Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) Only application 2024-2025
The closing date for applications is 31 March 2025
DSA is a fund to support disabled students and those with additional learning needs who are studying
higher education and may have extra costs because of their impairment.
For more information or alternative formats, visit www.saas.gov.uk, email us at [email protected] or
call us on 0300 555 0505.
If you receive postgraduate funding from a Research Council or other UK funding body,
you cannot apply for DSA.
Full-time students
You can fill in this form if you:
• meet our residence conditions
• are studying an undergraduate or postgraduate course that we support
• are studying a diploma or degree in paramedic, nursing and midwifery
• are not applying to us for your tuition fees, loan, bursary, and any applicable living-costs grants
Part-time students
You can fill in this form if you:
• meet our residence conditions
• are working towards at least 50% of a full-time higher education qualification, such as an HNC, HND,
degree or postgraduate. For Open University, this means at least 60 credits in each academic year
• are studying a course which lasts for more than one academic year but is not 2 times longer than the
full-time version. For example, if it takes 2 years to complete your course full-time, you must take no
longer than 4 years to complete it part-time
You should complete sections 1 to 7 and your advisor should complete sections 8 and 9. Any
missing information may delay your application.
If completing this form by hand, use black ink and BLOCK CAPITAL LETTERS and tick the
boxes that apply.
Section 1 - Reference number
If you have previously applied for funding, including tuition fees only, enter your 8-digit SAAS
reference number, shown on your award.
1 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 2 – Personal details
Title Mr Mrs Ms Miss Other
First names
Last name
Name at birth, if
different from above
Date of birth
Full address,
including
postcode
Term-time address,
if different from
above
Phone number
Email address
(you must enter this if you have one)
National Insurance
number
(you must enter this if you have one)
Bank details - provide the bank account details where you want us to pay your DSA, even if you have
already given us bank account details on your main funding application.
Sort code Account number
2 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 3 – About your disability or learning difficulty
For this section, tell us about your disability or learning difficulty, you can choose more than one
option and there's an extra page at the end of the form to provide more information.
If you’re applying for DSA for the first time, you should send evidence of your disability or specific
learning difficulty. For example, a letter from your doctor or an educational psychologist’s report.
What disability or specific learning difficulty do you have? Please tick all that apply.
I have a learning difficulty
I have a social or communication impairment
I have a long standing illness or health condition
I have a mental health condition
I have a physical impairment or mobility issues
I have a hearing impairment
I have a visual impairment
My disability is not listed
I have multiple disabilities
3 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 4 – Your residence
You only need to complete this section if you are applying to us for the first time or after a study break.
What country were you born in?
What is your nationality?
What country do you permanently live in?
When does your course start? Choose a period below, we will refer to this as the relevant date in
other questions.
1 Aug - 31 Dec 1 Jan - 31 Mar 1 Apr - 31 Jun 1 Jul - 31 Jul
Have you lived in the UK continuously for 3 years immediately
Yes No
before your relevant date? Also known as ordinarily resident.
If you answered No, tell us which country or countries you have been living in.
Will you be ordinarily resident in Scotland on your relevant date? Yes No
Will you be living in Scotland for 1 year before your relevant date? Yes No
If you answered No, complete the Residence Form and send it to us with this application.
4 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 5 – Education and employment
You only need to complete this section if you are applying to us for the first time or after a study break.
Education details
In what country was the last school you attended?
What year did you leave that school?
Have you been in education at any time since leaving school? Yes No
If you answered Yes, give details of any college or university you have studied at since leaving
school, including any time spent outside the UK. Use the extra page to provide more information.
Name of college or Full-time /
university Dates attended Course Qualifications
Part-time
including town
Employment details
Provide details of your full or part-time employment for the last 3 years. Include details of any
unemployment or time spent outside the UK. Use the extra page to provide more information.
Name of employer Job title Years worked Town you lived in
or enter unemployed from / to while working here
5 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 6 – Your course and college/university details
(you must complete this section)
What college or university are you studying at?
What course are you studying?
What is the qualification level of the course?
Such as HNC, degree etc.
For Open University students, give the details of the course(s) you'll be studying this year and the credits.
Course Credits you expect to earn
Total credits
Are you studying full-time, part-time or distance learning?
When does your course start or resume?
How many years does your course take to complete?
What year are you applying for? For example, 1, 2, 3 and so on.
6 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 7 – Student declaration and agreement
Sign and date this section.
We make payments of Disabled Students’ Allowance under the Students’ Allowances
(Scotland) Regulations 2022.
