Funding and Finance

Disabled Students' Allowances

    Provided by: UK Government

    Details:

    Disabled Students' Allowances are grants available from the UK government to help meet the extra course costs students can face as a direct result of a disability, specific learning difficulty or mental health condition.

    What they can be used for
    Disabled Students' Allowances can help pay for:
    • specialist equipment you need for studying - for example, computer software
    • a non-medical helper, such as a note-taker or reader
    • extra travel costs you have to pay because of your disability
    • other costs - for example, tapes or Braille paper

    The maximum allowance for postgraduate students from England for 2011/12 is £10,260. This amount may vary for students from Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales.

    Eligibility
    Eligible full-time, part-time and postgraduate students can apply for Disabled Students' Allowances. The amount you get is not means tested.

    You can apply if you are doing:
    • a full-time course that lasts at least one year (including a distance-learning course)
    • a part-time course that lasts at least one year and doesn't take more than twice as long to complete as an equivalent full-time course (including a distance-learning course)

    To apply for financial help through Disabled Students' Allowances, both you and your course must meet some other conditions. It's worth checking these before you make your application.

    To apply you will have to show evidence of your disability.

    For more information and advice about Disabled Students’ Allowances speak to one of our Student Wellbeing Advisers (Disability)
    Tel: 0191 208 3333
    Enquire online: www.ncl.ac.uk/enquiries
    Website:  www.ncl.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/disability-support

    For further details and how to apply
    Please see:
    www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance for students from England
    www.studentfinanceni.co.uk for students from Northern Ireland
    www.student-support-saas.gov.uk for students from Scotland
    www.studentfinancewales.co.uk for students from Wales

    Note: You may also like to find out about Professional and Career  Development Loans (PCDL) that can contribute towards any costs associated with disability.