DSA Rates
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) provides extra assistance for students who have an accessibility need and this is usually non-means tested. This help is only for costs incurred because of your access need, which other students would not normally have to cover.
DSA support is split into 4 individual needs categories:
- Non-medical helper (NMH)
- Specialist equipment
- Travel
- General
The regulated maximum DSA support available to all new and continuing DSA students is a single maximum DSA allowance for each academic year (AY) of their course.
The maximum amount of DSA support available for undergraduate and postgraduate students in AY 23/24 is £26,291.
In 2015 the Government introduced a £200 contribution towards the cost of DSA IT equipment. If you are from a low income household you may be able to get assistance from the University. Please contact Student Advice for more information.
Applying for DSA
If you are starting your studies in 2023/2024, you can apply for DSA through Student Finance England (SFE) when the application cycle opens again (usually end of February/beginning of March). You can apply for DSA online at the same time as applying for funding for tuition fees and living costs. You will need to provide evidence of your circumstances (e.g. a letter from your GP, or an Educational Psychologist’s report).
If you do not have the required evidence to support your application for a DSA, contact Student Advice – we may be able to assist you.
Once your DSA application has been processed and agreed, you will receive a letter from the DSA Team inviting you to make an appointment with a Needs Assessment Centre. This appointment is paid for by a DSA.
Detailed information about DSA is available at the Student Finance website.
Assistance from Student Advice
If you require any assistance making an application for, or obtaining more information about a Disabled Student’s Allowance, please contact Student Advice – we will be happy to help with filling in forms, liaising with Student Finance England on your behalf, liaising with the Assessment Centre and we can generally provide help to make sure your application for support progresses effectively.
We will be happy to discuss the details of any reasonable adjustments that have been recommended to you and we can also help you contact suppliers of any assistive technology that may have been recommended. We will provide you with a support agreement confirming the reasonable adjustments the University will put in place to help you in your studies.
Information for DSA Needs Assessors
The University’s preferred suppliers for Non-Medical Help are:
IT Equipment and Software
- Microsoft Office is available to all BGU students from IT Services.
- Specialist software, including SSPS, is available via the University’s IT network.
- BGU have a site licence for Inspiration 9 and Text Help Read&Write Gold
- BGU can support students with the DSA £200 contribution for specialist equipment if they have a household income of £25,000 or below (as assessed by Student Finance). Students will need to apply using the online DSA IT Costs form. If the student has a household income above this amount, there may still be help available through the Learning Fund. For more information on how to apply, please contact Student Advice.
Accommodation
On campus, accessible accommodation is available to BGU students who have access needs. For more information, please contact Student Advice or the Accommodation Team.
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