Disabled Students’ Allowances
Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) help pay any extra costs you might have as a direct result of a disability , including a long-term health condition, mental-health condition or specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. DSAs are additional funding available for students who otherwise may not have been able to attend a higher education course. You must meet the definition of a disability under the Equality Act 2010.
Who can get DSAs?
You can get DSAs if:
- studying an eligible full-time or part-time undergraduate course (for example, a degree or HND-level course) including distance-learning courses; or
- studying an eligible full-time or part-time postgraduate course (which you need a degree or equivalent qualification to get onto), including distance learning courses; and
- condition affects your ability to study and you can provide evidence of this.
How much can you get?
The amount of DSAs you get isn’t based on your household income. It’s based on your individual needs and your course intensity.
The following table shows the types of help available and the maximum amounts available.
| Allowance | Maximum amount available |
|---|---|
| Non-medical helper | £15,885 per year |
| Specialist equipment | £5,332 for the whole course |
| General allowance | £1,388 per year |
| Disability-related travel | Reasonable spending on additional travel costs incurred as a result of your condition. |
How is it paid?
DSAs will either be paid directly to you or to any equipment or service suppliers.
Anything else you should know?
You must be studying at a course intensity of at least 25% to qualify for DSAs.
It can take approximately 14 weeks to process an application for DSAs so apply as soon as you can.
There’s no age limit on getting DSAs.
Find out How and when to apply
