DSA, student finance and part-year study!

925dancer

So many questions, apologies for this, answer any or all you might know the answer to.

So I am currently waiting to hear if I have been granted a suspension of studies due to mitigating circumstances which I already thought I had but uni made a series of mistakes with recording my studies and results to date resulting in a lot of to-ing and fro-ing with me hopping around out here in limbo. Regardless of what form my return takes I am applying for DSA.

I'm a mature student of 31 (this becomes pertinent later) with depression and anxiety, possibly PTSD also, waiting for referrals for it all. In the midst of something of a mental breakdown but getting help and motivated to get back on track.

Anyway, thinking it was finally sorted when I was told I'd get an email by the end of the week last has now turned into finding out by the end of this week. Fearing this could drag on a bit longer I'm taking the bull by the horns and getting things in place should everything go as I thought it was going to two months ago!

I have amended my finance application to ask for the special support grant and DSA today so that whatever I need to get from my doctor I can hopefully ask for next week when I see her.

So, first question, what exactly do I need from my doctor? If it makes it any easier it is a mental health issue for which I am now receiving ongoing treatment and referrals to various services.

My course is non-standard, I'm studying costume construction. Due to my illness there are days when getting out of bed, let alone leaving the house are an impossible mountain but given the specialist nature of my course I need certain equipment as well as a laptop to work from home. Do they fund unusual items that wouldn't be available through their suppliers?

The other thing, which is where my age becomes a factor, is that I live alone, I cannot share my home. I have tried and it causes my condition to deteriorate to the point where I have lost jobs due to anxiety about facing housemates in the morning before I even get to work! To think I only went to my doctor about all this in March, I'm flaming bonkers...........anyway. Would they help financially with the additional rent etc this causes? I do live in pretty much the cheapest area so I wouldn't be taking the p***, it's just with it not being halls I'm not sure.

Lastly (I think) how does the funding work. As far as I am aware (this is where the mistakes have been made) I passed two of my three units for the year. When I had my meeting with them they said that it was entirely possible I would retain those results and be able to re-enter into term three, basically where I left off. How does this work with student finance? I have had all of my first year finance and I know I get my course length +1. If I were to return part way through the year would my finance just start in the third term?

Hope that all makes sense, copied and pasted from two separate posts I haven't had any answers from elsewhere

devildog

I don't know the answers to all your questions but can have a bash at some of them.
re DSA I don't know how different it is for mental illnesses as opposed to physical ones, in our case a letter had to be provided from the specialist consultant stating a diagnosis (physical) Once this has been seen/approved by Student Finance they will give you authorisation to go ahead with a disability assessment at a specialist centre (or maybe at Uni) The assessor will go through the course details and have a chat with you regarding your needs and will make a report detailing your requirements, this is then sent to Student Finance and should go through OK and you will be provided with the equipment you need or an allowance may be detailed, which can allow you to recover costs upon proof of a receipt (you usually have to pay first and reclaim later)

~Chameleon~

As stated above, you need a letter confirming your diagnosis to send to SF who will then arrange an assessment to find out what you need help with. With mental health it's quite usual to arrange mentor support whilst in Uni. This can be invaluable as they can act as your advocate when you're too ill to do things yourself. You can have from 1hr per week up to 2-3hrs per day, depending on circumstances.

What are you current living arrangements and what did you do last year? How did you pay the rent? If you're in receipt of DLA then I think HB covers rental costs whilst in full-time HE.

Good luck, hope it all goes well although you've left it extremely late to sort out finance for this year, especially DSA, as it can take a few months to finalise. SFE are incredibly slow! It took almost 6mths to sort out my DSA claim. Still waiting to hear whether I can re-enrol this year as a lot of work has been deferred due to mitigating circumstances so I know what a nail-biting time it can be.

925dancer

Thankfully I had already applied for "normal" student finance back in February before I stopped for the year. All I've done is change to ask for the special grant (due to suspending my studies because of illness) and DSA. Term starts in 7 weeks, I'm hoping this will mean not too long an overlap between starting and support from DSA being sorted. I've found a form I can get my GP to fill in on the SFE website which makes things much easier, I'll be seeing my doctor in the next week or so so can get that sorted out then.

Last year I also lived alone in a private let as I'd been working full-time prior to going to uni. I have now moved to be a bit closer, which will help when I have to face going in on days I don't want to.

I have applied for PiP but again, it may not be sorted by the time I start but hopefully I'll get an award. I hope so, it would mean I won't have to work alongside studying which I think was part of my downfall before, it all just got too much as it's a really intense course. I had no time to look after my mental health at all.

I also may not be starting until later in the year, there's some debate as to what I did and didn't pass last year. I'm convinced I passed the first two terms, they reckon not so we're still trying to sort that mess out! Either way I'll be going back which is the most important thing.