Disabled Students Allowance

What is DSA?

Disabled Students Allowance is a government-funded scheme which provides students with disabilities extra funding to cover the cost of any equipment or services that they might require. Unlike the Maintenance Loan, DSA isn’t affected by the student’s household income and they do not have to repay it.

Who is eligible?

• UK resident • Undergraduate or postgraduate on a course which lasts at least a year • Qualifies for student finance • Has a disability, medical condition, sensory impairment, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty which affects their ability to study.

What might they receive?

• Hardware • Software • 1-1 support (mentor and/or study skills)

When and how to apply?

A student can apply before they actually begin university (once their student finance is confirmed). It can take up to 14 weeks for the application to be processed, so students should sort it out as soon as possible, however it can be applied for at any time during a student’s time at university.

The student may have to attend an appointment at a Study Needs Assessment Centre to talk to a specialist about what type of support would help them.

Further information

Student Finance England DSA guidance FXPlus Accessibility webpage Email: accessibility@fxplus.ac.uk