Disability support and inclusion

Apply for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs)

DSAs are a useful source of funding for students with additional needs.

You can apply for DSA at the same time as your student finance. You will need supporting medical evidence.

Applications for student finance open in March. You can apply for DSA as part of your main student finance application.

DSA funding is based on need. It is in addition to your student finance and you do not have to pay it back. Your DSA may include funding for equipment or software. It may also fund a specialist mentor or study skills tutor.

Find out more on the GOV.UK DSA page. You can also watch the UCAS Guidance for students with disabilities video.

The DSA Process

Get medical evidence

You will need to provide medical evidence that explains how your condition or disability affects you. This could be:

A letter from a GP or consultant
A diagnostic report from a practitioner psychologist or specialist tutor with an Assessment Practising Centre certificate
A completed SFE DSA Disability evidence form (PDF 63.4KB)

Complete and submit a DSA form

You need to complete a DSA form for your student finance provider.

You can download the Student Finance England DSA forms below or contact your student finance provider.

For full time undergraduate students: Student Finance England DSA slim form (PDF, 0.6 MB)
For postgraduate and part time undergraduate students: Student Finance England DSA long form (PDF, 0.7 MB)

When you have completed the form you can send it back to your funding body along with your medical evidence.

If you need help completing the DSA form, book a meeting with a Disability Practitioner.

Arrange a needs assessment

Your funding body will contact you to ask you to book a needs assessment. Use the GOV.UK postcode look-up tool to find an assessment centre near you.

During the assessment you will discuss your needs with an assessor. They will ask about your disability or condition, previous support, your university course and what support would help you. They may show you software or assistive technology. The assessment will take up to 2 hours.

Your assessor will write up a report which will include recommendations for support and equipment. You will be able to check the report before it is sent to your funding body.

Get support in place

Your funding body will contact you with details about the support they will fund, based on your assessment. You can then get your support in place with the help of our Disability Practitioners.

Equipment

If you are entitled to any equipment, you will need to contact the supplier to arrange delivery. The details of the supplier will be in the letter from your funding body. You will also need to organise your equipment training.

If your needs assessor recommends a laptop, there will be a £200 student contribution towards equipment costs.

Tutoring and mentoring

Tutoring and mentoring is delivered by external specialist support providers. You will receive their contact details in your DSA2 letter from your student finance provider.

Please contact them as soon as possible to arrange your support.

If you need any assistance please contact: disabilityadvice@yorksj.ac.uk.

Exam arrangements

If needed, exam arrangements will be put in place by the Disability support and inclusion team.