Higher Education
For the academic year 2008/9, there will be an extension of the grant for living costs. This means that one third of higher education students will be eligible for the maximum grant of £2,835 and a further third will benefit from a partial grant.
You can find full details at www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance and watch their DVD which answers general questions about financial support for students going into higher education from September 2008.
Additional Financial Help
If you have special learning needs, you may be entitiled to additional financial help on top of the standard student finance package.
The Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) may provide extra help to pay for costs you have to pay as a direct result of your learning difficulty. These allowances do not depend on household income, they do not have to be repaid and there is no age limit.
.The allowance can be used for
· specialist equipment you need for studying
for example computer software or a helper such as a note-taker or reader
· extra travel costs you have to pay because of your difficulties
· other costs - for example tapes or a course to help overcome your difficulties. It may be possible to use the allowance for a Davis Programme. If you wish to do a Davis Programme, it is important to discuss this with your Educational Psychologist and have your request noted on the report.
To apply for a Disabled Students' Allowance, both you and your course must be eligible.
To be eligible to apply you must
1. be on a full-time course that lasts at least one year or a part-time course that lasts at least one year and doesn't take more than twice as long as an equivalent full-time course (this can include distance-learning courses)
2. show your local authority (or the Open University) a 'diagnostic assessment' from a psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher.
If you've had a diagnostic assessment in the past, it may need to be updated.
Your local authority cannot meet the cost of any tests to establish your eligibility for Disabled Students' Allowances. If you need a test but cannot afford to pay for it, your college or university may have funds available through the Access to Learning Fund. You should apply for the funds before you have the tests done.
You will not qualify for the Disabled Student’s Allowance if you are eligible for a bursary from the NHS or if you already have a bursary that includes equivalent support.
If you are a full-time higher education student will need to complete the application form DSA1. You will be sent a copy of the form, and the guidance booklet that goes with it, if you tick the relevant box on your main student finance application. It is also available on-line or you can ask your local authority to it by post.
Most universities and colleges have a Student Support Unit. Their advisors will help with your application and give you advice about available sources of funding.
You can find the contact details for your university or college if you click here
It is easier to apply with the help of your college disabilty advisor but, if you prefer, you can contact the DSA office direct.
Once you application has been accepted, your local authority will ask you to have a needs assessment to establish exactly what support you require. This will be carried out at an independent assessment centre, or at a centre within your college or university. You should take evidence of your learning needs and of your eligibility for DSA (this is usually the letter from your LEA).
It will be useful if you can explain
- how many teaching hours you will have
- how much reading you will need to do
- how the course is structured (lectures, tutorials etc)
- how you will be assessed
- will you be using on-line resources
- what sort of help have you found useful previously
The cost of the needs assessment may be met through your Disabled Students' Allowances.
At the assessment, your needs and the demands of your course will be discussed. It is also an opportunity to discuss and agree appropriate study strategies.
A written report will be sent to you, and the LEA, or other funding organisation. It will identify what you need and recommendations to provide it. Some of the recommendations will be once-off, like the purchase of a laptop. Others will be on-going, like non-subject specific study skills. You may be able to choose how the on-going support is provided.
You will be advised what support the LEA is willing to fund.
The amount that you will receive depends on your individual needs up to a maximum allowance. The maximum allowances for 2007/2008 and 2006/2008 are shown below.
Be aware that your application can take several months to process. It is a good idea to apply as soon as your local authority has established your eligibility for student support. The DSA needs assessment can be arranged even before you have a confirmed place at college.
Further information
You can find contact details of your LEA if you click here
The Department for Children, Schools & Families, Student Support Unit, has a guide to DSAs in higher education called ‘Bridging the Gap’. For a copy, telephone 0800 731 9133 and quote reference S/BTGB/V7. They can also send the application form and notes.
There is also a Student Support helpline that can answer detailed questions on student finance and eligibilty. Telephone 0845 602 0583.
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Maximums for full-time and part-time higher education students: 2007/2008
Type of allowance |
Full-time students |
Part-time students |
Specialist equipment |
£4,905 for the entire course |
£4,905 for the entire course |
Non-medical helper |
£12,420 a year |
£9,315 a year (depends on intensity of course) |
General Disabled Students' Allowances |
£1,640 a year |
£1,230 a year (depends on intensity of course) |
Maximums for full-time and part-time higher education students: 2008/2009
Type of allowance |
Full-time students |
Part-time students |
Specialist equipment |
£5,030 for the entire course |
£5,030 for the entire course |
Non-medical helper |
£20,000 a year |
£15,000 a year (depends on intensity of course) |
General Disabled Students' Allowances |
£1,680 a year |
£1,260 a year (depends on intensity of course) |
Note: maximum allowances are rarely granted
Postgraduate students can apply for a single allowance to cover all costs.
The maximum allowance for 2007/2008 as £5,915.
In 2008/2009 the maximum allowance will be £10,000.
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