Disabled Students' Allowance
The Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) are government grants for students in higher education
DSAs can help pay for the extra costs of studying arising from a disability, health condition, mental health difficulty or specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia). They are not based on financial circumstances and there is no age limit for eligibility. Part-time OU students are eligible for DSAs.
Students can apply for the DSA once they are registered on a course. We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity, as it can take up to three months from application to delivery of equipment or services.
DSAs can help pay for the costs of services and equipment to assist you in your studies. These might include
- a non-medical helper such as a sign language interpreter
- items of specialist equipment
- other additional study-related costs you might incur because of your disability.
If you are DSA eligible the University will only provide study support that cannot be provided by a DSA.
OU students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland you need to be studying 30 credit points or more in the year you first apply in order to qualify for a DSA.
Although the DSA Office that handles applications and processes requests for payment from OU students is based at the OU site in Milton Keynes, it is independent from the OU. The process and form for applying for a DSA are completely separate from the OU form to request course materials, equipment and support.
Your study-related needs will be assessed by an independent needs assessor who will make recommendations for support. The DSA Office will then decide which services can be approved and should be paid for from your DSA.
For further information see questions and answers, download the DSA factsheet 2008 (PDF, 151KB, 6 pages) in PDF version, or take the quick DSA eligibility quiz.
You will need the Adobe Acrobat reader to open the factsheet, which you can get from the Adobe website - external link.
OU students in Scotland, or who were resident in Scotland when starting study
The rules and regulations governing DSA awards in Scotland are determined by the Scottish Executive. The OU DSA office does not handle applications from students in Scotland; they are dealt with by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) - external link , who make the final decision about what you will receive and what services will be approved and paid for from your DSA. To qualify for a DSA you must be studying at least 60 credit points in each academic year (September to October), as well as satisfying residency requirements. You can contact The OU in Scotland office for advice and an application form.
For DSA, examination arrangements, and some other financial or equipment schemes it is necessary to provide written evidence of additional needs. This evidence is provided for students by a third party and usually takes the form of a diagnostic assessment or medical report, depending on the individual situation.
Sometimes it can take a considerable period of time to arrange such evidence so students are advised to think about their needs well in advance.
DSAs for residential school
DSA through the office at the OU
If your DSA has been arranged through the OU’s DSA Office and your residential school course is a compulsory one, some of the additional costs that you might incur because of your disability (or the alternative learning experience, ALE, if you take that instead) may be met from it.
These costs may include the following.
- Accommodation, fees and travel expenses for a study support assistant (these are known as 'non-medical helpers' for DSA purposes); please note that personal care costs cannot be met
- Fees and expenses for specialist hearing support (e.g. BSL signers, lip speakers) or professional note takers employed to assist you at the school
- A share of the costs of special services provided for all disabled students at hearing support weeks.
These costs are charged to your allowance through the OU’s DSA Office, so you won’t usually have to claim for them.
Your DSA may also cover extra travel costs related to the residential school. ‘Extra’ means the difference between what a student who isn’t disabled would pay and what you pay for using a form of transport (e.g. a taxi) that’s necessary because of your disability. If these costs have been specifically approved in your DSA award you’ll need to claim them from the OU’s DSA Office.
The cost of medical assistance or personal care cannot be charged to your DSA.
DSA from Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)
If your DSA has been awarded by SAAS, then some of the study costs of your residential school can be met by your DSA. These costs include the following.
- Any additional travel costs to residential school
- Accommodation, fees and travel costs of any non-medical personal assistant who accompanies you, if SAAS has approved this kind of support as part of your DSA award
- Any specialist technology you may need while at the school.
Apply online, or download a DSA application form (below).
Information about:
Information for all students:
Disabled Students' Allowance - are you eligible?
Take part in the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) eligibility quiz to find out if you are eligible for funding. It should take you less than three minutes to complete.
You will need to provide written evidence to support your application.
We advise that you apply as early as possible for a DSA in order to ensure that an award is made and funding allocated in good time for the provision of any support approved for your course.