Disabled Students’ Allowance — DSA — is money from the government that covers the study-related costs you have because of a mental health condition, long-term illness, disability or specific learning difficulty.
Three things surprise people. It is a grant, not a loan — there is nothing to repay. It is not means-tested, so your household income is irrelevant. And it does not affect your benefits or your other student finance.
How much is DSA?
Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £27,783 a yearfor support. That is a ceiling, not a target — most students are awarded a good deal less, because what you get depends on what your needs assessment recommends rather than on what is available.
Figure for the 2026/27 academic year, England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own limits.
Who can get it
If you study in England, you can apply for DSA if all of the following are true:
Studying in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland? DSA exists there too, but you apply through SAAS, Student Finance Wales or Student Finance NI, and the details differ.
Conditions that qualify
There is no fixed list, and this is where a lot of students count themselves out too early. GOV.UK gives these examples:
Dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, ADHD
Anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, eating disorders, bipolar disorder
Including students diagnosed in adulthood
Including mobility and dexterity needs
Visual impairment, deafness, hearing impairment
Cancer, chronic heart disease, HIV, ME, Crohn’s and others
The test is not how serious your condition sounds. It is whether it has a substantial and long-term effecton your day-to-day activities — long-term generally meaning twelve months or more. Plenty of students who are passing their degree and holding things together still qualify, because the question is what it costs you to do that.
Who is not eligible
Worth checking before you spend time on an application. You cannot get DSA from Student Finance England if any of these apply:
What DSA pays for
Assistive software, and hardware such as a computer where you are assessed as needing one. You pay the first £200 towards a new computer.
One-to-one human support — specialist mentoring, specialist study skills support, note takers, BSL interpreters and similar roles.
Taxi travel to and from your course or placement, where your disability stops you using public transport.
Disability-related study costs, such as printing extra copies of documents for proof-reading.
What you actually receive depends entirely on your needs assessment. Two students with the same diagnosis can be awarded very different support, because the assessment looks at how your condition affects your course — not at the label.
For most of our students the part that changes the year is the non-medical help: weekly one-to-one sessions with the same person, for the length of the course. University counselling is usually a fixed, small number of sessions with a waiting list. DSA-funded mentoring runs all year.
What it doesn’t pay for
The evidence you’ll need
This is where most applications stall, so it is worth getting right first time. What you need depends on your condition, and the three categories are genuinely different.
Physical, sensory, long-term health or mental health conditions
A copy of a report or letter from your doctor or a medical professional. It must say more than that you have the condition — it has to explain that the effect on your day-to-day activities is substantial and long-term. A one-line note confirming a diagnosis is the single most common reason applications get sent back. You can use a disability evidence form, a Statement of Special Educational Needs or an EHC plan instead.
Autism
The requirement here is lighter, and a lot of students do not realise it. For an autism diagnosis you only need a report or letter from a doctor or medical professional that confirms the diagnosis. You do not need it to describe a substantial and long-term effect. A disability evidence form, SEN statement or EHC plan also works.
Specific learning difficulties
For dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or ADHD you need a full diagnostic assessmentfrom a practitioner psychologist or a suitably qualified specialist teacher. If you do not have one, your university or college may be able to contribute towards the cost of a new assessment — ask the disability team before paying privately.
Through your Student Finance England online account if you have one, or by email to dsa_medical_evidence@slc.co.uk, or by post to Student Finance England, PO Box 210, Darlington, DL1 9HJ.
How the money actually works
DSA is not a sum that lands in your bank account. Most payments go directly to your suppliers— the company providing your equipment, or the organisation delivering your mentoring. Only some costs can be paid to you, and your entitlement letter will say if that applies.
One practical warning: do not buy any equipment before your needs assessment. You will not be reimbursed for it.
If your course starts on or after 1 January 2027
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is the new student finance system for many courses starting on or after 1 January 2027. Applications for LLE-funded courses and modules opened at the end of October 2026, covering certain courses at levels 4 to 6 and some postgraduate courses at level 7.
Under LLE you can qualify for DSA by studying at least 30 credits, where one credit is usually about ten hours of learning. If your course starts in that window, check which route applies to you before you begin — our step-by-step application guide covers both.
