2016/17 certain non-medical help (NMH) tasks are now the responsibility of University and are not funded by DSAs. The University and Colleges have established a Reasonable Adjustments Fund (RAF) which will help support the costs of the following NMH tasks:

Note-takers
Study assistants
Proof reading
Specialist study skills
Specialist mentoring

Your Disability Adviser will be able to advise on which funds may apply to you. Please contact the ADRC to arrange an appointment

Eligibility

DSAs are grants to help meet the extra course costs incurred as a direct result of a disability or Specific Learning Difficulty. They are paid on top of anything you get through the standard student finance package, are not means-tested, and do not need to be repaid.

If you are a home student and have an impairment, health condition (including a mental health condition), or Specific Learning Difficulty like dyslexia, you may be entitled to claim DSAs.
If you are an Undergraduate student from the Republic of Ireland can apply for a Fund for Students with Disabilities. Check your eligibility on the Student Finance.ie website
Postgraduate students from Ireland, Other EU and international students are not eligible for DSAs, but you can contact the ADRC to enquire about alternative funding options.
If you are a postgraduate student funded by a research council (such as the AHRC or EPSRC), please contact a ADRC adviser to apply for DSA funding. You may also find the Research Councils UK website on Disabled Students' Allowances useful.

Students living in England

New students who wish to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs), in addition to their main loans and grants (referred to as core support), should indicate this on their online application. Student Finance England will then post you a DSA1 form to sign and return with evidence of your disability. If you have already applied for core support, but did not request a DSAs application and now wish to apply, you will need to complete the short version of the DSA1 form.

Returning DSAs customers should re-apply for their main loans and grants online and indicate that they wish their DSAs support to continue.

New and returning customers who are receiving DSAs support only, who are part-time or postgraduate customers, need to re-apply each year for DSAs and should complete the long version of the DSA1 form.

To apply, visit the GOV.UK Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) page and go to 'Part 4: 'How to apply.'

Watch this video for more information on 2016/17 DSAs youtube.com/DSAs2016/17

Students living in Scotland

For information and to apply, visit Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) page.

Students living in Wales

For information and to apply, visit the Student Finance Wales Students Disabled Students’ Allowances page.

Students living in Northern Ireland

For information and to apply, visit the Student Finance NI Students with disabilities page.

Further Information