Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are grants to help pay for the extra essential costs a student may have as a direct result of a disability, a long-term health condition, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty (SpLD), such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. Once a student has successfully applied for DSA, Student Finance provides funding for additional support. This money does not have to be repaid.

Please download our DSA guide here

You can also find more information about the standard rates we charge for specialist support under DSA here

Students need to provide evidence of their disability, mental health condition or learning difficulty when applying for DSA.

During enrolment, all new students at UCW complete a short assessment called QuickScan. This provides information about a student’s learning style and also indicates whether they have a SpLD, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. After QuickScan, any student who shows signs of having a SpLD will be offered a meeting with our Support Coordinator to discuss whether they want to apply for DSA and access specialist support.

As part of the process of applying for DSA, students need to supply evidence of their disability. For a SpLD such as dyslexia, students must provide a full diagnostic report, carried out after the age of 16. If a student has dyslexia, but does not have a post-16 diagnostic report, UCW can help to arrange for a diagnostic assessment to be undertaken. Students pay towards the cost of this assessment.

More information can be found in the downloadable booklet in the above dropdown.

UCW provides specialist learning support for students receiving DSA, including:

• Specialist study skills support for students with a SpLD (e.g. dyslexia) or autism.

This usually involves weekly one-to-one sessions with a specialist study skills tutor. The support is based on the needs of the individual student, but topics covered can include organisation and time management; academic reading; academic writing; essay planning; presentations; exam revision; and research.

• Specialist mentoring for students with autism or mental health conditions.

This usually involves one-to-one sessions with a specialist mentor. In these sessions, the mentor will listen to the needs of the student and help them to develop strategies to overcome any challenges that they are facing.

• Specialist support for students with sensory impairments.

We have specialist staff that can support students with sensory impairments. This support is tailored to the specific needs of the student.

Another key way that UCW supports students is through the Reasonable Adjustment process. We proactively put adjustments in place for our students that declare a learning difference, disability or mental health condition.  We can also put them in place if a student is pregnant or has the care of a young baby.

Please click on this link to find out more about UCW’s approach to Reasonable Adjustments.