How will I fund the support?

Disabled Students' Allowances (DSA)

Funding non-medical personal assistants can be very expensive. If you are in receipt of an award from one of the Research Councils and are eligible for DSA, it would be payable by the relevant research council. The level of the allowance is similar to the level of the DSA for undergraduates.

However, if you are not in receipt of a bursary from a research council, then your DSA is paid by your local authority. The maximum you would be entitled to receive is at a much lower level than the DSA for undergraduates. It is unlikely to cover the full cost of the services of a non-medical support worker if you required their help on a very regular basis.

Additional forms of funding for disability-related support

If you are concerned that the funding available may not cover the full cost of your support requirements, it is advisable to contact the disability service at the university where you hope to study. Find out if there is any funding from the university to make up the shortfall.

There are some educational trusts which may consider a request for funding to support disability-related costs. A good starting point would be the information booklet on applying to trusts from Skill: the National Bureau for Students with Disabilities.

You may have queries which are different from these. Whatever concerns you have, exploring them takes time. You will be able to make a more informed decision if you address the issues early. If at any time the barriers seem insurmountable, seek advice from disability officers and careers advisers at the university.