Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)

DSA is support for students with a long-term health condition, disability or a specific learning difference. However, your eligibility will depend on your course, fee status, medical evidence, and mode of study. You can check your eligibility on thegovernment website here.

Remember, DSA’s criteria for support is different from the Student Accessibility Team’s at Northumbria. You may still be eligible for support with our team even if you’re not eligible for DSA. Please see Northumbria Accessibilitysupport page here to see how to access our academic support.

• For full-time, undergraduate students, who have applied for funding with Student Finance England: You can apply for DSA when you apply for your student finance online. If you have already applied, you should log into your online Student Finance account, and find the “Disabled Students’ Allowance” section to add this to your application. 
  
  
• For postgraduate students, part time undergraduate students, or students who have not applied for Student Finance: You will need to complete a full DSA application form. Visit the government website and complete a form for the correct academic year.
  
  
• For students who have applied for funding through SAAS, SFNI or SF Wales: Please see the pages linked above for details of how to apply.
  
  
• All students will be required to have a Needs Assessment before getting your support. You will be told how to book one once your application has been approved. See full information on Needs Assessments and what to expect on the government website.
  
  The process can take some time to get through the steps. Visit the government website to see estimated timescales.

The evidence needed is outlined on the “proving you’re eligible” section on the government website.

Remember, DSA’s criteria for support is different from the Student Accessibility Team’s at Northumbria. You may still be eligible for support with our team even if you’re not eligible for DSA. Please see our 'Preparing to Join Us' page to see the support available to you as a Northumbria student.

DSA is dependent on need, so all entitlements to support are different. You will need to apply and have your needs assessment before knowing what you’re entitled to.

DSA can help for costs of:

• Specialist equipment: For example, a computer if you need one because of your disability, or accessible software licences).
  
  
• Non-medical help: This may include one-to-one tutorial support, a note taker or a British Sign Language interpreter.
  
  
• Travel: If your disability means additional costs for you to attend your course or placement, DSA may partially fund this.
  
  
• Other general disability related costs: For example, printing costs of additional copies of documents. 

DSA does not cover disability-related costs you’d have if you were not attending a course, or costs that any student might have. 

Of course! Our specialist advisers are happy to support your DSA application process.

Please remember we cannot see your application progress, or influence any decisions, but we are happy to help you through the steps.

The best way to do this is to ensure you register with our team. When discussing your support at your adviser appointment, we can discuss your DSA application. 

You first need to complete all other sections of your DSA document. Once we sign this, the document will be locked for any other editing, so please make sure all sections are completed and you have signed and dated the declaration fields.

You can then send us your document via our enquiry form. We will then sign and return your form to you to send to DSA.