Would DSA pay for halls room in the holidays for ASD student?

[Raquelldeer]

DC is at Cambridge, first year, and has really struggled not only with packing their entire life up after just a few weeks, but also that someone might be using their room over the holidays. DC has ASD.

Is it worth speaking again with DSA to see if they would cover the cost of the room in the holidays? Has anyone managed to do this? It's quite likely that DC would stay later and return earlier if they could, to avoid the chaos of changeover days.

Thanks!

Talk to the college first to see if they'd allow him to stay at all - lots of the colleges need the space for conferences in the holidays.

College have suggested it, they felt it would really benefit DC, but it's just the cost that we'd struggle with.

They can cover additional costs incurred with accommodation due to the disability so this would theoretically be possible.

They will pay the difference for catered so they may pay for this.

Thank you all, it's worth asking then. I'll get DC to email.

No they won't, it's not a study related cost.

DSA also won't pay anything towards halls if you mean university owned or managed accommodation. It's the university that would pay any additional disability related cost in accessing halls.

It's taking over a month to get a reply from DSA by email at the moment, will be more with Christmas in the way. If you have a question I would get your son to ring or just ask university Disability Services.

The college might, my son was at Cambridge they can be very generous especially if he came from a state school.

Does he claim pip? Could that be used?

You should enquire about special bursary funds etc the college has - worth a call to his Director of Studies and/or Pastoral tutor

And yes, check what funds his college have available.

Bear in mind depending on what room he has he may not have a choice. The colleges have conferences and events planned sometimes years in advance. In DD’s college even those with continuous licences sometimes have to move rooms. DD’s college they have lockable storage in the room so she only had to come home with some of her stuff and not pack up all of it. She came home on 2nd December. Only those helping with interviews stayed until today,
most left end of last week. Vacating the rooms at Oxbridge is part of the etymology of the word vacation.

It may be worth checking with the college whether what room he is in would make a difference. If they have some rooms which are not suitable for conference use, then having one of those might make it very easy for the college to waive any requirements about clearing the room.