Financial support and Disabled Students' Allowances
Financial support can help you pay study costs and related expenses
Quick guide to Disabled Students' Allowances
Interested in finding out more about these grants? Our short videos offer a brief overview.
Remember
Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) can help with the extra costs of services and facilities needed for studies because of a disability, mental health disability or specific learning difficulty.
If you are not eligible for DSAs
There are other financial support options that may be available if you are not eligible for the Disabled Students' Allowances, as well as equipment you can borrow to assist you in your studies.
OU financial awards
If you live in the UK and are not a full-time student at another institution you may be eligible for an OU financial award, which tops up the government support for students on low incomes. Find out more from
- Financial support website
- your nearest OU regional or national centre.
The David Godson Disability Award
If you have restricted mobility or manual dexterity - due to the loss or permanent paralysis of one or more limbs, and/or a severe permanent mobility impairment that affects your physical coordination and ability to walk, lift, carry and perform day to day tasks - you may be able to get support with your first 30 or 60 point undergraduate module fees from the Open University’s David Godson Disability Award. Read the guidelines to see if you are eligible and then use the form to apply.
Overseas student planning to study through an OU partner organisation?
You should tell your local education centre as early as possible, and prior to registration, if you need support because of a disability. Please liaise with them to discuss the support you feel you will require. Your local education centre will then contact us to explore the type of support which can be provided. We will only use the information you give us to help you in your studies.
Information for all students:
- Financial support and Disabled Students' Allowances
- What we can do
- Decide what you need
- Accessibility - using a computer for OU study
- Student stories
- Contacts
- Publications and forms
Information about:
Disabled Students' Allowance - are you eligible?
Take part in the DSA eligibility quiz to find out if you are eligible for funding. It should take you less than three minutes to complete.
If you are eligible for a DSA, The Open University will only provide study support that cannot be provided by a DSA
If you have any queries about a module, finance or the support you would receive, please contact an adviser.
For DSA, examination arrangements, and some other financial or equipment schemes you will need to provide written evidence of additional needs. This evidence is usually a diagnostic assessment or medical report but will depend on the individual situation. As this can take a considerable period of time to arrange it is advisable to think about this well in advance.
