Sources of funding to pay for support you need at University...

Introduction

There are various sources of funding to assist with study related costs incurred due to a disability. Please note, if you are at all uncertain of your funding status or have a query in connection with financial assistance please contact the Disability Support Office at your HEI. MMU, University of Manchester and University of Salford students can find the contact details here.

The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) for UK home students 2007-2008:-

Disabled Students' Allowances are grants to help meet the extra costs of studying that students face as a direct result of a disability or specific learning difficulty. They are designed to help disabled students study on an equal basis with other students.

The allowances provide help for full-time, part-time and postgraduate students. The amount you can get does not depend on your household income. You do not have to repay this funding. They are distributed by local authorities (LAs), or the Student Loans Company (SLC) in certain designated areas, postgraduate research councils/bodies and the NHS.

Please be aware that some Local Authorities are part of a pilot scheme where the Student Loans Company will be paying DSA's. For further information about which Local Authorities are part of the pilot scheme please contact your Local Authority.

What can you use them for?

• specialist equipment you need for studying - for example, computer hardware and software - up to £4,905 for the entire course
• a non-medical helper, such as a study skills tutor, note-taker or reader - up to £12,420 f/t, £9,315 p/t
• other costs - for example, tapes or Braille paper - up to £1,640 f/t, £1,230 p/t
• extra travel costs you have to pay because of your disability

If you are a postgraduate student there is one DSA allowance to meet all such study related costs (up to £5915).

Please note: the DSA does not provide funding for any personal care needs you may have, such as with shopping, cleaning or dressing etc... This type of support may be available to you through your local Social Services or you may have funding for this type of support through the Disability Living Allowance. For an assessment of your personal care needs, please contact your Social Services at home.

Who May Apply?

• Full or part time (50% timetabled) home undergraduate students who can provide documentary evidence* of their disability, SpLD or long term medical condition.
• Nursing Diploma students who have an NHS bursary and can provide documentary evidence* of their disability.
• Full or part time (50% timetabled) home postgraduate students who have documentary evidence* of their disability. Please contact Access SUMMIT for details of the variations by type of postgraduate programme.

*Documentary evidence includes medical notes or educational psychologist's reports (post-16). Access SUMMIT can provide help and advice in regarding appropriate evidence.

How to Apply

• Undergraduate students whose permanent, out of term address is in England or Wales should apply to their Local Authority (Student Awards section) enclosing documentary evidence about their disability. There are two pilot schemes for distributing DSAs and students living in designated LAs will need to apply to the Student Loans Company. Access SUMMIT can help if students have any queries about this. To locate and contact your Local Authority you can use these directories: The Department for Education and Skills: LEA Alphabetical Directory (England only) or The DirectGov Information service: A-Z of local councils (National). Local Authorities are normally linked to your local district council.
• Nursing Diploma students can apply directly to the NHS using this form and enclosing documentary evidence about their disability.
• Postgraduate students should apply either to their LA or to their funding body, again enclosing evidence of their disability.

If the funding body agrees that a student is eligible they ask him/her to contact an assessment centre such as Access SUMMIT for an Assessment of Needs. Following this appointment The Assessment Centre will write a report detailing the resources, support and institutional provision (reasonable adjustments) recommended and, with the student's approval, send it to the student's funding body. The funding body will usually contact a student direct with a decision. This assessment is paid for via the student's Disabled Students Allowance and usually the Assessment Centre will invoice the student's funding body direct.

Students from Scotland or Northern Ireland:-

Students whose permanent, out of term address is in Scotland can get information on the DSA scheme from The Students Awards Agency for Scotland web site at http://www.student-support-saas.gov.uk/disabled.htm.

Students whose permanent, out of term address is in Northern Ireland can get information on the DSA scheme from the Department for Employment and Learning web site. In addition, visit:-

Skill Northern Ireland
Unit 2, Jennymount Court, North Derby Street,
Belfast, BT15 3HN
Tel: 028 9028 7000
Email: info@skillni.org.uk

International Students:-

The DSA is not available to international students (this includes EU students). If you are an International student with a disability, health condition, specific learning difficulty or mental health difficulty, ideally you should arrange funding for support in your home country before you arrive. International students who are identified with a disability of any sort after they become a student may be eligible to apply for means tested funding from the Access to Learning Fund via their HEI.

For queries concerning Assessments of Needs:-

Tel: 0161 275 0986 / 0161 275 0996
Email: assessments@access-summit.org.uk
MSN us using: as_assessments@hotmail.co.uk