The Student Room Group

dsa autism query

hi!
im diagnosed autistic and have my needs assessment for dsa in september - when i was diagnosed they also said that i most likely have adhd aswell, although i am yet to be diagnosed
ive never had support for my asd / mental health at school ever as i was only diagnosed at the start of june, and i was wondering what support/resources other people have received from it that have been a great help? it's kindof difficult for me to imagine what will help when ive spent the last 20 years masking and forcing myself to adjust to what i struggle with!
i was also wondering whether dsa offers any support for housing? i understand that they specify on the website that dont provide funding for things that Every student experiences, however because of my asd it's been really crucial that i live in a studio by myself which my universitys disability team pushed a lot for and im really grateful, but it does leave my rent at £296 a week D: if i wasnt autistic then the reasons that i have for needing to live by myself wouldnt exist - im not sure whether they can offer support from this, or if theres anywhere else that i can look for to hopefully get some extra funding for this?
thanks very much :smile:)!!
Original post by piercethekit
hi!
im diagnosed autistic and have my needs assessment for dsa in september - when i was diagnosed they also said that i most likely have adhd aswell, although i am yet to be diagnosed
ive never had support for my asd / mental health at school ever as i was only diagnosed at the start of june, and i was wondering what support/resources other people have received from it that have been a great help? it's kindof difficult for me to imagine what will help when ive spent the last 20 years masking and forcing myself to adjust to what i struggle with!
i was also wondering whether dsa offers any support for housing? i understand that they specify on the website that dont provide funding for things that Every student experiences, however because of my asd it's been really crucial that i live in a studio by myself which my universitys disability team pushed a lot for and im really grateful, but it does leave my rent at £296 a week D: if i wasnt autistic then the reasons that i have for needing to live by myself wouldnt exist - im not sure whether they can offer support from this, or if theres anywhere else that i can look for to hopefully get some extra funding for this?
thanks very much :smile:)!!
If you are living in university managed accommodation, then it is up to the university to take the money off. I'm autistic and require an ensuite room because of it and if I get into my firm then I should get a certain amount of money off per week off of my accommodation costs.

DSA can offer things like a laptop, printer, software and support sessions that could be of use to you. You do not have to say yes to everything but it is definitely worth trying some of it to see if it helps you.

I have received exam accommodations, which are not through DSA, but disability at university which include using a laptop to complete my exams, rest breaks and a quieter room to complete exams in. These were very beneficial to me during my A-levels so it would be worth inquiring about.
Reply 2
Original post by flowersinmyhair
If you are living in university managed accommodation, then it is up to the university to take the money off. I'm autistic and require an ensuite room because of it and if I get into my firm then I should get a certain amount of money off per week off of my accommodation costs.
DSA can offer things like a laptop, printer, software and support sessions that could be of use to you. You do not have to say yes to everything but it is definitely worth trying some of it to see if it helps you.
I have received exam accommodations, which are not through DSA, but disability at university which include using a laptop to complete my exams, rest breaks and a quieter room to complete exams in. These were very beneficial to me during my A-levels so it would be worth inquiring about.


i had no idea that universities can help with housing costs that are high because of what i need, thank you i'll definitely ask about this! i did have a few conversations with a disability advisor at my firm uni but that was never something that they mentioned but i'll definitely see if they offer it, thank you :smile:)!!!
Hi piercethekit,

Although I do not know much about DSA support, it is indeed good to know you do have options at your university to get reasonable adjustments including accommodation cost relief, I can relate to how much that helps. I can also relate to not feeling comfortable to reach out for help when all you've known for so long is to do your best to cope and prod along by yourself, however it is commendable you have come to the decision to reach out for the support you feel you need, because this will help you to live up to your full potential, well done!

In addition to the amazing advice that has already been given, in terms of monetary help I would suggest you consider applying for benefits such as Universal Credit and/or Personal Independence Payment (PIP for short). Universal Credit is means tested meaning you need to be on or under a certain amount of income to get it and the sum you get is variable based on how much you earn within the allowed range, however they take into consideration any disabilities/health conditions that affect work and/or daily life. PIP on the other hand isn't means-tested, and eligibility depends on how and to what degree the condition affects the person. You can find out about various benefits you could get on this government page here.

I hope you'll be able to use and benefit from all the help that's available to you and please don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability!

Viki
Student Ambassador
3rd year BSc Psychology and Sociology Student
University of Suffolk
Original post by University of Suffolk student
Hi piercethekit,
Although I do not know much about DSA support, it is indeed good to know you do have options at your university to get reasonable adjustments including accommodation cost relief, I can relate to how much that helps. I can also relate to not feeling comfortable to reach out for help when all you've known for so long is to do your best to cope and prod along by yourself, however it is commendable you have come to the decision to reach out for the support you feel you need, because this will help you to live up to your full potential, well done!
In addition to the amazing advice that has already been given, in terms of monetary help I would suggest you consider applying for benefits such as Universal Credit and/or Personal Independence Payment (PIP for short). Universal Credit is means tested meaning you need to be on or under a certain amount of income to get it and the sum you get is variable based on how much you earn within the allowed range, however they take into consideration any disabilities/health conditions that affect work and/or daily life. PIP on the other hand isn't means-tested, and eligibility depends on how and to what degree the condition affects the person. You can find out about various benefits you could get on this government page here.
I hope you'll be able to use and benefit from all the help that's available to you and please don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions and I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability!
Viki
Student Ambassador
3rd year BSc Psychology and Sociology Student
University of Suffolk

Just to add to this point, PIP is a great idea, however as far as I have read, you can only receive UC at university under very specific circumstances, and if you are relying on receiving PIP to confirm your eligibility here, I believe you also need to have had a capacity for work assessment and be deemed limited capacity for work before starting university. Also, just to add, getting PIP is super tricky, especially when autistic, so if you want to do so, it would be best to maybe reach out to a local autism charity for advice on the process and help throughout it. I think Disability Rights UK may be able to help, but I'm not entirely sure. But I do know there are charities which will help with the application for free.

Also, as a fellow studio-requiring autistic, if you for whatever reason do off-campus accommodation rather than on campus, then DSA can/will help with the cost and should pay the difference between a normal accommodation and whatever you need. However, as has been said already I think, if you are on campus, the the Uni is required to give you a reduced rate based on medical reasons.

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