Filling in the DSA application form: England Applying for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA): England
Here are the steps to completing a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) application form. The process is described in greater detail after the steps.
Download the correct application form, DSA 1, from the Student Finance England website for the academic year you’ll be studying in and read the guidance notes provided.
Fill in the relevant sections of the form.
Gather your evidence to go with the form.
Send your DSA application form and evidence to Student Finance England at PO Box 210, Darlington DL1 9HJ.
Downloading the correct form
As an Open University (OU) student, you need to apply as a part-time student. This is because studying with the OU is considered part-time study, even if you’re studying full-time. As a part-time student you’ll need to apply for DSA each academic year.
You’ll need to complete the DSA1 form on GOV.UK for the academic year you’ll be starting your module in. You’ll find guidance notes with the application form to help you complete it. We recommend you read the guidance notes before filling in the form.
You will find the form and guidance note you need to download on GOV.UK, under Student finance forms.
Nursing qualifications
Some of our nursing qualifications are classified as full-time study. If you're on a nursing qualification and you're not sure whether your study is part-time or full-time contact your Student Support Team (SST) or the Disability Support Team to check.
If you're study is classified as full-time you will need to complete the full-time DSA application. If you need help with your application contact Student Finance England on 0300 100 0607.
Providing OU information in your application
You can leave Section 5 Your university or college blank. As studying with the OU is distance learning, Student Finance England allows OU students to send in their DSA application form with this section blank. Student Finance England will contact us to complete Section 5 on your behalf, however you’ll need to complete Section 6 b Consent to share DSA to give Student Finance England consent to contact us.
Sending your form to Student Finance England
Post your completed form and evidence to Student Finance England at the following address:
Student Finance England
PO Box 210
Darlington
DL1 9HJ
Or you can email your form and evidence to the Student Finance England DSA team at dsa_team@slc.co.uk.
Help with your DSA application
Student Finance England provides detailed guidance notes with the application form to explain the process. You can also contact Student Finance England at dsa_team@slc.co.uk, or by phone on 0300 100 0607.
Our Disability Support Team can help you with queries if you can’t find what you’re looking for in the guidance from Student Finance England. To contact us, see Contacts for disability support.
