The OU is ideal for people who may have difficulty attending a campus-based university.
- You don't have to worry about travelling or getting about a campus, because you're mostly studying at home.
- We offer a much more accessible system than traditional forms of study, because of our specialised teaching methods, combined with a wide range of multimedia materials and study support.
- And because you're studying at the times you choose, you can vary your study hours to compensate for good days and bad days (although within each course there are key dates to work to.)
We can help in many ways
If you have a disability, health condition, mental-health disability or specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) that affects your ability:
- to study
- to attend a residential school
- to take examinations
… we may be able to adapt our services to meet your specific needs.
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA)
You may also be eligible for a Disabled Students’ Allowance.
- DSAs are not means-tested and won’t affect any disability or other state benefits you are receiving. They are purely for the extra study costs you may have to pay because of your condition.
- There are no age restrictions.
- You don’t have to be ‘registered disabled’.
- DSAs aren’t only for physically disabled students. If you have a mental health difficulty or a specific learning difficulty you could still be eligible for a DSA.
This allowance is available to UK students, and is designed to help you with the extra study-related costs you may have as a direct result of your disability or specific learning difficulty. It might be something very simple, like extra photocopying costs you might incur, or it could be an adapted computer, a sign-language interpreter, or to pay for a helper at residential school, for example.
To be eligible for a DSA you must be registered to study at least 30 credit points (60 if you live in Scotland), and you must be working towards a qualification.
Registering as soon as possible
If you have a disability or additional requirements, it’s better for you if you register for your course as soon as possible, because setting up support services can take time.
