Apply for Disabled Students' Allowances
We recommend you apply for the Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA) before you start your course or within the first few months. This will ensure the appropriate support is put in place.
You can complete an application through a relevant funding body, such as:
- If you are a full-time undergraduate student applying for the student loan, you can apply for the DSA online on the Student Loans website
- If you are a part-time undergraduate or a postgraduate student, please download an application form from www.direct.gov.uk/dsas
- Complete the ‘slim’ form if you are applying or have applied for a student loan.
- Complete the ‘full’ form if you are not applying for a student loan.
- The University will need to complete section 5 of the full form. You can send your application and evidence direct to SFE at dsa_team@slc.co.uk please put your customer reference number, name and date of birth in the subject line. You can also copy us in to this email (disability-supportservices@nottingham.ac.uk).
- If you are studying a medical, dental or social work course find out how and when to apply to NHS Disabled Students' Allowances
- To apply to a Research Council, contact your allocated Disability Support Adviser or Specialist Study Support Tutor at the University of Nottingham or email us at: disability-supportservices@nottingham.ac.uk
You will need to provide a copy of your evidence with your DSA application form. This could be either a letter or report from your doctor or consultant, your audiology report or medical evidence or educational psychologist/specialist teacher’s report. Please keep the original evidence or a copy of it as you will require this later.
After you have submitted your application, the funding body will send you a letter to confirm that you can book a study needs assessment.
We can reassure you that there are no tests involved in the assessment. It is a discussion and exploration of your needs with an experienced assessor, who will consider the impacts of your disability/specific learning difficulty/long-term medical condition/mental health condition on your academic studies. The assessor will consider support, study strategies or assistive software you have had previously or are currently accessing. Study aids and strategies relevant to your current course of study will then be considered and where appropriate, there will also be the opportunity to evaluate appropriate assistive technology, aids and equipment.