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Disabled Students Allowance

The DSA has recently been modernised by the government and there have been many changes to way support is accessed. The University is aware that there maybe further changes in future years. Students are strongly advised to apply for DSA as soon as possible in the year they start University. Funding bodies change their regulations in January/February and are increasingly applying these changes to late applications within the same academic year.

  • For Students who are starting higher education /applying for DSA's in 2018/19

    If you have a disability or SpLD and are starting a course in September 2018 and you are considering applying for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA's) further details are available by clicking here.

    If you are a full time student applying to Student Finance England, Student Finance North Ireland or Student Finance Wales you should apply using the shortened DSA 1 form or on-line with acceptable evidence.

    If you are a part-time or postgraduate student with the above funding bodies, please use the long DSA 1 form.

    SAAS students should apply using the appropriate SAAS application form

    For guidance on other funding bodies please contact us at the email address below

    Once your funding body has approved your application, you will then to need to organise a needs assessments.

    If you need any further support please contact: disablityservices@cumbria.ac.uk

  • Organising a Needs Assessment

    Once your application to your funding body for DSAs has been approved you will need to organise an assessment of need.

    Your assessor may ask for further information and there is dedicated page for assessors on the University web site. Once your assessment of needs has been carried out, your completed report will be sent to your funding body. Your funding body will then send a letter to you confirming what equipment and support has been approved. Once you have this letter please contact the Library and ask for a DSA Check-up meeting with a Disability Officer. This meeting will talk you through your next steps and how to order your equipment and access any non-medical help recommended.

  • Claiming a contribution towards IT equipment costs

    If you have evidence that you come from a low income background, you may reclaim from the University the £200 you are required to contribute towards the cost of any IT equipment that has been purchased as a result of a DSA claim. To benefit from this support you must meet the following requirements:

    • Have applied for and been awarded DSA with an assistive IT equipment element, for which you have had to pay £200 towards the cost.
    • Be on an undergraduate or PGCE course and you must have applied for a full means-tested maintenance grant support from Student Finance England (or your devolved nation equivalent) and given consent to share your assessed household income with the University.
    • Your assessed household income is less than £25,000.

    To apply for the reimbursement of the £200 contribution which you have had to make towards your assistive IT equipment, please download the IT Equipment Support Fund Application Form, and complete and return it with any requested evidence to moneyadvice@cumbria.ac.uk as soon as possible. Please allow up to 20 working days for processing. Successful grants will be paid by BACS into the bank account you provide on the application form.

    If, as part of your DSA you are recommended monies for photocopying and printing, you will need to claim for these using a form from your funding body; receipts are available from the Library for these purposes.

  • And finally : You will need to renew your DSA funding very year

    Most funding bodies require you to renew your DSA application every year. For most full time students you will just need to place a tick on your annual funding form that you wish to continue to access DSA.

    If you are a part time or postgraduate student you will need to meet to submit a full DSA form for each year you are studying with us.

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