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•       Resources       Graduate School Success for Students with Disabilities

Graduate School Success for Students with Disabilities

Scholarships, support resources, and expert insight for achieving an advanced degree.

The NCES reports that graduate students with disabilities make up just eight percent of the student body. Disabilities -- defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as a physical or mental disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities – don’t have to act as a barrier for prospective graduate students aspiring to further education.

This guide offers information on how to best understand your rights in college, receive academic accommodations and tips to succeed in graduate school. There is also specific information for grad students with visual and hearing disabilities, and an expert interview discussing how to excel in graduate school as a student with a disability.

Navigating Grad School with a Disability

Attending graduate school with a disability doesn’t have to be a source of stress or anxiety, as many institutions now offer exceptional services to help students on every step on their journey. According to data supplied by the National Center for Education Statistics , graduate students with disabilities currently make up eight percent of master’s students and seven percent of doctoral candidates.

Applying to Graduate School and Self-Identification

Because it is illegal for schools to inquire about any disabilities of a student applicant, it is critical for those who need special assistance during this process to self-identify their disability. While all students will be evaluated against the same rubric, regardless of their health, school administrators can accommodate special needs such as providing large-format applications or providing a tour of the campus highlighting special services and accommodations.

Academic Accommodations for Grad Student with Disabilities

Students with disabilities must often navigate multiple scenarios each day requiring extra time or forethought to ensure they are able to get around campus and have any specific learning tools they need for classes.

Because postsecondary students must self-identify disabilities to their institution to receive accommodations or modifications, it’s important for students to have proper documentation that they can easily present to the disability services office on arrival. Some of the frequent accommodations students receive include:

• Exam accommodations: Special exam rooms, extra time, audio exams or a scribe
• Classroom accommodations: Scribe or note taker, accessible seating
• Communication accommodations: ASL interpreter, FM systems, CART providers
• Alternative & Assistive Technology Accommodations: Braille, large format text, subtitles, electronic text.
• Other accommodations: accessible parking, housing, and dining areas, special parking permits

Aside from a raft of services offered by individual colleges and universities, students with disabilities also have numerous resources available through local and national organizations. Some of the best places to seek information on navigating graduate school include:

Think College . This website provides information for college students with intellectual disabilities, including many resources and a state-by-state breakdown of helpful services.

American Foundation for the Blind . Although their guide is focused on undergraduate students, AFB provides a list of questions students should consider before picking an institution, such as accessibility, location, and resources offered by the disability services department.

Association for Assistive Technology Act Programs . In addition to providing legislative advocacy for issues of relevance to students who use assistive technology, the ATAP also provides a helpful database of all assistive technology programs in each state.

Center for Hearing and Communication . Based in both Florida and New York, CHC is leading the charge in developing new hearing technologies to help individuals with hearing disabilities find an instrument suited to their needs.

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder . CHADD is a one-stop national resource for support, advocacy, and education about ADHD and what can be done to lessen the effects.

National Center for Learning Disabilities . NCLD has an exhaustive library of reports and studies about how learning disabilities affect students, along with many programs designed to help students achieve their best.

National Educational Association of Disabled Students . With a focus on enriching the lives of students with disabilities in every facet, NEADS offers valuable resources on enhancing accessibility, creating inclusive extra-curricular activities, and providing needed accommodations.

The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity . In an article titled “Working the System So It Works for You,” the director of Yale’s Resource Office on Disability provides advice for college students affected by dyslexia.

Students with Vision & Hearing Disabilities

Navigating graduate school can be difficult for all students, but for those with visual or hearing disabilities, the challenges can seem doubled at times. The National Foundation for the Blind reports that 13.7 percent of individuals with a visual disability hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, while a study by Hands & Voices found that approximately 2.1 percent of all students with hearing disabilities currently hold a master’s degree. The section that follows was designed to create awareness about the technologies and resources available to help students with these disabilities excel at the graduate level.

Technologies

Grad students with vision disabilities have access to multiple assistive technologies these days, including Braille printers, translators and displays, personal data assistants, screen readers and magnifiers, CCTV, large-format keyboards and software converting text to speech.

Hearing assistive technology systems, or HATS, are wide-ranging and include items such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, audio loops, infrared systems, FM systems, alerting devices, speech-to-text devices, and personal amplifiers.

Resources and services

Today’s campuses offer numerous resources and accommodations for students, while an institution’s Disability Services office will be able to offer extended individualized services.

Services for students with visual disabilities are numerous, ranging from scribes and readers, modifications or additional time for projects or exams. Other services students should look for in any prospective graduate school include well-lit spaces, railings down all hallways and stairwells, and seeing-eye dogs having full access to all spaces.

Aside from assistive technologies, schools offer a variety of services for students with hearing disabilities. Some of the most common include ensuring all classrooms, dining rooms and housing areas include written notifications, providing amplified listening devices, ensuring real-time captioning or notes are available for every class, and modifying assignments or exams.

Online learning tips and examples

Whether undertaking a single online class or a full degree, creating an inclusive online learning environment for students with vision and hearing disabilities is of paramount importance. Some of the ways educators are ensuring all students can take advantage of this method of learning include:

As technology continues to play a larger role in the learning landscape, one area where schools are focusing their efforts is web accessibility. This emerging area is focused on making online learning accessible by ensuring websites, applications and other content are formatted properly for students with visual disabilities.

With so many students taking advantage of online classes and degrees, numerous colleges are stepping up to the plate by offering programs that cater to students with hearing disabilities. Because so many classes use webcams and video chat technology to stream lectures, students can take advantage of live captions or sign language communication to interact with their peers and professors.

Expert Advice: Attending Grad School with a Disability

Jennifer Nicodem has been the Director of Academic and Disability Services at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, where she has worked for six years. Her background is in social work and she received her master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently pursuing a PhD in higher education at Azusa Pacific University.

How is attending graduate school as a student with disabilities different from a student without disabilities?

A student with a disability who attends graduate school is likely to experience many of the same feelings upon entering graduate school as a student without a disability: excitement, hope, anticipation and potentially fear. A major difference is that a student with a disability may have additional decisions to make in terms of what type of environment will best meet their needs, the level of accessibility the environment requires – both physically and in regards to learning – and if there are any additional resources necessary.

The student will also need to consider whether or not he or she would like to disclose the disability officially and request accommodations and services or not, and the potential impact of either course of action. One of the helpful aspects of graduate school is that students will likely have completed an undergraduate degree and can build on what worked best in that environment to help inform their graduate experience.

What types of assistance do schools offer for students with disabilities?

Schools vary widely in what they offer for students with disabilities. Common accommodations include: note-takers; sign language interpreters or CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) services; the ability to record lectures; extended time on exams or the ability to take an exam in a separate, quiet area; readers; scribes; assistive technology; and changing classrooms to a physically accessible location. In addition, colleges may provide different levels of learning support services like tutoring, academic improvement seminars, and Writing Centers.

How have these services changed in the last decade?

Access to higher education has increased in the past decade largely due to legislation in both the K-12 and higher education sectors. Although there continues to be significant variation among schools, in general, services and resources for students have increased. As colleges and universities have become more accustomed to providing reasonable accommodations, most schools have a clear system and procedures for students to disclose a disability and receive accommodations, which includes designated staff members whose role is to provide support, information and resources for students.

A current goal for many in the disability services field is to move beyond a perspective that focuses solely on accommodating to one that recognizes the significant benefit to the whole campus of creating environments that are broadly accessible to as many people as possible.

The term ‘universal design’ speaks to the concept of creating highly accessible environments. For example, a curb cut at a grocery store allows a wheelchair user to enter the store but also is helpful to those using shopping carts or pushing strollers. In addition, most schools provide some level of training to faculty, staff and other members of the campus so they are aware both of legal requirements and, hopefully, of the campus commitment to allow all students to equally access the educational environment.

What recommendations/suggestions do you have for selecting programs/schools for students with disabilities?

I recommend that students start planning for graduate school early and really research the schools they hope to attend. Once students have narrowed down their options, it is helpful to communicate directly with Disability Services staff to determine in advance what kind of support is available. Prospective students may benefit from connecting with other students on campus both with and without disabilities to hear about their experiences. Whenever possible, I would encourage visiting the campus in person to get a better sense of the overall campus experience. To get a true understanding of the school and whether or not it is a good fit may mean seeking information beyond what is conveyed on the school’s website, and asking specific questions about individual circumstances. The effort to find a graduate program will be worthwhile.

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• Advice and support

Funding for disabled students in higher education

This information applies to England and Wales.

Student loans can help with course fees and living costs while you study.

You can apply for funding to cover extra costs if you are disabled. This includes Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) and bursaries from universities or charitable trusts. Unlike student loans, you do not have to pay these back.

You may still qualify for some disability benefits while you study.

Undergraduate study

Postgraduate study, disabled students’ allowance (dsa), bursaries, scholarships and awards, students with children, warning disability rights uk students helpline.

The charity Disability Rights UK provides advice to students, trainees and apprentices in England.

Disabled Students Helpline (Disability Rights UK)

You can apply for a tuition fee loan and a maintenance loan for living costs.

If you live in England, you’ll need to apply to Student Finance England .

If you live in Wales, you’ll need to apply to Student Finance Wales .

Tuition fee loan

You can apply for a tuition fee loan of up to £9,250.

Your university or college sets your tuition fee. The loan goes directly to them.

Maintenance loan

You can apply for a maintenance loan to help with your living costs. The maintenance loan is paid directly into your bank account at the start of each term. You will need to make repayments on the loan when you start to earn over the repayment threshold.

Repaying your student loans (GOV.UK)

The amount you can borrow depends on:

• your household income
• where you live or study
• how many credits you will study over a year if you're a part-time student

Student finance: New full-time student (GOV.UK)

Student finance: Part-time students (GOV.UK)

Student finance: Household income (GOV.UK)

You can only apply for a maintenance loan as a distance learning student if your condition or impairment means that you cannot attend your course in person. The DWP classes distance learning courses as part-time study, even if you study full-time.

Special Support maintenance loan

If you are eligible to claim benefits as a full-time undergraduate student or are deaf and qualify for DSA, you may be eligible for a higher amount of maintenance loan than other students.

You may be eligible if you:

• get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• qualify for a disability premium or severe disability premium in means-tested benefits
• receive income-related ESA
• are deaf and qualify for DSA 

Part of the maintenance loan is the special support element. This is worth up to £4,221 and does not count as income in your means-tested benefits.

Warning If you did not finish a degree because of disability or health reasons

You may still be eligible for some funding. 

Check the student finance calculator (GOV.UK)

If you’re starting a Master’s degree or a PhD programme, you can apply for postgraduate loans to help with course fees and living costs.

Master’s loan

You can apply for a Master’s loan to help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate Master’s course.

The Master’s loan is not means-tested. The amount you’ll get is not based on you or your family’s income. You can choose how much you want to borrow, up to the maximum amount.

