DSA for mental health condition

Hi, does anyone know if I can apply for a DSA for anxiety and depression? If so, which documents would I need to provide as evidence?

Reply 1

Autumn223

You might find this link helpful :smile:

https://www.accessforstudents.co.uk/claiming-dsa-for-mental-health-conditions/

Reply 2

Heriot-Watt Uni

Official Rep

Original post by gjacko

Hi, does anyone know if I can apply for a DSA for anxiety and depression? If so, which documents would I need to provide as evidence?

Hello!

I have done a bit of research and I believe you can apply for DSA as your conditions affect your ability to study and access uni life. As long as you are eligible for student finance and are on a UK course you can apply for DSA. Usually you can ask your GP to complete a Disability Evidence Form (found on your student finance website) or a general letter from a GP or psychologist confirming your diagnosis.

I would recommend contacting the wellbeing or advice services of your university directly for some extra support and guidance, as they will know how to go about finding the best support with you! I am sure they would be more than happy to help.

All the best,

Lucy :smile:

2nd year languages student

Reply 3

Jess_Lomas

Hi,
Yes you can for me I got a diagnostic letter from the doctors which details a start date and explains why it is long term and basically that it will still impact me at uni

Reply 4

CoolCavy

Volunteer Team

Yes you definitely can as others have said :smile:

your GP should be able to provide you a letter, if you take this to your uni disability services they should be able to explain the process to you

Reply 5

L_mancais

Original post by Jess_Lomas

Hi,
Yes you can for me I got a diagnostic letter from the doctors which details a start date and explains why it is long term and basically that it will still impact me at uni

Hi there, can I please ask how you got the diagnostic letter from the doctors? And did you have to pay for the letter? x

Reply 6

Jess_Lomas

Original post by L_mancais

Hi there, can I please ask how you got the diagnostic letter from the doctors? And did you have to pay for the letter? x

Yes I did have to pay,
I basically said that I was applying for DSA and needed a letter confirming the diagnosis.
It took a while to do it but it was accepted

Reply 7

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by gjacko

Hi, does anyone know if I can apply for a DSA for anxiety and depression? If so, which documents would I need to provide as evidence?

Yes, you can. You need to submit the usual kinds of evidence - letter from GP outlining diagnosis and possibly any treatment(s) you are having (e.g. medication, therapy, etc).

It might be helpful for the needs assessment with your uni to have your GP also detail how the condition affects your life (so the needs assessor can consider adjustments for you). Apparently at least some unis (UCL at least) bafflingly seem to expect the GP to actually make the recommendations of what the adjustments be beyond "standard" adjustments of extra time/extended deadlines - your GP may or may not be happy to do that as well. However this information isn't required by SFE in my experience (just confirmation of diagnosis really).

However it's probably easiest to try and get this all in one letter rather than get a letter then realise you need more info later and need to get another (as you probably will need to for each letter at most GP surgeries).

Make sure to send only a copy of the letter to SFE because they may not return it.

(edited 4 weeks ago)

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