• all the information I have entered and submitted on this form is complete and accurate, to the
best of my knowledge
• I will give SAAS any additional information or documents it may request to help SAAS process
my application
• I will inform SAAS if my circumstances change that might affect any amount I have received,
may receive, or had paid on my behalf. This includes getting public funding from elsewhere, not
enrolling, or withdrawing from my course
• I understand that if I give SAAS false, incorrect, or incomplete information or my conduct is
otherwise unsatisfactory, SAAS may withdraw my funding and I may be prosecuted and SAAS
would seek repayment of any sums received to which I am not entitled
• I will repay any amount which I have received, or had paid on my behalf, which is more than the
award that was due to me
• I need to spend the amount awarded, so I can complete my course
• I will send you receipts for all items that I purchase under the DSA
• I understand that the information I have provided will be used for the prevention, detection,
investigation and reporting of crime and I understand SAAS will share this information with other
bodies for these purposes
Sign (or type name if submitting
electronically) Date
7 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 8 – Your support details
Your disabilities advisor should complete and sign this section with you.
Please tick one of the 4 boxes below.
This is my first application for DSA and I have already received a needs assessment.
This is my first application for DSA and I would like to arrange a needs assessment.
I have been assessed, but require a new needs assessment.
Ask your disability advisor to send a covering letter explaining why you require a new needs
assessment.
I am a continuing student for 2023/24. I have received DSA before and have an
approved needs assessment.
Recommendations
Your disability advisor should complete the recommendations below.
• use amounts, do not enter ‘to be confirmed’
• continue on a separate sheet if required
Equipment, software and accessories
I have included an itemized quote and recommend all items
Estimated cost £
Non-Medical Personal Help (NMPH)
Non-Medical Personal Provider / Hourly rate, Hours per No. of weeks Estimated
Help (NMPH) support type employed Helper including VAT week support required cost
Estimated total cost
8 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 8 – Recommendations - continued
Consumables Estimated cost
Travel expenses
Starting location
End location
Return journey starting location
Cost per return journey
Number of return journeys per week
Number of weeks travel required
Total cost
If you're claiming taxi costs, include 2 taxi quotes or university/college contract quote.
9 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Section 9 – Declaration
This section should be filled in by your assessor or disability advisor.
I can confirm any support that is set out in this claim is essential for this student to complete their
course and to my knowledge, the details on the claim are correct.
Where a student is employing their own helper, I have discussed the available guidance with the
student and I am happy that the non-medical person is suitable to undertake this role.
Part-time only - I confirm that is working towards at least
% of a full-time equivalent higher education qualification.
Course start date
College or university name
Name of the assessor or disability advisor
Phone number of the assessor or disability advisor
Email address of the assessor or disability advisor
The information given is in line with the details the student
gave when starting this course, and to my knowledge is correct
Signature of assessor or disability advisor
(or type name if submitting electronically) Date
10 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Additional information
If you need to provide extra details about anything relating to this application, use the space
below.
Checklist. Ensure you and your disability advisor have provided the
following:
Evidence of your disability if you are applying for DSA for the first time.
A copy of your needs assessment, if you are applying for DSA for the first time.
Completed all the sections on the form and signed the declaration on this page.
A copy of quotes for equipment or 2 quotes for taxis. This only applies to students applying for
large equipment or travel expenses.
Please supply all the required information. Anything missing will delay your
application.
Check all the information is correct and save the form to your device.
Upload your completed form to your SAAS Account using the Document Uploader.
11 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
Data Protection
We take our responsibilities for the way we store, secure and use your personal information seriously,
and always seek to respect your privacy and to meet our legal obligations. These obligations include
the General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other regulations and
legislation relating to privacy and communications.
The information provided on this form will only be shared when it is necessary to do so to enable us
to effectively provide and administer financial support under the Disabled Students’ Allowance.
For details on how we use your information and who we may share your information with, visit our
privacy policy at Student Privacy Statement (saas.gov.uk)
Our Privacy Policy explains:
• the purposes for which we use personal data and the legal basis for that use
• the categories of data we collect and how we acquire it, especially in those cases where it may
come from another party
• our approach to sharing data and gives information about the organisations with whom we share
data and why we do so
• your various rights and how to exercise them
If you require further information about how your information is processed, contact the SAAS Data
Protection team at [email protected]
Fraud Statement - Prevention, Detection, Investigation and Reporting of Crime
SAAS is under a duty to protect the public funds it administers, and to this end will use the
information you have provided on this form for the prevention and detection of fraud. We will also
share this information with other bodies responsible for auditing or administering public funds for
these purposes. SAAS participates in the National Fraud Initiative (NFI) data matching exercise. For
further information, visit https://www.saas.gov.uk/about-saas/fraud-prevention.
Fraud Prevention Agency Fair Processing Notice
The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with fraud prevention agencies
who will use it to prevent fraud and money-laundering and to verify your identity. If fraud is detected,
you could be refused further funding from SAAS and certain services, finance or employment from
other organisations.
You can also obtain a copy of the full fair processing notice by emailing
[email protected]. This will include further details on your data protection rights and how your
information will be used by us and these fraud prevention agencies.
If you require a paper copy of the full privacy or fraud statements, contact us on 0300 555 0505.
12 Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3UT DSA Only Application
t / 0300 555 0505 w / www.saas.gov.uk