What happens after you apply
In short: you apply, Student Finance decides whether you qualify, a supplier contacts you to arrange a needs assessment, you get a report and an entitlement letter, and then support is arranged. It is not quick — allow a couple of months end to end, and longer in the busy period around the start of the academic year.
We have written the whole process out step by step, including what to do if you have already started your course: How to apply for DSA.
Where we fit in
Mango Minds is a support provider. If your needs assessment recommends specialist mentoring or specialist study skills support, we are one of the organisations that can deliver it — nationwide, mostly online, with in-person options in some areas.
We do not carry out needs assessments and we do not decide what you are awarded. If you are not yet at that stage, your university’s disability service is the right place to start. If a mental health condition is what is affecting your studies, we have written about that in more detail on the blog: Can you get DSA for a mental health condition?
You might also find our free Starter Packuseful while you wait — twelve printable pages of planning and study tools, with no sign-up.
Questions people ask
What is Disabled Students' Allowance?
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) is government funding that covers the study-related costs you have because of a mental health condition, long-term illness, disability or specific learning difficulty. It is a grant rather than a loan, it is not means-tested, and it does not have to be paid back.
How much is DSA in 2026/27?
Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £27,783 a year for support. What you actually receive depends entirely on your assessed needs, not on your household income. Most students are awarded far less than the maximum, because the figure is a ceiling rather than a target.
Who is eligible for DSA?
You can apply if you live in England, have a disability that affects your ability to study, are eligible for both a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England, and are on an undergraduate or postgraduate course lasting at least a year — or studying at least 30 credits on a course funded through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement. Students in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland apply through their own funding bodies.
Who is not eligible for DSA?
You cannot get DSA from Student Finance England if you only qualify for a Tuition Fee Loan and not a Maintenance Loan, if you are eligible for NHS Disabled Students’ Allowances (a separate scheme), if you already receive equivalent support from another source such as your university or a social work bursary, or if you are on a higher or degree apprenticeship.
Does DSA cover mental health conditions?
Yes. Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression are explicitly covered, and specialist mental health mentoring is one of the most commonly funded forms of support. You need evidence from a doctor or medical professional explaining that the effect on your day-to-day activities is substantial and long-term.
What evidence do I need for DSA?
It depends on your condition. For a physical, sensory, long-term health or mental health condition you need a letter or report from a doctor explaining that the effect on your day-to-day activities is substantial and long-term. For an autism diagnosis you only need a letter or report confirming the diagnosis. For a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia you need a full diagnostic assessment from a practitioner psychologist or suitably qualified specialist teacher.
Does DSA have to be paid back?
No. DSA is a grant, not a loan. It is not means-tested, so your household income makes no difference, and it does not affect any benefits you receive.
Do I have to pay anything towards DSA support?
Only in one situation. If you are assessed as needing a new computer, you pay the first £200 towards it yourself. Everything else recommended at your needs assessment is paid for by DSA, usually directly to the supplier rather than to you.
Does DSA pay for a specialist mentor?
Yes. Specialist mentoring is a form of non-medical help funded through DSA, alongside specialist study skills support. Whether it is in your award depends on what your needs assessment recommends.
Can I get DSA if I am a part-time or postgraduate student?
Yes to both, within limits. Postgraduate students can claim the same maximum as undergraduates. For part-time undergraduate courses, the course cannot take more than four times as long as the full-time equivalent, and must last at least a year. For a part-time master’s with a Postgraduate Loan, the course must not take more than twice as long as the full-time equivalent.
Can I get DSA if I am already partway through my course?
Yes. You can apply at any point during your course. Earlier is better, because the process takes time, but applying in your second or final year is common and perfectly allowed.
Is DSA the same across the UK?
The principle is the same but the detail differs. England applies through Student Finance England, Scotland through SAAS, Wales through Student Finance Wales and Northern Ireland through Student Finance NI. Funding limits and processes vary, so check with your own funding body.
Information checked against GOV.UK on 3 October 2026. DSA rules change — always confirm the current position with GOV.UK or Student Finance England before acting. Mango Minds provides support; we do not carry out needs assessments or administer funding.
Not sure where you are in the process?
Tell us what stage you’re at and we’ll point you to the right next step — whether or not you end up working with us. Getting in touch is always free.