Money for higher education if you have a disability
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is support to cover the study-related costs you have at higher education, because of a mental health problem, long term illness, specific learning difficulty or any other disability.
- It is worth up to £26,291 a year and can provide a range of different types of support, depending on your individual needs.
- It is not dependent on your household income and you do not need to pay it back.
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
Who can apply for DSA?
You can apply for DSA if:
- You live in England
- Are studying a full time or part time higher education course in the UK
- Are eligible for Student Finance
- On a course that lasts more than a year.
How to apply for DSA?
You can apply for DSA when you apply for student finance online.
There are different forms to complete depending on your circumstances and whether the course is full time or part time, so check, before starting your application on gov.uk
You will not automatically get DSA - you will need to send in proof of your eligibility.
Once your eligibility has been confirmed you will be invited to a needs assessment.
Find out about Georgina's experience of applying for DSA and what her needs assessment involved?