Master’s loan: What you’ll get (GOV.UK)

Doctoral loan

You can apply for a doctoral loan to help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

The doctoral loan is not means-tested. The amount you’ll get is not based on you or your family’s income. You can choose how much you want to borrow, up to the maximum amount.

Doctoral loan: Eligibility (GOV.UK)

Eligibility: Postgraduate study (Student Finance Wales)

If you’re studying a higher education course, you can apply for DSA to cover some of your extra disability-related study costs.

You can get DSA on top of your other student loans. You do not have to pay DSA back.

You may get help paying for:

• non-medical helpers, such as sign language interpreters or specialist mentors
• specialist equipment, such as assistive software so you can access a computer
• other disability-related costs of studying, like extra hard copies of materials or a small fridge to store medication
• extra disability-related costs travelling to and from your university

How much you get depends on what support you need to study, not your household income.

Disabled Students' Allowance

You may be able to apply for money from your university or college on top of other student finance. You do not have to pay this back. Your university will have its own rules on who qualifies, the amount you can get and how to apply.

Finding and applying for grants

It’s worth checking your university website to find out what funding they offer. Your student support service can also tell you more about what is available.

Charitable trusts

Check if you’re entitled to extra funding from charities and other organisations for your studies or disability-related costs.

Turn2us has a large database of charitable grants. 

Search for grants (Turn2us)

You can also search for charitable funding on the Disability Grants website.

Higher Education grants for disabled people (Disability Grants)

Disability Rights UK has a list of trusts you can apply to. They also have information on the best way to apply.

Funding from charitable trusts (Disability Rights UK)

Organisations

These organisations also offer funding:

• Snowdon Trust helps students with physical or sensory impairment in further or higher education.
• The Journalism Diversity Fund awards bursaries to people from diverse backgrounds who need help funding their NCTJ journalism training.

University and college hardship funds

You could get extra money from your university or college if you’re experiencing financial hardship.

For example, if you’re:

• a mature student with existing financial commitments
• a student that was previously in care (a ‘care leaver’)

Contact the student services department at your university or college for details of how to apply. They’ll decide if you qualify.

Your student income does not affect disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA). 

How student funding affects your benefits

In higher education, there is a Parents’ Learning Allowance and Childcare Grant available from Student Finance England. This is part of the undergraduate student finance package. It is not available to postgraduate students.

Childcare Grant (GOV.UK)

Parents’ Learning Allowance  (GOV.UK)

Last reviewed by Scope on: 31/05/2023

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More help for disabled students

Disabled students' allowance.

Find out what study-related costs that Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) can finance, if you're eligible and how to apply.

How to apply for grants

How to find grants and to apply to grant-making charities to get the funds you need to pay for the extra costs of disability.

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Some financial support and funding opportunities may be available for disabled applicants.

If you're awarded funding from one of the seven Research Councils , you will be eligible to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) from your funding body.

If you are a home student funded by a body that does not have Disabled Students' Allowances or if you are applying as a self-funded home postgraduate disabled student, you might be eligible for DSAs from the Students Loan Company to help support you in your postgraduate studies while at Cambridge.

Under UK legislation, the University is required to make reasonable adjustments to make the University accessible to disabled students. In addition, funding is available from the UK government to meet the additional costs of making adjustments for most UK national disabled students.

Since each case is assessed on an individual basis, it is very important that you make your requirements known to the University at the earliest possible opportunity so that we can identify what provision you might require and how it might be funded.

You can also apply for financial assistance with disability-related expenses.

If you are an international student you may be eligible for the International Disabled Students' Fund .

Full details of funding for disabled students are available at Get funding | Accessibility and disability services .

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AAHD Scholarship Program

The mission of the American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is to contribute to national, state, and local efforts to promote health and wellness in people with disabilities and identify effective intervention strategies that reduce health disparities between people with disabilities and the general population. AAHD accomplishes its mission through research, education and advocacy at the national, state and community level. As part of our work, we are pleased to offer an annual scholarship to students with disabilities majoring in public health, disability studies, health promotion or a field related to disability and health.

About the AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability (2023-2024)

The long and distinguished career in disability advocacy and service of Frederick J. Krause began in 1954 when he served as a special education teacher for the Illinois Department of Education. He created a model educational and training curriculum for school aged children with severe intellectual disabilities which became a model for the nation. Following that, Fred became a Supervising Therapist at the Illinois State School for the Mentally Retarded from 1955-56. Recognizing his leadership abilities, he was promoted to become the Rehabilitation Director of the Illinois Department of Health from 1956-61. From 1961-1969, Fred became the Executive Director of the California Council for Retarded Children, Inc., working to improve the lives of all Californians with intellectual disorders through coordinating the Council’s goals and concerns with the State Government Departments of Rehabilitation, Mental Hygiene, Social Welfare and Youth Authority, and Employment.

In recognition of his leadership and administrative skills, Fred was appointed Executive Director of the President’s Committee on Mental Retardation and served with great distinction from 1969 – 1983. Among his many contributions as Executive Director, Fred is distinguished as advocating for improving the health and quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities through health promotion and disease prevention programs.  From 1983 until 1987, Fred held leadership positions in the President’s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped (1983-1985), Inspire ’85, Federal Interagency Task Force on Disabled Persons (1985-1986), and the Office of Policy and Legislation, OHDS, Department of Health and Human Services (1986-1987).

In 1987, he joined the professional staff as Director of Health and Rehabilitation Affairs, National Association of Partners of the Americas, becoming Director of Rehabilitation Programs from 1990 to 1994.  In 1989, he and Dr. Michael Marge founded the American Association on Health and Disability and incorporated the organization as a non-profit dedicated to research, service and advocacy for better health and quality of life for all individuals with disabilities.

Fred became the Chief Operating Officer of the National Head Injury Foundation (later called the Brain Injury Association) in 1994 and served as its Acting President and Chief Executive Officer from 1999- 2000. In 2000, Fred created a nonprofit agency to provide funds and grants to professionals and volunteers to travel and conduct studies for the advancement of the field of developmental disabilities.  Even at his community level, Fred continued to make significant contributions to improve the health and quality of life for persons with intellectual disorders.  According to the President of the Adams County, PA, The Arc, Fred was an “answer to a prayer.”  For a number of years, The Arc had not been very active and children and adults with intellectual disorders in Adams County were not receiving a number of needed services.  But he volunteered to work closely with The Arc and reactivate it outreach programs and services to the community during a period of eight years. His awards and honors in recognition of his years of distinctive service and contributions are numerous. His lifetime of dedication to all people with disabilities at the national, state and local level is extraordinary and worthy of recognition by this Scholarship in his Honor!

Scholarship Program Criteria

The AAHD Frederick J. Krause Scholarship on Health and Disability is awarded annually to  deserving  students with a disability who are pursuing undergraduate/graduate studies (must be at least enrolled as a sophomore in college) in an accredited university and who are pursuing studies related to the health and disability, to include, but not limited to public health, health promotion, disability studies, disability research, rehabilitation engineering, audiology, disability policy, special education and majors that will impact quality of life of persons with disabilities.

• Applicant must be enrolled as a  full-time  undergraduate student and must have completed one full year of college or more. In other words, the applicant must have  sophomore or greater status in a program at a college or university pursuing an undergraduate degree as of fall 2024; or enrolled part-time  or  full-time in a graduate school, pursuing a post graduate degree as of fall 2024.
• Important:  applicants who have not yet graduated from high school will  not be considered. High school students entering college, for the first time, in the fall of 2024 are NOT  eligible to apply. The only exception would be for high school students who have achieved sophomore status via high school AP course credits.
• Applicant must have a disability as defined by  the American with Disabilities Act  and must provide documentation to verify this.
• Preference will be given to students majoring in public health, disability studies, health promotion or a field related to disability and health.
• Preference will be given to students with a history of community service and/or volunteer activities.
• Applicant must be a US citizen or legal resident living in the United States and enrolled in an accredited United States university.
• Those who serve on the Disability and Health Journal Editorial Board are not eligible for the AAHD Scholarship.

Funding Information and Application Requirements

Scholarships are generally for $1,000 but amounts are at the discretion of the AAHD Board of Directors Scholarship Committee and based on availability of funds. The Scholarship Committee will evaluate each of the applicants and will determine how many scholarships will be awarded each year and the amount of each scholarship. The final date for application submissions is March 1, 2024. Scholarships will be awarded by June 2024, at which time recipients will be notified by email and/or US mail.

Interested applicants must:

• Provide a Personal Statement (maximum 2 pages, double spaced), including a brief personal history, educational/career goals, extra-curricular activities, and reasons why they should be selected by the AAHD Scholarship Committee. This statement must be written solely by the applicant.
• Provide two (2) Letters of Recommendation (One must be from a faculty member or academic advisor). Letters of recommendation should be in PDF format and include the signature of the individual who wrote the letter. Both letters should be uploaded via google forms application or sent by email ( [email protected] ) as an attachment. If emailed, the name of student should appear in the subject line of the email.
• Provide an official or unofficial copy of their most recent college transcript, which should be mailed to AAHD (Attn: Scholarship Committee, American Association on Health and Disability, 110 N. Washington Street, Suite 407, Rockville, MD 20850) in a sealed envelope or uploaded on the application website.
• Verify their disability status by providing documentation of their disability from a specialist (physician, educator, et. al).
• Agree to allow AAHD to use his/her name, photo and/or story in future scholarship materials.

Application period opens October 1, 2023.

Only completed applications will be considered and must be  received no later than March 1, 2024.

Click here to access application.

The AAHD Scholarship Committee and AAHD Board of Directors are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2022-2023 AAHD Scholarship Program. On behalf of the board and staff of AAHD, we congratulate the winners and wish them the best of luck in their studies. The 2022-2023 Scholarship Recipients are: Nicole Mallas, Nova Southeastern University Robert Read, Gordon State College There were numerous applicants for the scholarships this year, reflecting many fine candidates. AAHD would like to thank the applicants who submitted their applications to the AAHD Scholarship Program. We encourage those that were not selected to apply again and wish all of them the best of luck in their studies.

Please note : The language found on this webpage can be understood within the historical context. See our disclaimer on the use of historical terminology .

Copyright © 2024 - American Association on Health and Disability - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) framework

Guidance on the support available to disabled students funded by UKRI and the arrangements for seeking DSA funds from UKRI.

Disabled Students’ Allowance framework (PDF)

PDF , 241 KB

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Email [email protected] , telling us:

• the name of the document
• what format you need
• any assistive technology you use (such as type of screen reader).

Find out about our approach to the accessibility of our website .

Disabled students who have been recruited to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) or research council studentships are eligible to apply for additional financial support towards expenditure arising from their postgraduate studies incurred solely because of their disability.

This additional financial support is commonly referred to as Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA).

