Website of the UK government

Financial help for disabled students

Sources of extra financial help for disabled students include:

These are paid on top of the standard student finance package.

Disabled Students' Allowances

Disabled Students' Allowances are grants to help meet the extra costs of studying that students face as a direct result of an impairment, a health condition or a specific learning difficulty. They are designed to help disabled students study on an equal basis with other students.

The allowances are paid on top of the standard student finance package. The amount you can get doesn't depend on your household income, and the allowances don't have to be repaid.

For details on Disabled Students' Allowances, please use the following link.

• Disabled Students' Allowances - introduction

Access to Learning Fund

You may also be able to claim additional financial help through the Access to Learning Fund. There is more information in the general education and learning section.

• Access to Learning Fund: extra help if you need it (general education and learning section)

Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance can be paid over and above Disabled Students' Allowances and other forms of student finance. Please follow the link below for details about Disability Living Allowance.

• Disability Living Allowance - introduction

Incapacity Benefit

Incapacity Benefit is a benefit for people who are unable to work because of illness or disability. If you already claim Incapacity Benefit, you may be able to carry on receiving it as a student. Your Incapacity Benefit will not be reduced if you receive Disabled Students' Allowances or any other grant or loan.

You can get more information about claiming this benefit while studying from Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities.

• Incapacity Benefit - introduction
• Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities Opens new window

Other forms of student finance

Financial help aimed at disabled students and state benefits are paid on top of of the standard student finance package.

If you're a full-time higher education student, see 'Student finance: what you could get' for information on student loans, grants and bursaries – or, if your course began before 2006, see 'Student finance: started before 2006?'

Part-time students should see 'Student finance: part-time students', and 'Financing your postgraduate course' has information for postgraduate students.

Follow one of the links below to find out what other types of student finance you could get – including information on student loans, grants and bursaries.

• Student finance: what you could get (general education and learning section)
• Student finance: started before 2006? (general education and learning section)
• Student finance: part-time students (general education and learning section)
• Financing your postgraduate course (general education and learning section)