Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

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How to apply

How you apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) depends on whether you’re studying full-time or part-time.

Full-time undergraduate students

If you’ve already applied for student finance

Sign in to your student finance account to start your DSA application.

The application for DSA should be on your ‘to-do list’ if you chose DSA in your application for other support. If it is not, select ‘change your circumstances’ to apply.

If you do not have an online account because you applied for student finance by post, fill in a student finance form (DSA slim form).

If you have not applied for student finance

You can apply for DSA when you apply for student finance online.

If you do not need student finance, you can fill in a student finance form (DSA1 form) to apply just for DSA.

You cannot apply for student finance online once you’ve applied for DSA.

Part-time and postgraduate students

Fill in a student finance form (DSA1 form) to apply for DSA.

If you’re already getting DSA

Fill in a student finance form (DSA costs claim form) to claim back your expenses.

How long it takes

You’ll get confirmation of whether your application is successful within 6 weeks.

It can take up to 14 weeks to get your DSA support in place as this is done separately.