• 3 January 2024 Document replaced with some broken links amended.

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

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• Benefits and financial support if you're disabled or have a health condition

Help if you're a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability

Disabled students' allowance.

Disabled Students’ Allowance ( DSA ) is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability.

This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get.

The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs - not your household income.

You do not need to pay back DSA.

What you’ll get

2024 to 2025 academic year.

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £26,948 a year for support.

2023 to 2024 academic year

Undergraduate and postgraduate students can get up to £26,291 a year for support.

What DSA can pay for

You can get help with the costs of:

• specialist equipment, for example a computer if you need one because of your disability
• non-medical helpers, for example a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or specialist note taker
• extra travel to attend your course or placement because of your disability
• other disability-related study support, for example having to print additional copies of documents for proof-reading

DSA does not cover disability-related costs you’d have if you were not attending a course, or costs that any student might have.

Buying a new computer

You may get a new computer if you’re assessed as needing one because:

• you do not already have one
• your current one does not meet your study needs

When buying a new computer, you’ll need to pay the first £200.

The DSA team will send you more information about this after your needs assessment.

Your ‘needs assessment’

You may be asked to attend an assessment centre to work out what help you need. This is known as a ‘needs assessment’.

You’ll get a letter telling you how to book your needs assessment. You do not need to pay for it.

You’ll need to give a copy of the eligibility evidence you used in your initial application to your needs assessor before your assessment.

After the assessment, you’ll get a report listing equipment and other support you can get for your course.

Do not buy any equipment until you’ve been assessed - you will not be reimbursed for it.

How DSA is paid

Money is paid either into your bank account or directly to the organisation providing the service or equipment.

You’ll find out how your support will be paid to you after your needs assessment.

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Disabled Students UK report offers an insight into the experiences of disabled PhD students

Disabled Students UK’s latest report was created in collaboration with Pete Quinn Consulting and the BBSRC funded Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership, and assesses the current situation for disabled PhD students in STEM. It recommends 4 solutions to improve the disabled student experience:

• Address gaps in the provision of individualised support and clarify which bodies are responsible
• Strengthen the crucial supervisor-supervisee relationship
• Make the physical and sensory environment more accessible 
• Allow students to study at a pace that suits different bodies and minds

In light of this report, we spoke to a couple of doctorate students who have received Snowdon Trust support, to hear their insights on the report and their own experiences.

When I was accepted for my PhD role, I made sure that my supervisors flagged me to the disabled students services at my institution and have been supported by them throughout my studies. I think I am very lucky with the supervisors I have and the fact that I work in a disability research group certainly helps with them understanding my needs.

Adam , who is studying PhD Psychology, feels he had a positive experience in terms of the provision of the support he needs, and with his relationship with his supervisors. He does however echo the points in the report about how study environments are still not completely accessible, and shares his frustration on how slow this can be to change.

Desks are quite close together which results in my wheels being kicked on an almost daily basis. I get a lot of neuropathic pain, which can be triggered by someone kicking my wheels, so this can lead to me having to go home with pain issues. Another big issue is a lack of direction around who is responsible for my safety when the fire alarm goes off. There have been a few occasions where I have been left in the building by myself after everyone else has evacuated the building.

As a self-funded international student, the situation for Julie Ann , studying Science and Innovation Studies, has been much more challenging. 

What self-funded means for me is that I am taking out an enormous amount of student loans and that means there’s a pressure on me to do my work as expeditiously as possible in order to not take out more funding than absolutely necessary. When I need an extension or have to take a break because of my illness or disability, the school doesn’t recognise that this is medical for me and I’m still charged over £11,000 a term.

She notes a lack of funding for disability services and lack of education for staff on how to treat students with a disability. She has faced discrimination and frequent microaggressions, and feels that even when supervisors understand a student’s needs, they aren’t equipped to put this support in place. Disabled students continue to carry the huge burden of advocating for their needs completely alone.

I don’t mind disclosing my disability or disclosing my needs, but where it becomes burdensome is when I have to generate a binder-full of documentation that includes years worth of scans, and letters, and “proof”. The worst part is that so much at the university is decentralised. When you need something in another department none of it transfers so you start all over again.

Julie Ann suggests two further solutions;

• Assess every student’s (disabled and non-disabled) needs when they join a university, so disabled students aren’t treated as an additional burden to the system. This would also benefit other student groups, such as those who have different learning styles and speakers of English as a foreign language
• There should be an outside force putting pressure on universities to make necessary changes in staff training and funding for disability services. This could be from a change in policy or a radical shift from funders

Until it’s brought to light and made very egregiously understood that this cannot continue… it will persist.

Disabled Students UK is the largest disabled student-led organisation in the UK, and is the number one change making organisation in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 .

Find out more about the report, and access it in full here .

Join our community

Latest news.

• 📣 The Annual Disabled Student Survey 2024 is now open! Take part >
• New report reveals how disabled PhD students can be better supported

Disabled Students UK Conducts Largest Survey on Accessibility in Higher Education

Disabled Students UK crowned number one changemaking organisation

• Press Releases

Improving the experience of disabled PhD students in STEM

Disabled Students UK has produced a new report investigating the experiences of disabled postgraduate research (PGR) students, a previously understudied group that has increased in size by more than 50% in the last 5 years, today making up 20% of PGR home students (HESA, 2023) .

The report, which focuses especially on STEM students working in the life sciences, was created in collaboration with Pete Quinn Consulting and the BBSRC funded Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership. The researchers found that out of 192 survey participants UK wide, only a third (33%) felt they had received the support they needed to be on an equal footing with their non-disabled peers. 

Following doctoral focus groups and structured conversations with doctoral training programme staff and associated colleagues, the report recommends 4 solutions specific to the needs of disabled doctoral students:

1. Address gaps in the provision of individualised support and clarify which bodies are responsible

The web of disability support for research students is less developed than that offered to taught students. Less than half of disabled PhD students felt it was clear where they should get their disability support from. For instance, there is a misconception among some staff and students that international UKRI funded students are not eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), which they are. 

Supporting international doctoral students is especially important to improve disability disclosure numbers. Doctoral home students now declare a disability to the same extent as undergraduate students, however international student declarations are lagging behind (HESA, 2023). To incentivise disclosure we must ensure that international students are aware that they have a right to the same level of support as home students,  and that doctoral students have a right to the same level of support as taught students, whether that is funded by DSA or by their institution. 

Who generally funds doctoral students’ disability support

Survey respondents expressed that the support offered by the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) and universities’ Disability Services was often relevant only to taught students, such as being offered the opportunity to record lectures. The number of disabled students who receive appropriate disability support can be improved by ensuring not only that all parties know which body is responsible for which support but also through educating Needs assessors and Disability Services staff about the specific needs of disabled doctoral students. 

2. Strengthen the crucial supervisor-supervisee relationship

Our survey shows that the supervisor-supervisee relationship is uniquely important for disabled students’ sense of support and belonging. PhD students whose supervisors were accepting and supportive of their disability were 12 times more likely to state that they had the support they needed.

We can empower supervisors by better connecting them to students’ disability support staff, offering them accessibility training, providing better support for supervisors’ own needs and improving safeguards to prevent this crucial relationship from going wrong.

The supervisory relationship was one of the aspects of the degree that was most often rated positively. However, some students had negative experiences, and due to the unique importance of this relationship these experiences were likely to have severe consequences such as students leaving their degree. 

The upcoming “Research SuperVision Project” (RSVP) led by the University of York, which is set to develop professional development resources for supervisors offers an excellent opportunity to take the lessons from this report onboard and embed accessibility and disability inclusion into best practice guidance for supervisors (UK Council for Graduate Education, 2022).

3. Make the physical and sensory environment more accessible  

The physical/sensory environment on campus was the aspect of the PhD experience that was found to be inaccessible by the largest number of doctoral STEM students surveyed (50%). Given this it is perhaps unsurprising that students with mobility difficulties were the least likely to have a sense of belonging at their institution. However labs and open plan workspaces were often thought to be inaccessible by other disability groups as well, such as those who were neurodivergent.

The accessibility of the physical and sensory environment can be improved by using universal design to create enabling workspaces for staff and doctoral students with mobility and sensory differences. In addition it is important that funding is earmarked for ergonomic furniture and equipment, as this is not currently provided by UKRI DSA (unlike the DSA accessed by taught students).

4. Allow students to study at a pace that suits different bodies and minds

We found a lack of alternatives for disabled students that need to work at a slower pace consistently, or slow down temporarily. Students who felt that their funder was flexible, accommodating and valued their wellbeing were less likely to say that undertaking their PhD had negatively impacted their health. Funders can provide disabled students with the opportunity to study at a pace that does not negatively impact their health and wellbeing by adjusting their policies around sick leave and part time studies in keeping with common employment practices, offering greater flexibility around extensions and part time studies and offering full time stipends to disabled students who are unable to study full time are still able to survive. 

In addition to the four recommendations above, the report also presents three recommendations that are relevant to disabled students beyond doctoral studies and accord with findings in previous reports (DSUK, 2022; Higher Education Commission & Policy Connect, 2020): 

• Reduce the administrative burden students have to undertake in order to be offered support
• Resource decentralised bodies such as academic departments and doctoral training partnerships to enable them to better implement agreed support
• Cultivate a supportive culture to ensure that disabled students feel a sense of belonging and have somewhere to turn when issues arise. 

Mette Anwar-Westander, DSUK lead on the report comments: “Disabled doctoral students are currently among the least well supported groups in Higher Education. Our hope is that doctoral training partnerships, research organisations such as universities, and funders such as UKRI, will take the 7 lessons from our report onboard to understand how they can better support disabled doctoral students, ultimately improving their admission, retention and progression.”

The new report was funded by UKRI-BBSRC and the BBSRC-funded Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership. UKRI’s recently published report “A New Deal for Postgraduate Researchers” (UKRI, 2023) states that reviewing support for disabled students is one of UKRI’s immediate priorities. 

Download the report

Reference s

Disabled Students UK. (2022). Going Back Is Not A Choice . http://disabledstudents.co.uk/not-a-choice/  

HESA. (2023b) Higher Education Student Statistics: UK, 2021/22 – Student numbers and characteristics . HESA. https://www.hesa.ac.uk/news/19-01-2023/sb265-higher-education-student-statistics/numbers  

Higher Education Commission & Policy Connect. (2020). Arriving At Thriving: Learning from disabled students to ensure access for all . https://www.policyconnect.org.uk/research/arriving-thriving-learning-disabled-students-ensure-access-all  

Pugh, E. (2023). Assessment of UKRI’s Terms and conditions of Training Grants from an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Perspective Prepared for UK Research and Innovation . https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/UKRI-280423-Assessment-of-UKRI-Terms-and-conditions-of-Training-Grants-from-an-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Perspective.pdf  

UKRI. (2023). A New Deal for Postgraduate research: Response to call for input . UKRI. https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/UKRI-26092023-A-New-Deal-for-Postgraduate-Research-Response-to-the-Call-for-Input.pdf  

Related posts

Disabled Students UK Launches the First University Performance Evaluation on Disability Inclusion

Funding Higher Education for Disabled Students

If you’re going to study a higher education course at college or university, you may need funding to cover tuition fees, living costs and disability-related costs.

