Funding for Disability, Dyslexia and Mental Health

Disabled Students Allowances (DSA)

Disabled Students’ Allowance provides extra support to students with a disability, you can apply for it at the same time as your main student finance application. We would highly recommend that you apply for Disabled Students Allowances if you are eligible.

You can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) to cover some of the extra costs you have because of a Specific Learning Difficulty e.g., Dyslexia; Mental health difficulty e.g., Anxiety, Depression; Long term health condition; Blind or visual impairment; D/deaf or hearing impairment; Social communication impairment e.g., Autism; Physical or mobility difficulties including wheelchair users.

You will not need to repay DSAs. You can get help with the costs of:

• Specialist equipment and software e.g. text-to-speech or speech-to-text software
• Non-medical helpers (human support). This may include:
• One to one regular sessions with a specialist study skills tutor for students with Dyslexia or other Specific Learning Difficulties
• One to one regular sessions with a specialist mentor for mental health difficulties
• One to one regular sessions with a specialist mentor for students with Autism
• Communication Support Worker working with British Sign Language users
• Specialist Notetaker for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students
• Extra travel because of your disability
• Other disability-related costs of studying

Process for Applying for DSA

If you apply for DSAs, you will need to provide supporting evidence of your disability to get DSA. Please find further information using our evidence guidance.

You will be asked to go to an Access Centre for a Needs Assessment. The Needs Assessment is a discussion with a Needs Assessor to determine what support you may need. This may take place virtually or face-to-face.

The Access Centre will write a report and send it to your funding body to support your application. When you have your Needs assessment, please tick the box giving permission for a copy of the report to be sent to HE Disability so that we can help you arrange any recommended support.

We provide information for Needs Assessors including details of the support we offer through DSA such as specialist on-to-one study skills and specialist mentoring.

Further Information

More information on eligibility and applying for DSA can be found here: www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa