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Higher Education

Support for the Disabled Students Allowance


A dyslexic person moving into Higher Education can face new challenges and greater demands on their literacy skills, and so may need support for the first time or may need to continue with the kind of support they had in school.

In order to receive support whilst in Higher Education, you require a diagnostic assessment that has been carried out by an Assessing Practicing Certified Teacher. The Dyslexia Network will be able to arrange the appropriate assessment for you. You can apply for the Disabled Students Allowance (not means tested) at the same time as making your online UCAS application. For NHS-funded courses, you need to apply to NHS Student Bursaries for your Disabled Students’ Allowances. Apply to Student Finance Wales or NHS Wales Student Awards Unit for NHS-funded courses in Wales. Apply to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for any course in Scotland. In Northern Ireland, apply to Student Finance England or your local Education and Library Board (ELB). For NHS-funded courses, contact the Bursary Administration Unit.


The kind of support needed will depend on the demands of the particular course as well as the severity of your difficulties. To evaluate the support that you require you will be asked to receive an ‘assessment of needs’ https://www.dsa-qag.org.uk/students/find-assessment-centre , this is funded by Student Finance England. The support highlighted within the ‘assessment of needs’ could include:-

Specialist Equipment and Aids

•a computer, specialist software such as voice recognition, mind mapping and screen reading software

•Specialist Support (also known as a non-medical helper’s allowance)

•specialist tuition, study skills support, note-taker, etc. 1 to 1 study skills support many of the National Dyslexia Network area will be able to provide this support.

Additional Support for Higher Education

Improve reading and writing confidence

Read&Write lets everyone read, write and express themselves more confidently.

Our easy-to-use toolbar makes documents, files and web pages more accessible. Read&Write is a big confidence booster for anyone who needs a little support with their reading and writing, at school, college, university or in the workplace. And its friendly literacy features help English Language Learners, as well as people with dyslexia or other learning difficulties.

From hearing emails or documents read out loud to text prediction, picture dictionaries and summary highlighters, Read&Write makes lots of everyday literacy tasks simpler, quicker and more accurate.

Dyslexia Network have tutors that are Read and Write Gold Trainers. please contact us to find out more.

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