The Benefits Of A Disabled Student Assessment

For UK students, a disabled student assessment can often make the difference between affordable access to higher education and a lifetime on the welfare rolls. Disabilities may involve physical and mental handicaps or even identifiable learning problems. The Disabled Student's Allowances (DSA) program enables would-be students to overcome the cost-related obstacles that might otherwise prevent them from obtaining a degree.
The fact is that any disability can bring with it a whole range of costly complications. These complications can make pursuing an education a far more costly endeavor than it would be under normal circumstances. The DSA was designed to ensure that those students who suffer from expensive disabilities are provided with the same opportunity for enriching their lives that every other person enjoys.

The allowances cover a wide range of disabilities, and include everything from physical health issues to mental health and learning problems. In each of these circumstances, students might require special access equipment, personalized assistance, or transportation help that they would not be able to afford on their own. When their needs are properly assessed, they can gain access to grants that help defray those expenses and make tuition more affordable.

Unlike many means tested forms of assistance, this program focuses its attention on the person's actual needs rather than his assets. In that respect, it is clearly designed to level the playing field between those who suffer from disabilities and those who do not. The financial aid merely serves to limit the impact that disability related expenses have on any student's ability to pay.

Assessments begin when the disabled person makes his application to the appropriate grant authorities. The forms for this application process are available for download online, and come in print, audio, and Braille formats. Students can also call or write a letter to the application authorities and request to receive specific forms in the mail that they can then complete at their leisure.

Once the application is completed, it should be returned along with any proof of the disability for which assistance is being requested. This proof can be in the form of specific medical documents that detail the disability, or letters from doctors and psychologists. Learning disability claims should be bolstered by diagnostic reports from psychologists or teachers who specialize in such assessments.

As part of the assessment process, students will have to obtain a Needs Assessment that details the types of equipment and monetary support they will need to participate in their university studies. Students then receive an acknowledgment from the authorities that detail the types of support that will be covered, as well as specific instructions on how to arrange for the delivery of needed equipment or support services. Even after approval and assistance is obtained, students can still receive additional support should their circumstances change for the worse. Students who wish to pursue this financing option can begin the process by discussing financial aid for disabilities with a university disability adviser. This adviser will be able to offer more detailed advice to help those students obtain the disabled student assessment they need to receive the appropriate grants.