Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

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Organising your support step-by-step guide

Step 1 – Apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

DSA applications typically open in March/April for the upcoming academic year.

You can apply at any time but it’s important to apply as early as possible so your support can be in place before your course starts.

Step 2 – Book Your Study Needs Assessment (SNA)

Once DSA processes your application (this can take up to six weeks), you’ll receive a DSA1 eligibility letter by email.

To move forward, you must book your Study Needs Assessment. This is an essential step to identify the right support for your needs.
If you need help with booking your assessment, our team is here to support you. Email disabilityteam@derby.ac.uk

Find out more about the Study Needs Assessment on UCAS.

Step 3 – Attend Your Study Needs Assessment

At your Study Needs Assessment, you'll talk through your individual requirements with a trained assessor. Together, you'll explore what types of funded support would be beneficial to help you succeed.

See a mock Study Needs Assessment for an idea of what to expect.

Step 4 – Receive Your DSA2 letter

After your assessment, you’ll receive a DSA2 letter by email. This lists:

• the support you’ve been approved for
• the suppliers who will provide it
• their contact details

Contact the suppliers as soon as possible to arrange delivery, setup, and any necessary training on your equipment.

Once you receive your course timetable, get in touch with your providers to let them know your availability. They can they schedule your tutor support (e.g., specialist mentors, study skills tutors).

Step 5 – Contact the University Disability team

You can reach out to our Disability Team at any time during your application or university journey.

To enable us to put support in place we need you to provide us with evidence of your disability. This is usually in the form of a doctor's letter or a diagnostic report.

If you have this, please email it to studentservices@derby.ac.uk with your details (full name, student number if known, date of birth, general availability and course you're hoping to study).

We'll contact you to arrange an appointment with our Disability team to discuss your support requirements.

If you're unsure about evidence or don't have any, don't worry, you can still contact us and we'll be happy advise you.

We’re here to support you with university-based adjustments and guidance alongside DSA.

If you're on an apprenticeship programme please email this to als@blc.ac.uk

Useful tips

• Make a checklist of each of the steps on this page, and tick them off when you complete each one
• Keep copies of all your DSA letters and supplier contacts in one place
• Set reminders for key DSA steps and upcoming appointments
• Ask for help if you need support at any stage of the process