Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

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1. Disabled Students' Allowance

Disabled Students바카라 사이트™ Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability.

This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get.

The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income.

You do not need to pay back DSA.

What you바카라 사이트™ll get

2025 to 2026 academic year

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £27,783 a year for support.

2024 to 2025 academic year

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £26,948 a year for support.

What DSA can pay for

You can get help with the costs of:

  • specialist equipment, for example a computer if you need one because of your disability
  • non-medical helpers, for example a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or specialist note taker
  • extra travel to attend your course or placement because of your disability
  • other disability-related study support, for example having to print additional copies of documents for proof-reading

DSA does not cover disability-related costs you바카라 사이트™d have if you were not attending a course, or costs that any student might have.

Buying a new computer

You may get a new computer if you바카라 사이트™re assessed as needing one because:

  • you do not already have one
  • your current one does not meet your study needs

When buying a new computer, you바카라 사이트™ll need to pay the first £200.

The DSA team will send you more information about this after your needs assessment.

Your 바카라 사이트˜needs assessment바카라 사이트™

Your needs assessment is an informal meeting to determine what support you can get for your studies - it바카라 사이트™s not a test. It can be in-person or remote.

After you receive your DSA eligibility letter, a supplier (either Study Tech or Capita) will contact you to arrange a needs assessment. You do not need to contact them first.

After your assessment, you바카라 사이트™ll get:

  • a report with the recommendations made by your supplier based on your assessment
  • an entitlement letter explaining what support you can get

Study Tech or Capita will then contact you to discuss your equipment and arrange any assistive technology training you need. Your entitlement letter will also tell you if you need to contact any suppliers yourself.

Do not buy any equipment until you바카라 사이트™ve been assessed - you will not be reimbursed for it.

How DSA is paid

Most payments will be sent directly to your suppliers depending on what support you바카라 사이트™ve been awarded.

Only some allowance costs can be paid directly to you. Your entitlement letter will let you know if this applies to you.

2. Eligibility

You can apply for Disabled Students바카라 사이트™ Allowance (DSA) if you live in England and have a disability that affects your ability to study, such as a:

  • specific learning difficulty, for example dyslexia or ADHD
  • mental health condition, for example anxiety or depression
  • physical disability, for example if you have to use crutches, a wheelchair or a special keyboard
  • sensory disability, for example if you바카라 사이트™re visually impaired, deaf or have a hearing impairment
  • long-term health condition, for example cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV

You must also:

  • be an undergraduate or postgraduate student (including Open University or distance learning)
  • qualify for student finance from Student Finance England
  • be studying on a course that lasts at least a year

Who is not eligible

You cannot get DSA from Student Finance England if you바카라 사이트™re:

  • eligible for tuition fee-only funding
  • eligible for (this is a separate scheme)
  • getting equivalent support from another funding source, like from your university or a social work bursary
  • on a higher or degree apprenticeship course

Proving you바카라 사이트™re eligible

You will not automatically get DSA - you need proof of your eligibility.

Condition Proof
Disabilities or long-term health condition A copy of a report or letter from your doctor or consultant - or you can fill in the disability evidence form
Mental health condition A copy of a report or letter from your doctor or consultant - or you can fill in the disability evidence form
Specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia A copy of a 바카라 사이트˜diagnostic assessment바카라 사이트™ from a practitioner psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher

You could get extra help to pay for a new diagnostic assessment.

How to submit your evidence

You can send proof of a health condition or learning disability to Student Finance England through your online account - if you have one. You can also send your proof by email or post.

Disability evidence for student finance 
dsa_medical_evidence@slc.co.uk

Student Finance England
PO Box 210
Darlington
DL1 9HJ

Your course

Your course must be in the UK and one of the following:

  • a first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd
  • a Foundation Degree
  • a Certificate of Higher Education
  • a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
  • a Higher National Certificate (HNC)
  • a Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE)
  • a postgraduate course
  • Initial Teacher Training
  • a level 4 or 5 course with Higher Technical Qualification approval

Check with your university or college if you바카라 사이트™re not sure whether your course qualifies for funding.

Part-time course intensity

For part-time students, whether you can get DSA depends on your course intensity.

바카라 사이트˜Course intensity바카라 사이트™ means how long your course takes to complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course. You can check course intensity with your university or college.

The rules are different depending on your course.

Part-time undergraduate courses

Your course cannot be more than 4 times longer than the equivalent full-time course. Your course must last at least a year.

Part-time postgraduate master바카라 사이트™s courses

If you바카라 사이트™re applying for a Postgraduate Loan for a part-time master바카라 사이트™s degree, the course must not last more than twice as long as the full-time equivalent.

3. How to apply

How you apply for Disabled Students바카라 사이트™ Allowance (DSA) depends on whether you바카라 사이트™re studying full-time or part-time.

Full-time undergraduate students

If you바카라 사이트™re applying for other types of student finance, you only need to apply for DSA once. Otherwise, you바카라 사이트™ll need to apply each year.

If you바카라 사이트™ve already applied for student finance

Sign in to your student finance account to start your DSA application.

The application for DSA should be on your 바카라 사이트˜to-do list바카라 사이트™ if you chose DSA in your application for other support. If it is not, select 바카라 사이트˜change your circumstances바카라 사이트™ to apply.

If you do not have an online account because you applied for student finance by post, fill in a DSA slim form:

If you have not applied for student finance

You can apply for DSA when you apply for student finance online.

If you do not need student finance, you can fill in a DSA1 form to apply just for DSA:

You cannot apply for student finance online once you바카라 사이트™ve applied for DSA.

Postgraduate students and part-time undergraduate students

Fill in a DSA1 form to apply for DSA for the 2024 to 2025 academic year. You바카라 사이트™ll need to apply for DSA each year.

If you바카라 사이트™re already getting DSA

Fill in a DSA expenses claim form to claim back your expenses:

How long it takes

You바카라 사이트™ll get confirmation of whether your application is successful within 6 weeks.

It can take up to 14 weeks to get your DSA support in place as this is done separately.

You can check current application processing times to find out when you can expect to get an update on your application.

4. Further information

Contact the disability adviser at your university or college if you need advice about financial help.

If your circumstances change

Contact Student Finance England if your circumstances change as this may affect what you바카라 사이트™re entitled to. For example, if your condition gets worse you may be able to get extra help.

Appeals

You can ask for an explanation or to have your case reviewed if your application is turned down. Contact Student Finance England for more details.