Help for Higher Education Students.
University Disability Officers offer specialist advice about all aspects of support. Dyslexic students should contact their DO as soon as they accept a place.
1. Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
Dyslexic students in Higher Education, who have been assessed as dyslexic, can apply to their Local Education Authority (LEA) for a DSA. Part time students, studying at least 50% of a full-time degree course and post-graduate students are now eligible for this allowance.
Students should apply to their LEA. The LEA will need post 16 evidence of dyslexia from a qualified chartered educational psychologist or a specialist SpLD teacher with suitable qualifications.
Most funding authorities now require students to complete a DSA1 form in order to apply for this Disabled Student Allowance. This is available from the DCFS website.
The quickest way to apply is for the student to download the form, complete it and send it to their funding authority with a copy of an up to date psychology report. Funding authorities will send out a form but often take 28 days to do so.
If you are eligible for a DSA, you can go to an ACCESS Centre, which can assess the needs of disabled students including ICT.
The DSA can include a once only equipment, such as a PC, hardware and appropriate software. An annual non-medical helper's allowance, which can include funding for ICT training, proof reading, and an annual general allowance for books etc. See Bridging the Gap, below, for full details.
2. Useful publications.
The DCSF Leaflet 'Bridging The Gap - A Guide To Disabled Students Allowance (DSAs) in Higher Education'.
Further information on allowances and eligibility can be found here.
3. Further sources of information.
The Open University.
Disabled Student Services.
- Tel: 01908 655 354.
- Email: Disabled-Student-Services@open.ac.uk
- http://www.open.ac.uk/
SKILL: The National Bureau for Students with Disabilities.
Skill has helpful general information and literature, especially about allowances for disabled students and about many charities and grant making trusts.
- Tel: 0800 328 5050.
- Fax: 020 7450 0650.
- Email: info@skill.org.uk
- http://www.skill.org.uk/
Information for dyslexic nursing students.
NHS grants for nursing students etc. - Tel: 0845 358 6655. - http://www.nhsstudentgrants.co.uk/
The Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS)
EGAS offers guidance about loans, grants and benefits from educational trusts and charities for disadvantaged students over 16. Send an stamped address envelope or phone for a form for completion, to enable EGAS to give you appropriate advice.
- Address: 501-505 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AU.
- Tel: 020 7254 6251.
- Fax: 020 7249 5443.
Scholarship Search UK.
Academic Scholarships and Bursaries for UK Universities and Educational Institutions.
FunderFinder
FunderFinder has links to fundraising resources and to a wide range of trusts (not all educational).
