Disabled Students' Allowance

1. Apply for DSA via your student finance portal. Alternatively, you can download the DSA application form from the Student Finance England (SFE) or Student Finance Wales (SFW) website, complete and then submit with your evidence. 
2. Your funding body will assess your application and write to you to ask you to attend a needs assessment (this is often referred to as a DSA1 letter). A needs assessment is an informal meeting between a student and a needs assessor to discuss the impact of the student’s disability and/or condition on their studies.
3. Contact your local Assessment Centre to arrange a needs assessment. To find an accredited centre near to you visit: https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-assessment-centre.
4. Attend your needs assessment.
5. The needs assessor will write a report and send it to you and your funding body for approval.
6. Your funding body will send you a letter, often referred to as a DSA2 letter. The DSA2 letter explains who will provide the recommended support and how you can contact them to arrange your support. It would be helpful if you sent a copy to your chosen University.

Your DSA2 letter confirms what support and equipment will be funded by your DSA. It is important that you read this letter carefully as you are responsible for arranging your support.

Section 1 – Specialist Equipment Allowance

This section provides the information needed to place an order for any assistive technology or equipment that has been recommended and approved by the funding body.

You will need to contact the supplier using the contact details (usually a phone number and/or email address) and quote number provided. The supplier will ask for a copy of the DSA2 letter to be sent to them, and will also ask for details about where the equipment should be delivered and will confirm a delivery date.

Students funded through Student Finance England are required to make a £200 contribution towards the cost of computer equipment. Assistance may be available through the Swansea University Opportunity Award.

Section 2 – Non-Medical Helper’s Allowance

This section provides the information needed to begin any one-to-one support that has been recommended and approved by the funding body.

You will need to contact each supplier individually to set up your support. If you are not happy with the supplier selected by the funding body, you should contact your needs assessor. 

If Swansea University is listed as the supplier for:

• specialist one to one study skills support, please email Specialist Study Skills at study-skills@swansea.ac.uk
• specialist mentor support, please email the Mentoring Service at mentoring@swansea.ac.uk
• note taking or practical support, please email the Notetaking Service at notetaking@swansea.ac.uk

Section 3 – General Allowance

This section provides the information needed to claim for any additional expenses that have been recommended and approved by the funding body, for example ink and paper. You will need to keep hold of any receipts for items purchased that can be reimbursed. Complete a reimbursement claim form, attach your receipts and send this to the appropriate funding body by post or by email as detailed on the letter.

• Download reimbursement forms for Student Finance England
• Download reimbursement forms for Student Finance Wales

Section 4 – Travel Allowance

This section provides the information needed to claim for any additional travel costs incurred as a result of disability that have been recommended and approved by the funding body.

Your DSA2 letter will detail of the number of approved journeys between certain drop-off and pick-up points. Students are required to make a contribution towards the cost of a journey and the amount of the contribution will be noted on the letter. There are two options available:

1. If a small number of occasional journeys have been recommended, you may wish to pay the taxi driver directly and get a receipt to reclaim the agreed cost from your funding body using the appropriate reimbursement forms as linked above.
2. Student Finance Wales and Student Finance England also give the option to set up an account with a taxi firm who will invoice the funding body directly. Taxi account request forms can be obtained through the relevant funding body.