This factsheet tells you about the financial support that is available and where to apply for it. It covers undergraduate higher education courses, including:

• a first or Bachelor’s degree
• an undergraduate Master’s degree
• a Higher National Diploma (HND) or Higher National Certificate (HNC)
• a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE), a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ 4 or 5) linked with a degree or other job-related courses
• most foundation degrees.

Where do I apply for funding?

How is my income assessed?

Your household income - parents

Independent student, do i qualify for funding, personal eligibility, course eligibility, previous study, repeat study, withdrawing from your course, transferring courses and taking time out, funding for full-time students, studying in england, loans for tuition fees, loans for living costs, loans for living costs if you’re entitled to certain benefits, access agreements – financial support from institutions, studying in wales, studying in scotland, studying in northern ireland.

Funding for part-time and distance learning students

The Open University

Other financial support

Adult Dependants’ Grant (UK)

Childcare grant (uk), parents’ learning allowance (england, wales and ni), charitable trusts, part-time work, disability and welfare benefits, personal independence payment (pip), universal credit.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)

How to apply

Part-time study, funding for personal care.

Professional courses

Undergraduate Medical and Dental courses

Graduate / professional entry programme, nursing & midwifery and other healthcare professions, social work, dance and drama, further information, into higher education guide.

Useful contacts

Depending on where you currently live, you should apply to one of the following agencies for higher education government funding:

• In England contact Student Finance England.
• In Wales contact Student Finance Wales.
• In Scotland contact the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).
• In Northern Ireland contact Student Finance Northern Ireland.

It’s important to apply for funding as soon as you can. If you live in England, you should aim to complete your student finance application by the end of May to be sure you have all your money by the time courses start in September.

BACK TO START

How is my income assessed?  

If you’re considered dependent on your parents, their residual income (the amount left after specific allowances have been deducted from their income) will be assessed. Your Student Finance company will then decide the amount of loans and grants you can get.  

If you’re an independent student, your parents’ income will not be taken into account.

You’re an independent student if you meet  one  of the following conditions.

• You have care of a child or children on the first day of the academic year for which you’re applying for support,  or
• You’re 25 or over before the start of the academic year for which you’re applying,  or
• You have been married or entered into a civil partnership before the start of the academic year for which you’re applying for support,  or
• You have no living parents,  or
• Y ou have supported yourself for at least three years before the start of the academic year of your course, or 
• Your parents are living outside the European Community and the Student Finance company is satisfied that the assessment of a parental income would place them in jeopardy, or it would be reasonably practicable for them to send a contribution to the UK, or
• You're a care leaver, or
• You’re estranged from your parents, or
• Your parents have died.

Contact your Student Finance company if you need more information.

You must be ordinarily resident, or normally living, in the United Kingdom (UK) three years before the academic year in which your course starts.  You should contact your awarding authority for exceptions to the three-year residence rules.  You should also have settled status, which means you should be ordinarily resident in the UK without being subject under the Immigration Act of 1971 to any restrictions on the amount of time you can remain in the UK. 

Most full-time higher education courses in publicly-funded UK institutions are automatically eligible. This includes most initial teacher training (ITT) courses and those offered by the School-Centred Initial Teacher Training scheme.  Other courses at the same level may be designated part-time courses and attract a different package of support.  Contact your Student Finance company to find out if the course you want to do is eligible for support.

If you previously studied on a higher education course, even for one day, but did not obtain a qualification, this previous study will affect your entitlement to receive a tuition fee loan from your Student Finance company for a new full-time course. You should however be able to apply for a maintenance loan for the whole of your new course.

With the exception of supplementary grants, further support is not usually available to students who have used up their entitlement to funding. You will still be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) whether you’ve studied at undergraduate level before or not.

Student Finance can use their discretion to fund an extra year of tuition fee support if a student has to change, suspend or withdraw from their course due to personal reasons or reasons that were unforeseen. These are known as ‘Compelling Personal Reasons’ (CPR) for student funding purposes. CPR can include disability. You will need to obtain evidence to support a request made for further funding, for example medical evidence from your GP, a letter from social services or a letter on headed paper from someone at your university who can confirm your situation and when you left the course.

If you transfer your funding to another course, or even to a different institution you should consult Student Finance before because your entitlement to support may change.

You can also suspend your award with the agreement of your Student Finance company if you have to take time out because of a health condition or disability, but plan to restart your course in the future.  It may be a good idea to suspend rather than terminate your award in some situations, because if you terminate a student award your entitlement to any future support might be restricted by the ‘previous study’ rules.

The level of tuition fees and financial support available will vary depending on what part of the UK you’re studying  in  and also where you’re from.

Publicly funded institutions in England can charge up to £9,250 per year for full-time undergraduate courses. To charge the maximum, they must be Office for Students registered (OfS) in the fee approved category, have a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) award and have an access and participation plan approved by the OfS. Other institutions can charge between £6,000 and £9,000 depending on their rating and whether or not they have an access agreement. 

You can apply for a loan to cover tuition fees. The loan is paid directly to the institution on your behalf. In most cases this loan will cover the total costs of your fees, unless it is a private college. This means that you don’t have to find the money before you start the course or while you’re studying.

You can apply for a loan for help with living costs if you’re a full-time student. When Student Finance England has decided what support you’re entitled to, you need to tell them how much you want to borrow. The amount of loan you can borrow varies according to your household income and where you live or study, and your age.

New students, aged under 60 at the start of the course and not living with their parents, can get a maximum loan of £13,348 if studying in London and £10,227 if studying outside London. For students living at home with their parents the maximum loan available is £8,614.

If you’re aged 60 years or over at the start of the course you can get a maximum loan of £4,327.

You can get more support with living costs than other students if you qualify for certain benefits such as Personal Independence Payment. The loan has a maintenance element and a special support element. The special support element will be ignored as income for means-tested benefits.

New students not living with their parents can get a maximum loan of £14,557 if studying in London and £11,658 if studying outside London. For students living at home with their parents the maximum loan available is £10,158.

You start repaying your loan in the April following graduation and/or when you’re earning over £27,295 per year. Above this level you pay 9% of your income. For example, if your salary is £31,295, you will pay 9% of £4,000 (£30 per month) taken through the income tax system.

Some other things to bear in mind:

• You’ll re pay the same each month whether you choose a course that costs £6,000 or £9,250.
• If you never earn more than £27,295 you'll never have to repay anything.
• If you start repaying but lose your job or take a pay cut, your repayments will go down.
• Depending on the repayment plan that you’re on, after a set number of years, any remaining debt will be wiped clear.

Publicly funded universities and colleges which charge more than £6,000 must have an Access and Participation Plan agreed with an independent body called the Office for Students (OfS). The Plan describes the measures that have been put in place to promote access for students from low-income backgrounds or other under-represented groups, as well as the financial help available to those students.

Each university offers its own individual scheme, but they generally include means-tested bursaries and scholarships as well as spending money on increasing the access and outreach work.

Outreach work includes summer schools, mentoring programmes, after-school tuition, links with schools and colleges in disadvantaged areas and activities to improve retention and success. Check if there are any activities in your area.

Tuition fee loans are available to cover the cost of fees which are set at a maximum of £9,000 in Wales, and £9,250 in the rest of UK.  

All students receive a £1,000 annual non-means tested maintenance grant. Students are also eligible for an additional means-tested maintenance grant. The grant amount is based on household income up to a maximum of £10,124.

Students who do not receive the full grant can apply for a maintenance loan for the difference between their grant award and the maximum level of maintenance support (grant plus loan).

In 2024/25, these are as follows:

• £12,150 for students living away from home and outside London
• £15,170  for students living away from home and in London
• £10,315  for students living at home.

If you normally live in Scotland, you are likely to be assessed as liable for Home-Scotland tuition fee.  The standard tuition fee is £1,820 (2023/24). However, if you meet the residency conditions the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) will pay your fees. Scottish Universities can charge up to £9,250 per year to students from elsewhere in the UK.

All eligible students can apply for a loa n towards their fees and living costs. There are various grants, bursaries and extra help to meet your costs as a student. For more information, contact Lead Scotland.

If you live in Northern Ireland the maximum tuition fee is £4,710 (2023/24). This fee doesn’t need to be paid up front. Universities in Northern Ireland can charge up to £9,250 per year to students from other parts of the UK.  Students should check the UCAS website or contact the university or college directly.

All eligible students can apply for a loan towards their fees and students from lower-income households may be eligible for maintenance grants. Living cost loans are also available.

Funding for part-time and distance learning students  

Publicly funded universities and colleges can charge £4,500 per year for part-time HE courses. Some charge up to £6,935 where they are Office for Students registered (OfS) in the fee approved category, have achieved a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) award and the OfS has approved an Access and Participation Plan. Some universities and colleges offer money back through bursaries.

Part-time students don’t have to pay up front. To be eligible for a tuition-fee loan you must be studying at least 25% of the equivalent full-time programme.

Living cost loans are available for part-time undergraduate students. The amount you can get depends on the intensity of your studies, up to the following maximums:

• Living away from home and studying in London  £13,348
• Living away from home and studying outside London  £10,227
• Living in your parents’ home  £8,610

You start repaying your loan in the April following graduation and/or when you’re earning over £27,295 per year.

If you study with the Open University (OU), you may be able to get a living cost loan if you’re studying by distance learning because of a disability.

If you’re studying at least 25% of the full-time equivalent course, you can apply for a part-time tuition-fee loan. You may also be able to apply for a means tested grant and a maintenance Loan to help with your living costs. A non-means tested grant is also available. You can also apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) towards extra disability-related study costs. 

You may be able to apply for supplementary grants such as the adult dependents grant, parents learning allowance, childcare grant.

If you’re studying at least 50% of the full-time equivalent course, you may be able to apply for a fee grant and a course grant towards study costs such as books, materials and travel. There are three different rates of fee grant, up to a maximum of £1,230, depending on the intensity of the course.  For example, if you study at a rate equivalent to 75% of a full-time course, you could qualify for a higher fee grant than if you were studying at a rate equivalent to 50% of a full-time course. In 2022-23, the maximum course grant is £265 and doesn’t depend on the intensity of your course.

If you’re studying at least 25% of the full-time equivalent course, you can also apply for a tuition fee loan of up to £3,532.50 in 2023-24 to help towards the costs of your fees and Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) towards extra disability-related study costs.

If you’re from Scotland and studying in Scotland, you can apply for a tuition fee grant from SAAS to help pay fees. The amount you’re eligible for depends on the type of course you’re studying and how intense your studies are. Contact SAAS Scotland for more information.

