Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)

Step One

You must first contact your Funding Body to inform them that you intend to apply for the DSA. They will send you a form to fill in and return this along with medical evidence of your disability (which in the case of Dyslexic students this must be a recent Educational Psychologists report). This can be done in conjunction with the Disability Advisor, or the Dyslexia Unit (as appropriate).

Step Two

On receipt of the letter from the Funding Body confirming eligibility for DSA, contact an Access Centre to arrange an Assessment of Needs interview/assessment. Send a copy of your medical evidence/Educational Psychologists report to the Access Centre within 5 working days otherwise the appointment may have to be cancelled.

The University's Access Centre is the Aberystwyth University Access Centre. For more information, see below. 

We recommend conducting your Needs Assessment through Aberystwyth University Access Centre, but Assessments may be conducted at alternative locations throughout the UK.

Step Three

Attend your Study Needs Assessment. At this stage you will usually come to the Access Centre, and we will discuss your disability needs. We will write a report recommending the relevant support etc.

Step Four

You will be asked to read the report we produce, before it is sent to the Funding Body. It is your application, and you need to be happy with it before it is sent to your Funding Body. If strategies are agreed during the assessment interview and no further research is necessary, this draft report stage can be omitted by mutual consent between you and the assessor, however we recommend you check the report before it goes to the Funding Body.

Step Five

Your report is sent to the Funding Body (and copied to you). The Funding Body decides which of our recommendations they can pay for with the DSA fund. They should write to you to inform you of the outcome of the assessment.

Step Six

Once you have confirmation that the Funding Body will fund the recommended support etc. you should provide the supplier of the support with a copy of the letter (e.g. student services, the dyslexia unit or equipment supplier). The supplier must have confirmation that the Funding Body will pay for the services and equipment supplied.
In the case of study support at the dyslexia unit, you can usually take this before the Funding Body has contacted you. Other things such as equipment cannot be supplied with out the Funding Body's confirmation.

Additional Information

Once you have had your needs assessment Aberystwyth University Access Centre aim to have your report ready for you to read within a fortnight.
Additional support and equipment can be provided later in your course, if a need arises. The Access Centre will need to discuss the additional need with you, and will send a letter to the Funding Body requesting any further items.

The Aberystwyth University Access Centre works to the following timescales:

What we will do	Timescale
Offer you an appointment for an Assessment of Needs once you have received Funding Body confirmation	... immediate
Offer you an appointment for an Assessment of Needs that falls within...	... the next 15 working days
After you have had your assessment, we will send you a draft copy of the report to read through (and agree with by completing the accompanying slip)...	... within 10 working days of your assessment appointment
Agree and make any changes to your Assessment report once we have heard back from you...	... within 1 working day
Send the final copy of your Assessment of Needs report to your funding body...	... within 1 working day
Send you a final copy of your Assessment of Needs report...	... within 3 working days

 

The outreach service at Aberystwyth University is in the Welcome Centre on the Penglais Campus, where you can access a range of services.

If you have difficulty finding the building, the main reception at the entrance to the campus can help.

Sat Nav: SY23 3FB

Aberystwyth University Map

Bangor Access Centre

• We provide a friendly professional service;
• We provide high quality assessments and reports;
• We are student focused and receive excellent feedback regarding the service.

	Office Hours Personnel will be available to answer student calls and queries.	Needs Assessments Assessors are available to carry out needs assessments.
Monday	9am to 5.00pm	10am to 3pm
Tuesday	9am to 5.00pm	10am to 3pm
Wednesday	9am to 5.00pm	10am to 3pm
Thursday	9am to 5.0pm	10am to 3pm
Friday	9am to 4.00pm	10am to 3pm
Saturday	Closed	Closed
Sunday	Closed	Closed

Our accreditation number is: 110667