Disabled students allowance

[MrsShiney]

my DD is (hopefully if she gets the grades) starting uni this year and has life threatening allergies, severe asthma and a few other health problems and has been advised by sixth form to apply for DSA and I would be grateful if any of you could provide your experiences of applying.

Anyone?

My DS (ADHD and dyspraxia) gets this (I think). No real advice because he did it all himself. He got a lot of help from the disability unit of his uni.

Son in his 4th year at Uni applied and has received DSA since he started at Uni. His is for dyslexia so totally different. I believe the principle is to give you what is essential for you to complete your course (compared to ordinary students) so he got a laptop, scanner and printer, extra week of ability to borrow books from Uni library without fines, lessons on how to use use the laptop (he only had one cos he knew what to do) and most importantly extra time in exams (25%) and he was in a room with others who had the same extra time. This meant that he wasn't disturbed by students finishing earlier than him.

In your DD's case I guess it might be something like ensuite room (so she can control allergie stuff), own kitchen if food is related to allergies and so on. Maybe a helper if she needs one for something and perhaps breaks in exams so that she can rest. It's a v individual thing for which she will probably need to be assessed or perhaps you will need to send in reports. we had to send in son's Ed Phych report and then he had an assessment.

What they don't give you is money to spend as you wish. They give you what you need.

By the way he's due to get a First this summer in his masters so it was worth it!

Thank You.

pippop1 its reassuring to know that she may get help to pay towards an ensuite because one of the things she is allergic to is deodorants/perfumes etc so an ensuite is essential and comparing the costs to a normal room there is such a big difference at the uni she's firmed.

I would imagine that she might get the difference between an ordinary room and an ensuite room. She would also be a priority for an ensuite room. I have a friend who's son as Chron's Disease (spelling? it's a bowel prob) and he gets the promise of an ensuite and can do for the 3 years.

I hope her exams go well. It's a scary time for parents too. Maybe you could get some kind of Dr's letter saying that it would be impossible for her to have anything but an ensuite room so that you are ready with the "proof". You could also contact the Uni that she hopes to go to and discuss what she might need with them, and her insurance one.....just in case.