The Open University (OU) is the largest open learning institution in the UK. The OU is the largest provider of higher education for disabled people. It had 37,118 disabled students studying with them in 2021/22 and offers more than 250 undergraduate and postgraduate courses and professional qualifications. For a typical Open University student, studying half of the full-time equivalent, the fees were £3,462 per year in 2023/24.

A number of other colleges and universities also offer distance learning options.

Other financial support  

• Hardship Fund (England)
• Discretionary Fund (Scotland)
• Financial Contingency Funds Scheme (Wales)
• Support Fund (NI)

These schemes are broadly similar across the UK. Each institution administers the funds, which are available to support students experiencing financial hardship. Priority is usually given to part-time students, students with children, especially single parents, mature students, disabled students and care leavers over the age of 18 and homeless students. They can sometimes be used to pay towards the costs of diagnostic assessments for dyslexia or the £200 contribution towards the cost of a laptop recommended through Disabled Students Allowance. Contact student services at your university or college for details of how to apply.

You may get this additional allowance if you’re studying full-time and have adult dependants. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland this includes your wife or husband or civil partner and other adult family members, if they’re financially dependent on you. In Scotland, you can only receive Dependants’ Grant for your husband, wife or civil partner. The grant is calculated by taking into account the income of your dependants as well as your own income.  The maximum available is £3,438 per year. The grant is paid by Student Finance along with your loan.

You’re eligible to apply for this grant if you’re a full-time student from England or Wales and have dependent children in registered or approved childcare. The grant helps with childcare costs for children under 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs. You can apply before or after the start of your course. You must fill in a form from your awarding authority and enclose documentary evidence of your household income. The grant pays 85% of actual childcare costs up to a maximum of £193.62 per week for one child and £331.95 per week for two or more children. You’ll receive the grant from Student Finance along with your loan.

In Scotland you can apply for the means-tested Higher Education Childcare Fund from your college or university to help with registered childcare costs. If you’re a lone parent, you can apply to SAAS for the Lone Parent Grant and the Lone Parent Childcare Grant which goes towards registered childcare costs.

In Northern Ireland, you can apply online for the Childcare Grant by signing into your student finance account. You can download a form from the Student Finance Northern Ireland website.

You won’t qualify for this grant if you receive Lone Parents’ Grant or if you or your partner claim the childcare element of Working Tax Credit or the childcare element of Universal Credit.

If you’re a full-time student with dependent children, you may qualify for help with course-related costs. The amount you can get depends on your income and that of your dependants, including your husband, wife or civil partner. The maximum amount available is £1,963 per year.

If you have extra disability-related costs which can’t be covered by funding from any other sources, you could try applying to a charitable trust such as the Snowdon Trust. The Snowdon Trust grant scheme helps students with a physical condition, long term illness or learning difference and can make an award of up to £5,000 in one academic year.

See our information on Funding from charitable trusts .  

Many students work part-time to supplement their incomes. Students work in lots of places, including the students’ union, local restaurants, shops and call centres. Many universities have student ‘job shops’ for part time work on campus or in the local area or you could talk to the careers office or students’ union.

Most full-time higher education students can’t claim welfare benefits. However, students who get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) may be able to receive more support with living costs than other students.  It is important to let the Benefits Agency, Jobcentre Plus and other relevant agencies know that you’re starting a course. This is a change in your circumstances, so you must tell them even if you believe it won’t affect your benefits.

For individual advice it’s best to speak with a welfare rights specialist in the student money advice team at your university or college or try your local Citizens Advice Bureau  www.citizensadvice.org.uk/getadvice.htm .

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) has replaced Disability Living Allowance for people between the ages of 16 and 64. PIP is a non-means tested benefit for people who need help taking part in everyday life or find it difficult to get around. It is always paid on top of other benefits.

Universal Credit is a new benefit which has been rolled out across the UK to replace working age means-tested benefits.

Most full-time students are not eligible for Universal Credit, but there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, you can claim Universal Credit if you have been assessed as having a limited capability for work before starting full-time study and receive PIP.

If you have not been assessed as having a limited capability for work before starting full-time study, the DWP will refuse your Universal Credit claim.

Higher education students eligible for UC will usually be placed in the ‘no work-related requirements’ group for the whole academic year.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)  

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a grant to help meet disability-related costs incurred whilst studying. In England a maximum allowance of up to £26,948 per year (excluding travel) is available to full-time and part-time undergraduate students to pay for specialist support including specialist equipment, non-medical human support and other general expenditure. There is no cap on disability-related travel costs.

In Scotland the DSA is made up of three parts – the basic allowance, the large parts allowance and non-personal medical help. There are no DSAs for travel. However, you may be able to claim extra disability-related travel costs from the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS). You should write to SAAS to make a claim, preferably at the same time as you send in your application for the DSAs. You must send SAAS proof of your disability (if you’ve not already done so) and give details of the additional costs. SAAS may also consider making a 50% advance payment of normal travel costs in certain circumstances.

DSA is non-means tested.   This means your income or your parents’ income is not taken into account when assessing the level of DSA you will receive. Previous study doesn’t affect your eligibility to get DSA. There is also no upper age limit on applying for DSA. The allowance you receive is only based on the assessed support you need while studying. DSA   do not  fund items or costs related to your disability that you would have regardless of whether or not you were studying.   

In England you can usually apply online for DSA at the same time as making your main application. You can also download the form from the Student Finance website. All awarding authorities will have the form available to download on their websites. You can apply before you have a confirmed place at a college or university.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, part-time students are eligible for DSA as long as it is a designated course and you are studying at least 25% of the full-time equivalent. In Scotland the workload must be 50% of the full-time equivalent.

See Disability Rights UK’s information on  Applying for Disabled Students’ Allowance  for further information.

Personal care or personal assistance is the practical help and support you need for your daily life. For example; support with cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, correspondence, shopping and transport.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, young disabled students with education, health and/or social care requirements can ask for an assessment of their needs. Local authorities in England must carry out an assessment and prepare an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan for those who need one.

If you have an EHC Plan you can request a personal budget. This will give you greater choice and control about how you buy your support whilst studying and who you choose to provide the service.

If you’re not eligible for an EHC Plan, you may still be eligible for an assessment from your local authority Adult Social Care Department under the Care Act 2014. You can ask for an assessment of all your care and support needs, carried out by a trained assessor or social worker. The assessment of need is carried out in six main areas – personal and social care, health care, accommodation, finance, education, employment and leisure, transport and access.

If you’re eligible for support, you’ll be offered a personal budget.

All universities and further education colleges are covered by the Public Sector Equality Duty This came into force in April 2011 and requires them to:

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• Advance equality of opportunity.
• Foster good relations.

Actions could include adapting accommodation for you and arranging assistance from volunteers.

You may also be entitled to help towards the cost of an extra bedroom if you need an overnight carer. Contact your local authority for details.

Professional courses  

For the first four years of study, students taking a five or six-year undergraduate programme are eligible for the same support as other students taking Higher Education courses. Students may then qualify for an NHS means-tested bursary for in their fifth and further years.  Students who get an NHS Bursary are eligible for free tuition and a non-means tested grant of £1,000.

The arrangements for graduate medical and dental students on a five-year course are different. You can’t get a tuition fee loan or a maintenance grant for the first four years of the course, regardless of whether you’ve previously received funding. However, you may be able to apply for a full, income-based, maintenance loan from Student Finance England. From year five of the training, graduate medical and dental students receive the same support as undergraduate medical and dental students.

Additional allowances such as Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) may also be available. 

In England nursing, midwifery and health students have access to the same student loans system as other students.

The NHS Learning Support Fund also provides extra financial support to students on nursing, midwifery and other healthcare courses. This includes:

• non-means tested Training grant of up to £5,000 per year for new and continuing students
• parental support of up to £2,000 per year for new and continuing students with childcare responsibilities of one or more children
• support for excess travel and dual accommodation expenses incurred by attending placements
• exceptional support of up to £3,000 per year in the case of severe hardship
• £,1000 for new students studying one of the specialist subjects
• regional incentive payment of up to £1,000 is available to eligible new students in designated geographical areas where there is a workforce shortage.

Bursaries and tuition fees are provided by:

• NHS Student Bursaries  for students from England
• the  NHS Wales  Student Awards Unit for students from Wales
• the  Department of Health  for students from Northern Ireland
• the  Student Awards Agency for Scotland  for students from Scotland.

Basic government support is available to all undergraduate students. You may also be able to get a Social Work Bursary in years 2 and 3 of your course. The number of bursary recipients for all eligible social work courses is capped so there is no guarantee that you will receive a social work bursary even if your application is accepted.  If you attend a university outside of London, the bursary is worth up to £4,862.50 per year. If you attend a university in London study, the bursary is worth up to £5,262.50 per year. This is the rate for students starting courses in 2023/24 academic year.

The  NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA)  manages the bursary scheme for students studying approved degree courses in social work in England.

Applicants must meet eligibility criteria set out by the NHSBSA.  

Social care funding is devolved to the four countries of the UK. If you’re not eligible for support from the NHSBSA, you should contact the relevant social care regulatory body in your country.

• If you’re from Wales, contact  Social Care Wales
• If you’re from Scotland, bursaries are not available to any undergraduate students. Students will receive the usual funding from  Student Awards Agency of Scotland (SAAS)  to help with the costs of the course.
• If you’re from Northern Ireland, contact the Department of Health

Students on designated higher education dance and drama courses at private institutions may qualify for financial support. Dance and Drama Awards can help with the costs of tuition fees and there are means-tested grants for living costs. However, if you’re offered a place as a private student, you will have to pay the fees yourself.

For further information on the support that is available for disabled students, please contact our  Disabled Students Helpline

Tel:  0330 995 0414

Textphone: 18001 0330 995 0414 (Type Talk)

Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am to 1pm

Email:  [email protected]

We also produce a range of  education resources  covering these subjects and frequently asked questions which you can access through our website at  disabilityrightsuk.org .

Into Higher Education is a free downloadable guide produced by Disability Rights UK for disabled people planning to study at university. It answers the common questions disabled students have and gives them the information they need to make the right choices, including:

• What is higher education and what does it offer?
• Which is the right course for me?
• How do I apply?
• What financial support is available?
• What kind of disability-related support can I receive?
• What are my rights as a disabled student?

The guide also includes six inspiring profiles written by disabled people about their experiences of university and it has a useful resources section.

Useful contacts  

Department for Education (DfE)

Website:  www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education

Web contact form:  Contact the Department for Education (DfE) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Website:  https://erasmusplus.org.uk

Advice and information on the Erasmus educational exchange programme and funding for study or work abroad.

