Guide to DSA - Keele University
Exam Arrangement Deadline. Please note that the deadline for putting in adjustments for examinations is Friday 1st March. It will only be possible to put in any adjustments after this date in very exceptional circumstances. If you require any arrangements or have any questions regarding this please contact DDS as soon as possible.

Disability and Dyslexia Support

Disability and Dyslexia Support

Guide to Disabled Students' Allowance

What is it?

DSA is government funding available to disabled students, including those with SpLDs who are studying at University-level.  Its purpose is to fund support/equipment to ensure that you are not disadvantaged by your SpLD during your academic career, and it will help pay for any study-related costs that you may incur as a result of your SpLD.

What can it pay for?

You will be provided with an individual funding package, with money set aside for particular types of support and equipment.  Often students with SpLDs are recommended funding for:

  • weekly one-to-one study skills sessions with a specialist study skills tutor to help you develop strategies to minimise the impact of your SpLD on your academic work
  • items of specialist equipment such as a computer and/or items of assistive software, to ensure that you are able to effectively research, produce and edit academic work
  • other costs, such as those associated with photocopying/printing out lecture notes or accessing the internet at home

Am I eligible to apply for it?

You can apply for DSA if you are a home student doing an undergraduate, postgraduate or distance-learning course that is either:

  • full-time and lasts at least one year
  • part-time, last at least a year and doesn’t take more than twice as long to complete as an equivalent full-time course

DSA is not available to overseas students.

Who do I apply to?

You make the application to your funding body – the organisation from which you receive student finance (such as a loan or bursary), usually SFE or NHS, to pay for some or all of the costs associated with your studies.  It is important to note that you can apply for DSA even if you are not applying for/in receipt of any other student finance.  In such a case you would apply to whichever funding body you are eligible to receive student finance from.

In most cases, home undergraduate (and some postgraduate) students are eligible to receive student finance from a centralised funding body.  The particular funding body which you will need to apply to will differ according to which part of the UK your home address is located in.  As such, a student whose home address is in England would apply for funding to Student Finance England, a student whose home address is in Wales from Student Finance Wales, a student whose home address is in Northern Ireland from Student Finance Northern Ireland, and a student whose home address is in Scotland from Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

The main exception to this rule is in the case of students who are studying on courses which mean that they are eligible for funding from the NHS.  If you are eligible to receive an NHS bursary you should apply to the NHS for DSA, rather than one of the regional funding bodies outlined above.

The Student Finance England DSA application form is available from www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.  However, if you are funded (or are eligible to be funded) by another of the funding bodies listed you will need to locate their DSA application form, full it in and bring it with you to your appointment.  The DSA application forms are downloadable from the individual funding bodies’ website.

In some cases postgraduate students are funded by research councils.  If you are funded by a research council you need not fill in a DSA application form in advance of attending an appointment, as your adviser will discuss the application process when you meet.

How do I apply?

You simply need to complete the appropriate funding body’s DSA application form and bring it with you to an appointment with a disability adviser.

You will also need to provide a diagnostic report from a psychologist or suitably qualified professional which meets specific clinical criteria and indicates that you have a SpLD.  At your initial appointment your disability adviser will be able to advise you as to whether your current evidence will be sufficient to qualify you for DSA funding.

What happens next?

After they have received and checked your DSA application form and diagnostic evidence, your funding body will send you a letter which will both confirm that you are eligible for DSA and advise you to attend a study needs assessment.  As soon as you receive this letter you should call into our reception so that we can refer you for an assessment of need.

The assessment of need is an appointment during which you will meet with a qualified needs assessor who will work with you to identify any support you will require whilst you undertake your course of study.  This assessment can be undertaken at the university or an access centre near your home address if you would prefer.  The needs assessor will then write a report which will contain a series of recommendations for support/equipment/allowances that you should be provided with during your time at university.  This will be sent to you and also to your funding body as well as your disability adviser.  When we receive a copy of this report we will contact you to talk through the final steps to securing the support you have been recommended.

Interim Support Policy

We recognise that getting support and reasonable adjustments for disabilities in place can be a lengthy process. The assessment and application process can take time and this can delay your support provision.  Therefore, DDS are able to supply interim support for students who have a diagnosed disability and are awaiting funding confirmation for their support.  This can be provided in the form of mentoring or 1:1 specialist tuition, as appropriate, for up to 4 hour sessions.  However, this support will be provided only to students who have submitted a completed Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) application form. 

If you have any questions about how to apply or what funding is available please read the information on DSA or contact us to discuss it further.