Arranging delivery of your equipment

When you have received a letter from your funding body detailing the support, and equipment approved for your use, it is important to make arrangements to receive them as soon as possible.

You will receive details on how to do this on the letter sent to you by the funding body. Please contact the required suppliers and let them know you have approval from your funding body, and they will provide all the support you need to carry out the process.

It is important to note that you should receive your equipment less than 10 working days after providing confirmation of funding body approval.

Any questions concerning the organisations who supply Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) funded equipment, should be directed at your funding body.

Assistive Technology Equipment

On making contact with your assistive technology supplier, arrangements will be made regarding the delivery, set up and familiarisation with your equipment. 

If Student Finance is your funding body you will be required to pay a £200 contribution to any computer recommended by in your report. This payment is required in advance of delivery.

Upgrading Your Equipment

If you wish to upgrade some of your equipment e.g. upgrading your DSA provided laptop for a better spec machine or a MacBook, then you will need to pay the additional cost.

The upgrade process could look one of two ways…

Firstly to upgrade through your DSA supplier…

1. You need to have received your DSA entitlement letter which has your approved hardware and software supplier listed on it.
2. Call or email your supplier with your quote number (found on your DSA entitlement letter) and advise them of the equipment you wish to upgrade. They will come back you with the additional costs.
3. If you are happy with the price they have quoted then you will need to pay them directly for the additional cost that upgrading your equipment has incurred.  Your funding body will only cover the amount they agreed on your DSA entitlement letter.
4. You will receive your upgraded equipment with the rest of your DSA funded software and hardware and your upgraded equipment will be covered under the warranty and insurance provided with the rest of your equipment.

Alternatively if you wish to upgrade your equipment from a high street supplier then your upgrade process would look like this…

1. You need to have received your DSA entitlement letter which has your approved hardware and software supplier listed on it.
2. Call or email your supplier with your quote number (found on your DSA entitlement letter) and advise them of the equipment you wish to upgrade. They will come back you with the additional costs. If you aren’t happy with their costs and you have found it cheaper from another supplier then advise them of this.
3. Email [email protected] and explaining that you wish to purchase higher spec equipment from a high street supplier.
4. Your needs assessor will send an email to your funding body explaining the situation.
5. Your funding body will send you an updated DSA entitlement letter confirming that you can go ahead and purchase the machine from the high street.
6. You will need to pay the full cost of the machine initially and then claim back costs from your funding body. They will only contribute the amount that they originally agreed and no more. You can claim money back by completing a claims form.
7. You will need to take our your own warranty and insurance on your upgraded equipment for the duration of your course, however you can also claim this back from your funding body.

Assistive Technology Training

It is likely that your assessor will have included training in the  equipment recommended in your report. You have the option of selecting either on-line or face to face training, depending on your requirements.

You should receive the full support of your supplier throughout this process and if further support is required it is important to contact your needs assessor.

If you still have questions read our FAQ on our DSA assessment centre page.