Disabled Students Allowance: Eligibility and Application
What is DSA
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) support is available for students on eligible study programmes to cover any extra study-related costs you may have because of a mental health condition, Specific Learning Difficulty, long-term illness or any disability. This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get. DSA does not cover disability-related costs you’d have if you were not attending a course, or costs that any student might have.
Before you apply for DSA you will need proof of your diagnosis, you can find further information here: Help if you’re a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability: Eligibility – GOV.UK. If you don’t have a diagnosis yet, but suspect you may need support, then you can find further information here: Getting a Diagnosis for DSA Application
Apply for DSA
To complete or download an application form visit Student Finance England. If you need help with applying or for your paper/PDF form to be singed by Queen’s as your Higher Education Provider (Section 5 on the application form) please email disability@queens.ac.uk
Once your eligibility for DSA has been confirmed, Student Finance will send you a DSA1 letter.
Attend a Needs Assessment
Your DSA1 letter will tell you how to book your needs assessment. You will be contacted by either Capita or Study Tech depending on where you are in the country when you apply. You can find out more about the process with Capita here: Disabled Students Allowance | DSA Capita. You can also read more about Study Tech here: Study Tech
Your Needs Assessor will write a Needs Assessment Report and send it to you and to Queen’s (if you have given permission for data sharing)
We also have additional Guidance for Needs Assessors which describes what studying at Queen’s might entail.
Accessing your DSA Support
After your needs assessment you’ll receive a DSA2 entitlement letter which enables you to access the recommended specialist support.
After processing your Needs Assessment Report (NAR), your funding body will send you a DSA2 entitlement letter that tells you which recommendations they agree to fund, and what to do next in terms of ordering equipment and arranging any one-to-one support.
If you would like a more detailed guide to applying for DSA, you can download our DSA Application Guide.
