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Disabled Students' Allowances - how to apply

Find out how to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances.

Applying for Disabled Students' Allowances

There are two different ways of applying for Disabled Students' Allowances. Which one you use will depend on whether you are:

  • doing a full-time higher education course, or
  • studying part time or doing a postgraduate course

Most universities and colleges have a Disability Advisor. They can help with your application and give you advice about other sources of funding.

If you're doing a full-time higher education course

If you're a full-time higher education student, you should apply for Disabled Students' Allowances by completing application form DSA1.

You'll be sent a copy of the form, and the guidance booklet that goes with it, if you tick the relevant box on your main student finance application – you can also download copies, or ask your local Education and Library Board to send them by post.

Ask your local Education and Library Board if you need copies of the form and guidance booklet in an alternative format – they're available in large print, Braille and audio versions.

Ticking the box on your main student finance application

When you complete your main student finance application online or on paper, tick the 'Disabled Students' Allowances' box.

In most cases, your local Education and Library Board will then send you the DSA1 application form for you to complete and return, along with the ' Bridging the Gap' guidance booklet.

Some local Education and Library Boards may handle applications for Disabled Students' Allowances differently - for example, they may send a confirmation letter for you to sign instead.

Postgraduates and part-time higher education students

If you're studying part time or doing a postgraduate course, you need to take the DSA1 form to your college or university, ask them to sign it and then send it to the address printed on the form.

You don't need to get your university or college to sign your DSA1 form if you're a part-time higher education student and they have already completed form PTG1 for you. Just send it straight to the address printed on the form once you've filled it in.

Open University students

You should apply directly to the Open University's Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) office. If you tell the Open University you have a disability when you apply, the office will send you the application form automatically.