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► HELP ON SUSSEX SU
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► Financial help
This page gives information about funding that is available specifically for disabled students.
I have a disability, and am worried that I will have higher course costs as a result, is there any help available?
If you have a disability, mental health condition or a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, you may find that you have higher costs that arise once you are studying as a direct result of your disability. For example, in order to benefit fully from your course, you may need to buy specialist computer software, employ a note-taker or find money to pay for additional photocopying/ printing. If so, you may be eligible for Disabled Student’s Allowances (DSAs) to help meet these costs.
There are four categories of DSA for undergraduates:
- A specialist equipment allowance - up to £5,161 for the whole of your course (for both full-time and part-time students)
- A non-medical helper allowance - £20,520 a year (up to £15,390 a year for part-time students depending on intensity of your course as a percentage of an equivalent full-time course).
- A general allowance - up to £1,724 a year (up to £1,293 a year for part-time students depending on the intensity of your course as a percentage of an equivalent full-time course).
- A travel allowance - 'reasonable' expenditure on travel costs beyond what any student would have to pay in order to attend university (for both full-time and part-time students).
Postgraduates with a disability, mental health need or learning difficulty may be eligible for a single DSA allowance of up to £10,260. This can be used to pay for specialist equipment, non-medical personal helpers, extra travel costs or other course-related costs.
DSAs can be used, for example, to buy specialist support software, to pay for a note taker, or to cover the cost of additional printing/photocopying. How much you will receive is based on your individual needs and does NOT depend on your income.
Am I eligible for a DSA?
For details about eligibility for DSAs, how to apply etc have a look at the Direct Gov website.
The University's Student Support Unit can also assist you in applying for DSAs.
Can I get help with any extra travel costs?
If you are an undergraduate student (full or part-time), you may also be able to get additional help to pay any extra travel costs incurred as a result of your disability when attending university. You will not however be eligible for help with everyday travel costs that all students would expect to pay.
If you are a postgraduate student (full or part-time), you cannot apply for additional help specifically to cover extra travel costs but any money you are awarded as a Postgraduate DSA can be used to pay for travel costs.
Is there any other help available for disabled students?
Access to Learning Fund (ALF)
The Access to Learning Fund provides discretionary financial assistance to home students (full or part-time) on low incomes who need extra funding in order to stay in higher education. All awards are usually non-repayable. The Fund can help students who are experiencing financial hardship, can provide emergency payments in an unexpected crisis or can help meet course or living costs that are not being met by other grants. The fund may also be able to help in reimbursing the cost of any diagnostic test required when applying for a DSA, including travel to and from the assessment centre. Students will be assessed on their individual needs but priority is given to the following students:
- Disabled students, especially where the DSA is unable to meet particular costs
- Students with children, especially lone parents
- Mature students, especially those with existing financial commitments
- Students from low-income families
- Students who have been in care
- Students from Foyer or who have been homeless
- Final year students
You can apply to the Fund at most points throughout the academic year including the long vacation. Application forms and guidance notes are available from the Student Advice Centre or to download from here.
Please Note:
- The Access to Learning Fund is only available to ‘home’ students. It is NOT available to non-UK residents.
- The Fund can only offer additional assistance to students experiencing financial difficulty and is NOT able to provide the main source of funding for a course.
Welfare Benefits
In general, most full-time students are not eligible to claim any benefits for the duration of their course. However, students with a disability may be entitled to claim some benefits depending on their individual circumstances. Part-time disabled students may also be eligible to claim some benefits. Have a look at our benefit webpages for further information.
Please Note:
- The rules surrounding entitlement to benefits can be complex and confusing so you should speak to one of our advisors if you think you may be entitled to claim.
- If you are in receipt of any benefits before you start your course these may well be affected by becoming a student, you MUST inform all relevant benefit offices in writing when you become a student and give them details of any student income you will be receiving.
Whilst there is no other funding available specifically for disabled students, you may be able to secure additional funds from a variety of different sources ranging from Sussex scholarships/bursaries to awards from educational trusts. Have a look at our Additional sources of income and Additional help available to Sussex students webpages for further information or contact SKILL (the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities) on 0800 328 5050 for advice.
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