Financial Help for Disabled Students

Undergraduate and postgraduate students with a disability or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or dyspraxia may be entitled to claim additional financial help. The Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is a grant (i.e. non-repayable) to cover extra course-related costs that students face as a direct result of a disability or specific learning difficulty, and is intended to help them study on an equal basis with other students. DSAs cover four types of help:

1. A non-medical helper, such as a note-taker or reader.
2. Specialist equipment required for studying, such as computer software.
3. Extra travel costs incurred because of the disability.
4. Other costs, such as Braille paper or tapes.

The allowance is paid in addition to any other financial help that the student receives and is not dependent on household income. The following table shows the maximum grant payable per year for full-time and part-time undergraduate students:

∗ The grant shown for major items of specialist equipment is a payment for the entire course rather than an annual sum.

Full-time students can apply for Disabled Students' Allowances at the same time as they apply for the Student Loan for Maintenance and the Maintenance or Special Support Grants. If successful, Student Finance Direct will pay the money into the student's bank account, or directly to the supplier of services.