The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a non-means tested Government allowance that can be used to cover some additional academic costs that you may incur as a result of your disability. DSA can be awarded to full and part time undergraduate students and some postgraduate students. There are a number of steps in the Disabled Students' Allowance Application Process, and your Disability Adviser can help you through this. You can apply for DSA before or during your course.
DSA is administered by your funding body. Please click on the relevant link for you for further information about DSA and details on how to apply:
Student Finance England - www.gov.uk/disabled-students
National Health Service (NHS) - https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/student-services
Student Awards Agency for Scotland - http://www.saas.gov.uk/
Student Finance Northern Ireland - http://www.studentfinanceni.co.uk/
Student Finance Wales - http://www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/
A key stage of the DSA process is the Study Needs Assessment. The Study Needs Assessment is an opportunity for you to meet with a trained assessor to discuss the impact of your disability, the demands of your course and your support requirements. The assessor will then produce a written report that will contain recommendations about the support you need and also give guidance to the University on how we can help you get the most from your studies.
You may not be eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance if you are an international student, an EU student or your course lasts less than a year. Don’t worry, you can still get support from the University as those students who have DSA.
Please first register with the service. We will meet with you to discuss your support requirements and how we can meet your needs.