Lead Scotland

Tel: 0131 228 9441

Textphone: 18001 131 228 9441

Helpline service: 0800 999 2568

Phone line open Mon, Wed and Thurs 2pm to 4pm, Tues and Fri 10am to 12pm

Email:  [email protected]

Website:  www.lead.org.uk

Organisation enabling disabled adults and carers to access inclusive learning opportunities in Scotland. Lead also runs an information and advice service for disabled students in Scotland.

Money Saving Expert

www.moneysavingexpert.com/family

See Students MoneySaving for information on student loan repayments, grants and ways to save money and 20 student loans ‘mythbusting tips’.

NHS Student Bursaries

Tel: 0300 330 1345

Email: Through the website using an online form

Social Work Bursaries

Tel: 0300 330 1342

Website:  www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-bursary-students  

www.twitter.com/NHSBSA_Students  

www.facebook/NHSstudentbursaries   

Information on NHS and social work bursaries, payment dates and downloadable application forms.

Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS)

Tel: 0300 555 0505

Phone line open Monday, Wed and Fri 9am-4pm

Textphone: 0131 244 5107

Website:  www.saas.gov.uk . Email through the website by selecting an enquiry subject and completing an online form.

SAAS is the awarding authority in Scotland.

Student Finance England

Tel: 0300 100 0607

Textphone: 18001 0300 100 0622

Phone line open Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, Sat 9am to 4pm

Website:  www.gov.uk/studentfinance

www.twitter.com/SF_England

www.facebook.com/SFEngland

Student Finance England provides information and services to students who normally live in England.

Student Finance Northern Ireland

Tel: 0300 100 0077

Textphone: 0300 100 0625

Phone line open Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm, and Sat 9am to 4pm

Website:  www.studentfinanceni.co.uk

Student Finance Northern Ireland provides information and services to students who normally live in Northern Ireland.

Student Finance Wales

Tel: 0300 200 4050

Textphone: 0300 100 1693

Phone line open Mon to Fri 8am to 6pm

Website:  www.studentfinancewales.co.uk

UCAS (The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)

The central admissions system which processes applications for higher education.

Tel: 0371 468 0468

Phone line open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6pm

Textphone: 18001 0371 468 0468

Website:  www.ucas.com

Email:  [email protected]

UKCISA: UK Council for International Student Affairs

Advice service: 020 7788 9214

Advice line open Mon to Fri 1pm to 4pm (UK time)

Website:  www.ukcisa.org.uk

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Top 98 Scholarships for Disabled Students in May 2024

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If you are a student with “disAbilities,” as we like to say, you landed in the right place! As the list below demonstrates, there are many scholarships for disabled students, both physical and mental in nature. Our list also includes scholarships for certain inflammatory diseases and cancer. Some of these scholarships for disabled students require documentation, so give yourself ample time to complete the applications!

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• The scholarship requires a fee to apply
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• There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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The Jill Laura Creedon Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for nursing students facing disabilities or medical challenges. The scholarship requires three letters of recommendation… Show More

The Jill Laura Creedon Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for nursing students facing disabilities or medical challenges. The scholarship requires three letters of recommendation from individuals who can vouch for the applicant's academic prowess and personal integrity. Don't miss out on this chance to further your nursing education and make a difference in the healthcare field. Show Less

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Appily

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be… Show More

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be awarded each month. Show Less

Anna May Rolando Scholarship Award

The Anna May Rolando Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for nursing students with disabilities. The scholarship is specifically designed for graduate students who have… Show More

The Anna May Rolando Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for nursing students with disabilities. The scholarship is specifically designed for graduate students who have a passion for working with people with disabilities. To apply, candidates must provide three letters of recommendation from individuals who can vouch for their academic prowess and personal integrity. Don't miss out on this chance to make a difference in the world of nursing! Show Less

Genevieve Saran Richmond Award

The Genevieve Saran Richmond Award is a prestigious scholarship that recognizes the academic excellence and personal character of a nursing student with a disability. Generously… Show More

The Genevieve Saran Richmond Award is a prestigious scholarship that recognizes the academic excellence and personal character of a nursing student with a disability. Generously donated by Leslie and Virginia Fiur, this scholarship requires applicants to provide three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to their abilities. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to further your education and achieve your dreams! Show Less

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Christian Connector

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian…

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.

Mary Serra Gili Scholarship Award

The Mary Serra Gili Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for a nursing student with a disability. Generously donated by Thomas Gili, this scholarship recognizes… Show More

The Mary Serra Gili Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for a nursing student with a disability. Generously donated by Thomas Gili, this scholarship recognizes academic excellence and personal character. To apply, submit three letters of recommendation from individuals who can attest to your abilities. Don't miss out on this chance to further your education and career in nursing! Show Less

Peter Gili Scholarship Award

The Peter Gili Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for nursing students with disabilities. This scholarship is a heartfelt tribute to Peter Gili, generously donated… Show More

The Peter Gili Scholarship Award is a prestigious opportunity for nursing students with disabilities. This scholarship is a heartfelt tribute to Peter Gili, generously donated by his loved ones. To apply, candidates must provide three letters of recommendation from individuals who can vouch for their academic prowess and personal integrity. Don't miss out on this chance to honor Peter's legacy and further your nursing education. Show Less

How to win scholarships for students with disabilities

Now that you’ve got a list of great opportunities to apply for, it’s time to start working on your applications. We can help you begin your scholarship essay , write your scholarship resume , and tailor your writing to 250 word or 500 word limits . Here are a few more guides that can help you succeed in your scholarship applications:

• Ultimate guide to finding and winning scholarships
• How to win local scholarships
• “Show, Don’t Tell” essay primer
• How to respond to a “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” prompt

What counts as a disability?

Remember, there are many different definitions of a disability out there. Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this question. When it comes to scholarships for disabled students, you’ll want to read each scholarship closely to see what falls under their definition of a disability. Many use the definition provided by the ADA . Others are meant specifically for one disability. For example, the Allergies Shaped My Life Foundation Scholarship is specifically for students with severe allergies, such as a peanut allergy.

Other scholarships for disabled students may include learning disabilities, mental disabilities, and chronic illnesses. Your best bet is to go through this list and read the terms of each opportunity closely if you think you might qualify.

Frequently asked questions

Can i apply for scholarships for disabled students if i have a learning disability.

Typically, yes! Every scholarship sets its own rules as to what counts as a disability. Oftentimes, learning disabilities will count under the general umbrella of disabilities. However, there may be times when a scholarship is only meant for students with physical disabilities.

Always be sure to read the scholarship rules thoroughly before applying, and don’t forget to check out our list of scholarships specifically for students with learning disabilities .

What do I need to prove I have a disability?

Each scholarship will have its own rules as for what proof you need to submit of your disability. Oftentimes, this will come in the form of a doctor’s note. Be sure to check in with your scholarship provider to see what they need from you to prove that you are eligible.

Are there scholarships for disabled students?

Yes, there are many scholarships out there specifically for disabled students! Whether your disability is physical, mental, or a learning disability, there are opportunities waiting for you. Check out our list above to find vetted scholarship opportunities for disabled students.

Resources for students with disabilities

American psychological association: reasonable accommodations explained.

This article is an excellent place to start if wondering exactly what accommodations you are legally entitled to in college. Knowledge is power, so empower yourself by learning your rights!

National Center for College Students with Disabilities Clearinghouse

This database offers an amazing number of quality resources about disabilities and higher education all in one place.  

National Resources for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

This is a great website to find a variety of resources for college-bound or current college students with disabilities.

Additional scholarship lists to explore

• Top mental health scholarships
• Top scholarships for students with ADHD
• Easy scholarships to apply for
• Top scholarships for students who are visually impaired
• Top scholarships for cancer survivors
• Top scholarships for students who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Top learning disabilities scholarships
• Scholarships for students with a disabled parent
• Top scholarships for students with diabetes

Join for exclusive scholarships, personalized matching, and application tracking. 0% Spam, 100% Free.

3 reasons to join scholarships360

• Automatic entry to our $10,000 No-Essay Scholarship
• Personalized matching to thousands of vetted scholarships
• Quick apply for scholarships exclusive to our platform

By the way...Scholarships360 is 100% free!

Imperial College London Imperial College London

Latest news.

First transatlantic sustainable aviation fuel flight 'saved 95 tonnes of CO2'

Medical technology seed fund helps four startups on their way to success

Thousands of Imperial students celebrate Graduation Day 2024

• Fees and funding
• Search our scholarships

Master's Scholarship supporting disabled students

Scholarship overview, degree level.

Postgraduate taught, Master's research

Home tuition fees up to £18,500, stipend of £19,000, £1,500 equipment grant and Mentoring Support - Activate programme

Number of awards

Academic year, tuition fee status.

Home, Overseas

Mode of study

Full time, Part time

Available to

Prospective students

Application deadline

30/04/2024 Closed

Additional information

[email protected]

Available to applicants in the following departments

• Aeronautics
• Bioengineering
• Brain Sciences
• Business School
• Centre for Environmental Policy
• Chemical Engineering
• Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Design Engineering
• Earth Science and Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Immunology and Inflammation
• Infectious Disease
• Life Sciences
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction
• National Heart and Lung Institute
• School of Public Health
• Surgery and Cancer

Eligibility criteria

One award is available in each faculty for a candidate with Home and Overseas Fee status. 

• Have an offer of admission from the College to study a one-year full-time or two-year part-time Master’s course
• Have a disability as defined in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010.
• Physical impairment
• Vision impairment/Blind
• Hearing impairment/Deaf
• Specific Learning Difficulty e.g., Dyslexia, Dyspraxia
• Learning or intellectual disability
• Neurodivergence or neurological disorder

Eligible Master’s courses

As well as the above criteria, you must also apply for an eligible course:

• One-year full-time or part-time Master’s course in the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Imperial College Business School
• Online/distance learning courses
• Imperial College Business School MBA programmes
• MA/MSc Global Innovation Design and MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering in the Dyson School of Design Engineering

Please note: This scholarship is not available to continuing students.

Application process

• Apply for an eligible course – see the list in the Eligibility Criteria section. 
• Create an online account and submit your application through  our application portal  – use our guide to  How to apply  for additional help.
• Receive an offer of a place for 2024 entry by the scholarship deadline of  23.59 (UK local time) on 30 April 2024 .
• Firmly accept the offer by the relevant deadline.
• Complete our Scholarship  application form  by the deadline of  23.59 (UK local time) on 30 April 2024.
• Home tuition fees up to £18,500* for eligible Master's courses
• An annual maintenance grant of £19,000
• An allowance of £1,500 for equipment
• Mentoring support - Activate Student Mentoring Programme

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at [email protected] .

7 Student Teams Win Prizes to Advance Their Intelligence++ Disability, Inclusion Innovations

Faculty members Beth Myers (left) and Don Carr. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Seven student-designed products, services and technologies meant to assist people with intellectual and developmental disabilities won recognition and seed funding at the Intelligence++ Showcase on April 25.

