Funding
Funding is available to help cover costs incurred as a result of your disability while at university. This page contains information for both UK and international students.
The funding available depends on your:
- Home country
- Course of study
- Funding body for studies
UK students
UK students should apply for the Disabled Students' Allowance. The DSA is for undergraduate and graduate students, including those studying through the NHS Bursary Scheme, and those working with the UK Research Councils.
The DSA is a grant awarded to help pay for costs you incur while at university as a result of your disability, long-term health condition or specific learning difficulty (SpLD). It can pay for disability-related study support, such as:
- Human support (non-medical helpers)
- Items of specialist equipment and software
- Some travel costs
You must provide documentary evidence that you have a disability that affects your ability to study and you must also:
- Be eligible for financial assistance from your funding body – such as tuition fee/maintenance loans (even if you decide not to apply for this); and
- Be studying, or have an offer to study, a course at a rate of at least 25% of an equivalent full-time course in each academic year, and that lasts at least a year.
You should apply for DSA as soon as you have been made an offer (conditional or unconditional) to study at the University of Oxford as it can take up to 14 weeks to process DSA applications and for support to be fully implemented. Please refer to the DSA application process and timeline for further information.
The application process depends on your funding body. Your funding body is the one to which you would apply to receive financial support for your course such as tuition fees or maintenance loans.
Funding bodies
| Student Finance England | Information and application forms |
| Student Finance Wales | |
| Student Awards Agency for Scotland | Information and application forms |
| Student Finance Northern Ireland | |
| Republic of Ireland | Information and application forms |
| States of Jersey Student Finance | Information and application forms |
| States of Guernsey Student Finance | Direct disability support enquiries to [email protected] |
| NHS Student Bursaries | Students can tick the relevant box in their online bursary application indicating that they would like to apply for DSA, and more details will then be sent to them. Alternatively, the NHS DSA application form is available. Information and application forms. Undergraduate medical students: Apply to SFE (or other relevant funding body) for DSA for years 1-4, and then to the NHS Student Bursary from year 5 onwards (when students are only eligible for a reduced rate maintenance loan from SFE or other funding body). Graduate-entry medical students: SFE (or other relevant funding body) administers the DSA for year 1 graduate-entry medical students and the NHS from year 2 onwards. |
| UK Research Councils | Contact the Disability Advisory Service (DAS) who will establish your eligibility, arrange a study needs assessment, ask your research council to approve funding and facilitate the implementation of any recommended study aids and strategies. Discuss support with your advisor. |
International students
The University contributes to disability-related study support for international students who are not eligible for the DSA and those whose independent sources of funding are exhausted.
International students must fund any personal care needs.
To apply for funding, you will need to register with the DAS and provide evidence of your disability. Do not wait until you arrive in Oxford as the process can take some time and it is preferable to have your support ready for your arrival. Initial appointments can be conducted by telephone or Skype. Your disability advisor will discuss with you the support which might be applicable in your circumstances.
You should check whether you are entitled to free medical treatment under the NHS. Visit the Doctors and nurses web page for more information.
Additional sources of funding
The Fees and Funding pages include information about sources of hardship funding, student prizes and awards.
Student Health Association is a fund to help students with disabilities to keep up with their studies.
Snowdon Trust provide grants to physically disabled and sensory impaired students studying in the UK. The grants help with disability-related costs that are not fully covered by the available statutory funding.
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