Students

As a student, you may be eligible for additional funding through the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs). The DSAs are grants available to students in Higher Education to help with extra costs incurred while studying.

Our role is to help with your application and then compile a report in which the amount and type of support you need is specified. This could include:

• Study and Mentoring support
• Hardware and Software
• Extra time in examinations
• Other specialist equipment and learning support
• Travel Allowance

All information is highly confidential and will not be released without your consent.

You may be eligible if you are affected by the following:

• Sensory Impairment
• Wheelchair User/Mobility Difficulties
• Mental Health Difficulties
• Unseen Difficulties (diabetes, asthma or other)
• Multiple Disabilities
• Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• SpLDs

Your disability or medical condition may not be included in any of the above; if you are unsure about whether you are eligible, telephone the Iona Helpline or go to Direct Gov. website or telephone your Funding Body.

Find out more by contacting the Education Department of your Funding body, or Contact Iona helpline in confidence.

Our normal appointment waiting time is 4-5 days - simply to allow for paperwork to be collated and organised.

If you are eligible, your funding body (LA, SLC, NHS, OU) will meet the cost of your assessment.

To facilitate an efficient service, resulting in the prompt despatch of the completed DSA assessment report, we ask students to comply with the following:

• To provide all required documentation at least 3 working days before your assessment.
• To contact Iona Kent & South East 48 hours in advance if you need to cancel your appointment.
• To provide medical evidence on all the conditions you wish to be assessed for prior to your assessment.
• To have received confirmation from your funding authority to cover the cost of the assessment.
• To arrive at the location of the assessment on time and phone the assessor in advance if you are going to be more than 15 minutes late.
• To provide all outstanding documentation/information following an assessment, as soon as possible, with the understanding that delays are likely to occur without the necessary documents.
• When you receive your final report you must contact us if you notice any errors or omissions. Although the assessment reports are checked, proof-read and quality controlled, occasional errors can occur where something relevant discussed in your assessment is missing from the report or you feel misrepresents you in anyway.
• To understand that the support recommended in the report is only a series of recommendations to your funding body. Although they may have obligation to support you in your studies, they may not agree with all the recommendations.