Fashion design major Shelstie Dastinot showed adaptive clothing having Haitian-inspired designs. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

The showcase is the culmination of the two-semester Intelligence++ (DES 400/600) course taught by Don Carr , professor and program coordinator for industrial and interaction design in the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) , and Beth Myers , Lawrence B. Taishoff assistant professor of inclusive education and executive director of the Taishoff Center in the School of Education .

The interdisciplinary course is open to undergraduate and graduate students from across the University, including students studying in the InclusiveU program. “It’s a unique program,” says Carr. “To my knowledge, Intelligence ++ is the only integrated design and innovation incubator in which students from a program such as InclusiveU work as part of a team to develop a wide range of product ideas.”

As part of the course, students learn about steps taken at the University to help address accessibility and neurodiversity across campus. Myers says the fact that students come from a range of majors and programs helps widen the understanding of access, disability and inclusion needs and abilities.

Policy studies major Ryan Brouchard emphasizes the planned journey for his team’s innovation, AdaptEd, created with computer science student Adya Parida. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

“We’re thinking about disability, accessibility and disability language and content, as well as the possibilities [for] disability and neurodiversity. We’re designing not for disabled people, but with disabled people, so it’s really meaningful,” says Myers.

Shelstie Dastinot ’24, a fashion design major in VPA, says her perspective on disability is formed by personal experience. “I realized that we all separate ourselves from the disabled community, but we can all become disabled at any point. We are all temporarily able, is what I like to say.”

Ryan Brouchoud ’25, a policy studies major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, says the class taught him how to think in practical and functional ways about disability needs. “I’m learning about the best way to go about making products and programs that are accessible to all but that are also feasible to create. I’m interested in creating something that fixes problems that need addressing.”

Xiaochao Yu ’25, an interior design major in VPA, spoke to both disabled and non-disabled individuals as he worked on his project, and found the groups had similar concerns regarding public study spaces. “They expressed that the environment was distracting both visually and acoustically. I decided to create a product that would provide the privacy students were looking for.”

His project, Portable Sensory Enclosure , uses low-budget structural elements and materials to create temporary, movable barriers that offer more privacy and acoustic and visual improvements for use in public study areas.

The other winning projects were:

Four members of the team of UpliftU present how their website makes reporting incidents of bias and accessibility barriers easier, with a built-in feedback and assessment system. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

Uplift U,  a website that allows reporting on barriers to accessibility, such as the lack of an access ramp at a building, and issues and incidents related to diversity and inclusion, such as a bias situation.

It was created by InclusiveU students Tanner Knox Belge ’27 an undeclared major; Devin Braun ’27, a food studies major; Sean Bleaking ’24, a food studies major and Arturo Tomas Cruz Avellan ’27, an undeclared major; along with Jasmine Rood, ’27, a design studies major in VPA, Caitlin Kennedy Espiritu ’25, a public communications major in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, and Megan Gajewski ’27, a fashion design major in VPA.

Cuse Up , an app to help InclusiveU students more easily discover social groups and campus activities, created by students Tojyea Matally ’27, a communication design major and Faith Mahoney ’26, an industrial and interaction design major, both studying in VPA.

Shelstie , a line of sustainable, adaptive clothing featuring bright colors and Haitian-inspired looks, designed by Dastinot.

AdaptEd , an educational tech platform that uses AI-powered software to support varied learning styles, created by Brouchoud and Adya Parida ’25, a computer science major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Echo Classroom , a platform that provides resources to aid in lesson interpretation, developed by Alexandra Gustave ’24 and Charlotte Chu ’26, fashion design majors in VPA.

VocaLink, a concept by graduate data science students Dhruv Shah and Sampada Regmi, offers computer-based vocational training. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

VocaLink , a computer-based vocational training and interactive learning tool, developed by graduate students Dhruv Shah ’25 and Sampada Regmi ’24, who are both students in the applied data science program at the School of Information Studies.

Judges were Matthew Van Ryn, a Syracuse attorney; Hanah Ehrenreich, a development associate at Jowonio School who also advises entrepreneurs; Brianna Howard ’20, G’21, founder of Faithful Works virtual assistant and grant writing services;  and Gianfranco Zaccai ’70, H’09, co-founder and chief designer of Continuum Innovation, who founded Intelligence++ through his Zaccai Foundation for Augmented Intelligence .

Team members, faculty and judges gathered to celebrate the innovations presented at the 2024 Intelligence++ Showcase. (Photo by Marilyn Hesler)

Diane Stirling

• 5 Questions for Commencement Speaker Dario Nardella, Mayor of Florence, Italy Thursday, May 9, 2024, By News Staff
• Commencement 2024 by the Numbers Thursday, May 9, 2024, By Christine Grabowski
• In Memoriam: Life Trustee Michael ‘Mike’ Falcone ’57 Thursday, May 9, 2024, By News Staff
• In Memoriam: Life Trustee Bernard ‘Bernie’ Kossar ’53, L’55 Thursday, May 9, 2024, By News Staff
• Blackstone LaunchPad Hosts Investor-Ready Symposium Thursday, May 9, 2024, By Cristina Hatem

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Dear Colleague Letter: Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies (Hydrogen INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity

May 6, 2024

Dear Colleague:

Fostering the growth of a globally competitive and diverse research workforce and advancing the scientific and innovation skills of U.S. students are strategic objectives of the National Science Foundation (NSF). Supporting the development of a skilled workforce in energy efficiency and renewable energy is a strategic objective of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The NSF and DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) have established a partnership to support internship and training opportunities to meet these strategic objectives with a focus on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. A new generation of skilled workforce is needed to drive research and development of hydrogen production, delivery, infrastructure, storage, fuel cells, and multiple end uses across transportation, industrial, and stationary power applications. For more information on DOE-EERE's priorities for hydrogen energy research, please see the DOE's Hydrogen Program Areas and the U.S. National Clean Hydrogen Strategy Roadmap .

This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) describes this unique partnership with DOE EERE's Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) and is aligned with and conforms with the NSF INTERN opportunity described in the Dear Colleague Letter: Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students (INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity . This DCL is referred to as the Hydrogen INTERN DCL.

SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

NSF will consider supplemental funding requests in the broad area of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies that enable PIs (or Co-PIs) to request supplemental support of up to $55,000 and six months for graduate students supported on active NSF grants with the following goals:

• To provide graduate students with the opportunity to augment their research assistantships or NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) fellowships with research internship activities and training opportunities that will complement their academic research training.
• To allow graduate students to pursue new activities aimed at acquiring professional development experience that will enhance their preparation for multiple career pathways after graduation.
• To encourage the participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED

The PI/co-PI of an active NSF award may request supplemental funding for one or more graduate students to gain knowledge, skills, training, and experiences in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and their application areas.

Internship hosts include, but are not limited to:

• Private sector companies, laboratories, or industry research and development groups.
• Start-up businesses such as, but not limited to, those funded through the NSF's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
• Department of Energy Laboratories, other government agencies (all levels), and National Laboratories.
• Museums, science centers, and other informal learning settings that educate the public.
• Policy think-tanks.
• Non-profit organizations.

Prior to submission, PIs are encouraged to discuss possible INTERN supplements with the cognizant NSF Program Director Points of Contact listed in this DCL to ensure the proposed internship and its topic are a good fit for this DCL. It is expected that the graduate student and the PI on the NSF grant will work together to identify experiences that add the most educational value for the graduate student through activities that are not already available at the student's academic institution. Further, it is expected that the internship will be research-focused and will be on-site at the host organization unless a specific exception to this is granted by the cognizant Program Director due to extenuating circumstances.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for this opportunity, graduate students must have completed at least one academic year in their graduate program (master's or doctoral) prior to commencement of the proposed INTERN activity and be making satisfactory progress toward completion of their degree.

SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

Information about requesting supplemental support is contained in the NSF PAPPG ), Chapter VI.E.5. In addition to the PAPPG requirements for supplemental support, the following materials must be included.

• A two-page summary that describes the internship
• A one-page personal statement from the graduate student describing career goals, accomplishments, and how the activity will better prepare the individual to enter the workforce.
• Research summary to include contribution(s) to research discipline
• Institution(s)
• Year of study (1st year, 2nd year, etc.)
• Completed coursework
• Employment and volunteer/outreach history
• Publications (accepted only)
• Other information relevant to the proposed internship
• A letter of collaboration from an authorized official at the host organization that describes the internship opportunity and mentoring the student will experience during the internship. The letter should include a statement confirming that neither the graduate student nor the PI has a financial interest in the organization hosting the internship.
• An endorsement letter from the PI that confirms that the student meets the eligibility requirements specified in this DCL. The letter must describe how the proposed internship activity will contribute to the student's graduate education experience and how it may impact time to degree.
• The NSF recipient and Host Organization must agree in advance as to how intellectual property (IP) rights will be handled. A signed agreement on IP (including publication and patent rights) must be submitted either as a supplementary document or, via email to the cognizant Program Director after submission of the supplementary funding request and prior to the award of the supplemental funding. NSF is responsible neither for the agreement reached nor the IP information exchanged between the NSF recipient and Host Organization.
• A budget and budget justification.

SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING AMOUNT

The total amount of funding requested must not exceed $55,000 per student per six-month period. NSF plans to fund up to approximately 10 or more supplements in each fiscal year starting with FY 2024, depending on availability of funds.

ALLOWABLE COSTS UNDER THIS DCL

Funds may be used to support travel, tuition and fees, health insurance, additional stipend, and temporary relocation costs for the graduate student. Additional stipends are not allowed for GRFP fellows "on tenure" (currently receiving a GRFP stipend), but a stipend will be considered for fellows "on reserve" (not currently receiving a GRFP stipend) equal to the monthly rate of the GRFP stipend. Up to $2,500 may be used for the PI or the graduate research fellow's advisor to travel to work with the host organization in co-mentoring the student during the internship. Up to $2,500 may be used for materials and supplies to support the student during the internship. Travel costs must be allocated in the budget request for the graduate student to travel once to Washington DC, to present the outcomes of the INTERN project at the DOE's Annual Merit Review meeting. The recipient is permitted to request indirect costs in accordance with their approved/negotiated indirect cost rate. The total requested budget cannot exceed the limits listed under the "Supplement funding amount" section above. Note: Spousal and dependent travel are not supported.

PERIOD OF SUPPORT

The supplement funding will provide up to six months of support for an internship. Up to two supplemental funding requests may be submitted on a grant per student. This would allow the student up to two internship periods of up to six months each (i.e., a maximum of 12 months per student).

Supplemental funding requests may be submitted at any time with a target date of June 15 for Fiscal Year 2024 and April 15 for future Fiscal Years.

