How to apply for DSA

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) funds the additional study-related support you need at university, relating to a disability, on-going health condition, sensory impairment, mental health condition, ADHD, Autism or Specific Learning Differences, such as Dyslexia or Dyspraxia.

The support you receive depends on your individual needs - not your household income.

You do not need to pay back DSA.

For further information, see the Government website.

Provision of DSA and the application process varies according to where you live (home address).

DSA support varies from student to student, depending on individual needs. DSA can provide funded support to help cover costs of support and equipment required, relating to Disability, SPLD or health needs.

Accessing DSA funded support will help you achieve your potential, gain the best grades you can and succeed in your course and future career.

Depending on your assessed needs, you can get help with the costs of specialist equipment, for example a laptop and assistive software, ‘non-medical help’, such as specialist study skills support or Autism or mental health mentoring, an allowance for printing ink and paper.

DSA does not cover disability-related costs you’d have if you were not attending a course, such as personal care or everyday living costs that any student might have, such as food and clothes.

For information about other financial assistance, please contact the Money Advice Team via the Student Enquiry Point.

· If you have been awarded assistive IT equipment from DSA, you will be asked to pay £200 towards the cost.

· The University has a means tested fund to assist with this. Eligible students can reclaim the £200 to cover this cost.

To benefit from this support, you must meet the following requirements:

· 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. Please download the Student Support Fund application, 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.