• Applying for the DSA
• Am I eligible to apply?
• When can I apply for the DSA?
• Do I have to disclose my disability to my institution?
• Do I have to have a study needs assessment?

Applying for the DSA

To access the DSA you need to apply to your funding body. This will be the same organisation from which you are receiving your normal student funding.


For applications to Student Finance England / Wales / Northern Ireland or Student Awards Agency for Scotland go to:
www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas#overview


If you are a student receiving an NHS Bursary then you should contact the NHS Bursaries team. You can find more details at:
www.nhsba.nhs.uk/students


If you are studying on an Open University course you can find more details at:
www.open.ac.uk/disability/disabled-students-allowance.php

Contact your Disability Officer for applications to Research Councils.

Once your funding body approves your application for the DSA they will ask you to attend a Study Needs Assessment. You should contact us at this point to organise an appointment to meet with one of our assessors in order to discuss your needs and to identify strategies that will assist you in overcoming your difficulties.

Am I eligible to apply?

You can apply for the DSA if you:

• are on a full-time or part-time undergraduate course (for example, a degree or HND-level course) including Open University and other distance-learning courses; or
• are on an eligible full-time or part-time postgraduate course (which you need a degree or equivalent qualification to get onto), including Open University and other distance-learning courses, that lasts at least one year; and
• have a disability, mental-health condition, or a specific learning difficulty which affects your ability to study

If you are unsure about your eligibility you should contact your funding body, your university's disability team, or us for advice.

You are not eligible to apply for the DSA if:

• the course you are/will be studying is less than 1 year in duration
• your condition is short-term, for example a broken leg

When can I apply for the DSA?

If you are a prospective student you should apply for the DSA as soon as possible after applying for a place at university. Do not wait until after your exams or receiving your results. The DSA application process is lengthy and the sooner you apply the more likely the support you need can be put in place in time for you to start your course.

If you are already at university you should apply immediately. You can apply for the DSA at any time during your course but it is better not to wait until you are behind in your work or about to fail as it may be too late to get the support you need in place in time to make a difference. If you are unsure about whether to apply for the DSA, speak to your university's disability team. Even if you are not eligible for the DSA they may be able to provide guidance/assistance to help you.

If you are within the last 6 months of completing your course you can still apply for the DSA. Human support can be provided, however, if equipment is recommended it is likely you will be provided with rental equipment rather than the equipment being purchased for you.

Do I have to disclose my disability to my institution?

No, there is no legal requirement for you to notify your institution of your disability/ies, unless your chosen course has specific fitness to study/practice requirements that you must meet in order to be accepted on the course.

However, it is highly recommended that you do disclose your disability/ies to the disability team at your institution, as they will be able to help you with the DSA process and may be able to put some support in place while you are going through the application process. The disability team cannot inform your tutors of your disclosure without your permission.

However, if you choose not to disclose your disability/ies to your institution it will limit the support they can provide to you and the on-campus support we can recommend through the DSA.

Do I have to have a study needs assessment?

Yes.

The study needs assessment is very important as it is during this meeting that you will discuss what support may be funded through the DSA grant. Your funding body will not agree to any support unless it has been recommended by a study needs assessor.

The only exception to this is if you are in the last six months of your course and you only need human support. In this situation your funding body may accept recommendations from your institution's disability officer.