SUBMISSION & REVIEW

Requests for supplemental funding must be submitted electronically via Research.gov. A PI or co-PI on an NSF award must contact his/her cognizant program director prior to submission. GRFP INTERN supplement requests are submitted by the GRFP PI, not by the GRFP fellow or the fellow's research advisor. Requests for supplemental funding submitted in response to this DCL will be reviewed internally by NSF Program Officers. All supplements are subject to (a) the availability of funds, and (b) merit review of the supplemental funding request.

• Dr. Prakash Balan, [email protected] - Directorate for Engineering
• Dr. Barbara Ransom, [email protected] - Directorate for Geosciences

SPECIAL AWARD CONDITION

Intellectual Property Rights: Internships under this DCL are considered equivalent to traineeships. The National Science Foundation claims no rights to any inventions or writings that might result from its traineeship awards. However, trainees should be aware that NSF, another Federal agency, or some private party may acquire such rights through other support for particular research. Also, trainees should note their obligation to include an Acknowledgment and Disclaimer in any publication.

POLICY OR CODE ADDRESSING HARASSMENT

Recipients are required to have a policy or code of conduct that addresses sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault. The recipient should work with the Host Organization to ensure that the Host Organization also has a policy or code of conduct that addresses sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault including reporting and complaint procedures and to confirm that such policy both covers and protects INTERN students interacting with the Host Organization. The recipient should also coordinate with the Host Organization to provide orientation to graduate students to cover expectations of behavior to ensure a safe and respectful environment, and to review the recipient and host organization's policy or code of conduct addressing sexual harassment, other forms of harassment, and sexual assault, including reporting and complaint procedures. For additional information, see the NSF policies at https://new.nsf.gov/stopping-harassment .

Susan Marqusee, Assistant Director Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)

Dilma Da Silva, Acting Assistant Director Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)

James L. Moore III, Assistant Director Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EDU)

Susan Margulies, Assistant Director Directorate for Engineering (ENG)

Alexandra Isern, Assistant Director Directorate for Geosciences (GEO)

C. Denise Caldwell, Acting Assistant Director Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)

Alicia Knoedler, Office Head Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)

Kendra Sharp, Office Head Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE)

Kaye Husbands Fealing, Assistant Director Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)

Erwin Gianchandani, Assistant Director Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnership (TIP)

BRET Career Development ASPIRE Program

Lime connect – bmo capital markets – scholarships for students with disabilities.

Posted by hagansa2 on Wednesday, May 8, 2024 in Announcements .

Deadline: April 7, 2025

URL:   Lime Connect

Description:

BMO Capital Markets Lime Connect Equity Through Education Scholarships support students in the U.S. or Canada with visible and invisible disabilities pursuing graduate degrees in select business and STEM fields. Scholarships are for one year.

Eligibility: Applicant must be:

• An undergraduate or graduate student currently enrolled at a four-year university in the U.S. or Canada (the graduate program itself, i.e., business school, may be shorter in length).
• Continuing as a full-time student in Fall 2025 with a minimum 40% course load.
• Pursuing a degree in business/commerce, computer science, engineering, math, physics, statistics, or a related discipline.
• Interested in a career in financial services with a focus on capital markets preferred.
• A student with a visible or invisible disability (defined as someone who has, or considers themselves to have, a long-term, or recurring, issue that impacts one or more major activities that others may consider to be a daily function); this definition also includes the perception among others that a disability exists. Candidates with all disabilities are encouraged to apply.
• Previous recipients of the scholarship are encouraged to reapply if they are eligible.

Award amount:

• $10,000 for students studying in the U.S.
• $5,000 for students studying in Canada.

If this information is out of date, please email [email protected] to let us know. 

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Beyond the Lab: Data Science

Through student financial aid programs, Appalachian State University makes every effort to assist students in meeting their educational expenses. With the exception of certain Appalachian academic scholarships, all students interested in receiving financial assistance must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . The student, and at least one parent of a dependent student, must have a U.S. Department of Education FSA ID to complete the FAFSA. Obtain an FSA ID at www.fsaid.ed.gov . Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov .

In order to receive priority consideration for certain state grants, and to ensure financial aid will be packaged in time for the fall billing cycle, all students should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1 and before Appalachian’s priority deadline of March 1 for the upcoming school year. The FAFSA may be completed after the priority deadline but the student may not have their financial aid packaged in time for the fall billing cycle, and they would not receive priority consideration for need-based grants.

Students must apply for financial aid each year by completing or renewing the FAFSA. Additionally financial aid funding does not transfer from one institution to another. It is the student’s responsibility to inquire about Appalachian’s financial aid application procedures for the academic year or for summer sessions.

Appalachian State University offers grants, loans and work opportunities to eligible students once the FAFSA data has been received. Several of these programs are briefly described on the following pages.

Financial aid recipients should refer to the index for “Refund Policy” for information concerning the return of funds due to withdrawal from the university.

For further information, please visit our website, www.financialaid.appstate.edu . Our office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding University observed holidays.

Information for Veterans, Dependents of Disabled or Deceased Veterans, and/or Members of National Guard/Reserves

The University is approved for training veterans and dependents of deceased or disabled veterans under the following programs administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs:

Post 9/11 GI Bill®- Service Members, Veterans, & Transferees (Chapter 33) Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Chapter 33-Frye) Montgomery GI Bill®-Active Duty Educational Assistance (Chapter 30) Montgomery GI Bill®-Selective Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1606) Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35) Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31)

The following programs are approved but have been retired by the US Department of Veterans Affairs:

Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP/Chapter 1607) Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 32) Restored Entitlement Program for Survivors (REPS)

Persons eligible to receive these benefits must process an application to utilize VA Education Benefits or to transfer their established benefits to Appalachian from another school. Applications can be accessed online via the GI Bill® website: www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/apply.asp .

Children of disabled or deceased veterans, who are North Carolina residents, may be eligible for a scholarship from the North Carolina Division of Veterans Affairs, Raleigh, North Carolina that pays tuition, some fees, and an allowance for room and meals. Information regarding eligibility criteria as well as the scholarship application is available through the NC DVA website: scholarships.milvets.nc.gov/ . The award is administered by Appalachian State University through the Office of Student Accounts.

Members of the National Guard and Selected Reserves may be eligible for tuition assistance. Service members applying for federal tuition assistance must apply online at www.goarmyed.com . Members of the North Carolina National Guard may also be eligible for state tuition assistance: applications must be completed online through the NCTAP application portal: www.2.ncseaa.edu/NCGuard/Login.aspx . Information regarding tuition assistance eligibility should be obtained from the service member’s unit.

Additional information regarding VA education benefits may be obtained by contacting the Office of Student Financial Aid, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina 28608, (828) 262-2190 or by visiting the Financial Aid Office website at www.financialaid.appstate.edu/veterans-military-education .

Student Employment Programs

The Student Employment Office, located in the Career Development Center, assists students in obtaining part-time job opportunities. On campus jobs are found through the Federal Work Study program and various Student Temporary positions. Student Employment places students who have accepted an award for Work Study through the Financial Aid Office. For more details about the Work Study Program, please visit: www.studentemployment.appstate.edu/pagesmith/11 .

If a student does not qualify through Financial Aid for a Work Study assignment, Student Temporary work is found by applying with campus employers which include, but are not limited to: Food Services, University Recreation, University Housing, the Belk Library and Information Commons, and the Child Development Center. For more information regarding finding employment, please go to www.studentemployment.appstate.edu or visit the Office of Student Employment located in John E. Thomas Hall, Room 388 to meet with a staff member.

Student Loan Programs

Eligible students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive a federal student loan. Detailed information concerning student loan programs is available at www.financialaid.appstate.edu . General information is available in The Student Guide (published by the Department of Education), which may be obtained from any post-secondary institution or by accessing the Office of Student Financial Aid website at www.financialaid.appstate.edu . Loans available to Appalachian students include:

• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan (based on financial need)
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan (not based on financial need)
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan (parent loan for undergraduate students, not based on financial need)
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate and Professional Students (not based on financial need)

Grants-In-Aid and Special Talent Awards

In recognition of students with special talents, the University provides grants in fields of activity such as drama, art, forensics, industrial arts, music, and athletics. In addition, many departments have their own scholarship funds for which students should inquire by writing to the department chair. Athletes should contact the coach of a specific sport.

Federal Pell Grant

All undergraduate students who have not received their first baccalaureate degree are applying for a Federal Pell Grant when they complete the FAFSA. In order to qualify for a Pell Grant, students must have exceptional financial need as determined by Federal Methodology and be enrolled for at least one credit hour required for their degree program (not audit or hours classified as “permit”). Amounts awarded are determined by the federal government and the approved costs associated with attendance at Appalachian.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

This grant is awarded to those students with exceptional need. Students must be an undergraduate, working toward a first baccalaureate degree and enrolled at least half-time in hours required for their degree program (not audit hours or hours classified as “permit”) each term. Funding for this grant is limited and awarding is subject to funds availability. Complete the FAFSA to apply for the FSEOG.

UNC Campus Scholarship

The UNC Campus Scholarship is available for undergraduate students who are first generation college students, students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, or students from traditionally underrepresented populations. These students must have completed a FAFSA, are maintaining satisfactory academic progress, are enrolled full-time in credit hours required for their degree program per semester in a degree-granting program of study, have NC residency and demonstrate financial need to be considered for this scholarship.

UNC Campus Native American Scholarship

This UNC Campus Native American Scholarship is available to Native American undergraduate students who submit a Tribal Card or a Certificate of Blood, have completed a FAFSA, are maintaining satisfactory academic progress, are enrolled full-time in credit hours required for their degree program (12 or more credit hours), have NC residency, are in a degree-granting program of study, and demonstrate financial need. The scholarship amount is dependent on the number of eligible applicants and the amount of allocated funds each year.

UNC Need-Based Grant

College Foundation of North Carolina administers this grant and makes awards based on the following: the student must be a North Carolina resident; an undergraduate working toward a first baccalaureate degree; be enrolled for at least half-time in hours required for their degree program (6 or more credit hours; not audit or hours classified as “permit”) each term and have substantial financial need. The FAFSA must be submitted no later than the March 1 priority deadline in order for a student to have priority consideration for this grant. Students receiving residency exceptions (tuition and fees charged at the in-state rate) do not qualify for the NCNB grant.

North Carolina Need-Based Grant (NCNB)

In order to be considered for this grant, a student must be a resident of North Carolina and demonstrate exceptional need. This grant may be awarded to undergraduate students who meet the above requirements and enroll in at least 6 credit hours required for their degree program (not audit) hours. The student must complete a FAFSA to apply for the NCNB grant.

North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship

College Foundation of North Carolina administers this grant and makes awards based on the following: the student must be a North Carolina resident; an undergraduate working toward a first baccalaureate degree; be enrolled at least half-time in hours required for their degree program (6 or more credit hours; not audit or hours classified as “permit”) each term; must meet all federal student eligibility criteria; and have financial need according to the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) regulations and State Statute. The FAFSA must be submitted no later than the March 1 priority deadline for priority consideration.