Guidance on using your DSA support
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) provides you with funding for extra study-related costs due to a mental health or long term health condition, learning differences like dyslexia or ADHD, or any other disability.
Depending on your needs, it could pay for a specialist mentor, suitable equipment, or help with disability-related travel costs. DSA funding isn't a loan, and you don't have to pay this money back.
If you have recently been assigned a non-medical helper (NMH) like a study skills tutor, mentor or support worker through FX Plus, please read the pages below.
- Terms of Provision – the terms for receiving the support we make available to you from a Non Medical Helper (NMH).
- Non-medical helper (NMH) Student Handbook – all you need to know about NMH support including what NMH is, how do book sessions and what they are like.
- Students’ guide to using Cudos – this is the online system we use to view and approve your NMH support
If we are not your provider, you will need to contact your provider directly to set up your support using the contact details on your DSA 2 letter from your Student Finance body. Depending on where you live this could be Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, Student Finance Wales or the Student Awards Agency Scotland.
What do non-medical helpers do?
Your non-medical helper (NMH) is the most important part of your DSA-funded support. They will help you identify barriers to learning and develop effective strategies to overcome them. They will be professional, confidential and friendly and will adapt their support to fit your needs.
You will normally meet your NMH on campus during working hours or remotely via Teams or Zoom.
If you have any questions about your NMH support or would like to request a different NMH, please email us at accessibility@fxplus.ac.uk
There are different types of NMH support. Below is information on what the different NMHs do.
You can develop skills and strategies to support your independent learning with help from a study skills tutor. You might work with them on:
- time management and organisation
- analysing and understanding an assignment brief
- note-taking
- research and effective reading strategies
- memory and concentration
- academic writing and referencing
- proofreading and editing skills
- planning and delivering presentations
- revision and exam techniques
- becoming more independent so you need less support over time.
A study skills tutor will not:
- offer subject-specific support
- proofread and correct your writing for you
- do your academic work for you
- tell you whether your assignment will pass or get a certain grade.
If you are living with a mental health issue and/or autistic spectrum conditions, a specialist mentor can help you to become a more independent learner. For example, they might work with you on:
- time management and prioritising your workload
- helping with attendance and motivation
- coping with anxiety and stressful situations
- managing change and difficult emotions
- building confidence
- creating a suitable work-life balance
- helping with communication and social skills
- clarifying course expectations
- information and signposting to Student Support services
- becoming more independent so you need less support over time.
A mentor will not:
- offer subject-specific support
- act as your counsellor
- advocate on your behalf
- socialise with you or go to your home.
If you have assistive technology (AT) software as part of your DSA, you will get a few hours with an AT trainer. They will show you how to get the most out of your software and use it to study more effectively. Your support will be tailored to your level and needs and will take place using your own equipment.
Missed session procedure
If you miss a session it is classed as a DNA (did not attend) or a missed session, if it is cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice (excluding weekends). We will ask you to sign a timesheet for any DNA or missed sessions and these will come out of your DSA allowance. When more than 24 hours' notice is given, this is classed as a cancellation and will not come out of your DSA allowance. Your NMH will explain how to cancel a session when you first meet them.
Please be aware that DSA does not fund support whilst you are:
- Not studying during vacation periods
- On a year in industry
- On a year abroad and not studying
- On a repeat without attendance year
For more information on our DNA and cancellation procedures please see our Terms of Provision.
