Am I eligible for DSA?
Am I eligible for a Disabled Student’s Allowance?You must satisfy all three requirements below to apply for a DSA:
1. Proof of specific learning difficulties
You must provide evidence of your specific learning difficulty such as a post-16 Educational Psychologist's or a specialist teacher assessor’s report.
2. Nationality
You must fall into one of the following categories:
- UK student;
- EU student who has lived in the UK for more than five years immediately prior to starting the course;
- international student with either settled status or indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
3. Course requirements
You must be one of the following:
- a full-time undergraduate on a course lasting at least a year;
- a part-time undergraduate whose course lasts at least a year;
- a postgraduate studying on a recognised taught or research-based programme.
This includes distance learning courses.
You cannot get a DSA from Student Finance England, Wales, or Northern Ireland if you are:
- eligible for an NHS Disabled Students’ Allowance (this is a separate scheme);
- getting equivalent support from another funding provider;
- receiving funding from a Research Council.
If you are receiving funding from the NHS, you can look at NHS Disabled Students' Allowances for more information.
Students receiving funding from Research Councils can visit Research Councils UK for more information on how to apply for DSAs.
If you are in receipt of an undergraduate Social Work bursary, you should apply to Student Finance England.
Any previous study will not affect your eligibility for a DSA. However, if you received a DSA for specialist equipment for a previous course, this may be taken into account.
There is no age limit on getting a DSA.
If you are unsure, you can check your eligibility at DSAs - Eligibility
For part-time students, your ‘course intensity’ can affect how much you get. This means how long your course takes to complete each year compared to an equivalent full-time course.
You can check this with your course leader. To apply for a DSA, you must study at a rate of at least 25% of an equivalent full-time course in each academic year. The course must last at least a year.