The Needs Assessment

You will book your needs assessment through your supplier, either Capita or StudyTech. The supplier assigned to you depends on where you live when you apply. During the needs assessment, you will have the opportunity to meet with your needs assessor to talk about your past experiences and any strategies you have developed to support your disability.  You will simply be asked how you study and what additional support you might need to achieve the best results. It’s important to remember that your Needs Assessment is not a test.

Your assessor will consider any assistive technology like the Present Pal app to help you with presentations, Tailo to support reading and summarisation, ergonomic equipment you may need, together with support strategies including study skills tuition. It’s a fully confidential meeting and generally lasts around 1-2 hours.

You can try Present Pal free for 30 days to help you prepare for your Needs Assessment! Learn more here.

  • You can prepare for your assessment by looking at the coursework involved in your studies. That way, you can anticipate what type of support you might need. For example, presentations are a part of most courses and you can get support with this by asking for the Present Pal App.

    We also recommend filling in our Needs Assessment Checklist and bringing it along to your assessment. It will make sure your assessment runs smoothly, and you don’t forget anything important.

    Some initial prompts to help you prepare for your needs assessment:

    • How does your disability impact your day to day life?


    • Are there social aspects to your course you may have difficulty with, such as group work or presentations? You can get support with this by asking for the Present Pal App.

    • Do you feel overwhelmed by the amount of required reading your course has? Or does your disability impact your reading skills. You can ask for support like the Tailo app.

    • If you have a physical disability, is there any specialist equipment or hardware that could help make studying easier and more accessible? Do you need help with travel to and from your course?


    • What is the easiest way for you to process information? E.g. visual, auditory, reading and writing etc.


    • You can request extra time in exams for a variety of disabilities. Are there any other accommodations that would help during exams? 

  • After your assessment, you will receive a report detailing your needs and the assessment centre’s recommendations. Once this has been approved by your relevant funding body you will then receive a DSA-2 letter where you can start arranging your support.

    You can request an ergonomic assessment for free or you may be referred for the assessment, with details provided in DSA-2 letter.

“I just wanted to say thank you for this page and all of the resources you have created. I had my Needs Assessment today and I was really nervous, but all the stuff you guys do helped me prepare for it and it actually went really well.”
— Mollie, student

Preparing For Your Assessment

Needs Assessment Checklist

Prepare for your assessment by filling in our handy checklist

Screenshot of Needs Assessment Checklist

Types of Support

Explore all the different types of support you can get on the DSA

Booking Your Assessment

When you have received your DSA-1 letter, and you feel prepared, it is time to book your assessment with your supplier. Your supplier will then send your needs assessment report to your funding body, who will confirm your recommendations. Remember that the assessment is all about you and your specific needs. We recommend exploring what types of support are available before booking your assessment.

  • You should only book a DSA Needs assessment once your funding body has told you to in your DSA-1 letter. The cost of this appointment is covered by the DSA and if you need help with travel costs, ask your Funding Body whether they can help as this can be paid from the General Allowance of the DSA.

  • There are assessment centres across the UK that offer needs assessment services. The one you are referred to will be based on where you live, and in your DSA-1 letter you'll be invited to make an appointment. You can choose to do this in person, online, or even over the phone.

Example of Specialist Equipment

Present Pal & Tailo

Presentation and Summarisation Support available via the DSA

You can get access to assistive technology to help you with your studies, including; Present Pal for preparing and delivering presentations, Tailo for reading and summarising articles, time management software, and more.

As a member of This Student Needs, you can try Present Pal for free for 30 days! Learn more about Present Pal below.

FAQs

  • After you’ve applied for the DSA, once your eligibility has been confirmed, your funding body will ask you to book a needs assessment. The cost of the needs assessment is covered by the DSA, subject to written authorisation from your funding body.

  • In a needs assessment, you meet with an assessor for an informal chat to discuss your disability and how it impacts your studies, and what tools and support would best suit your individual needs. It lasts approximately 1-2 hours.

  • You can book a needs assessment either in-person at an assessment center, or remotely online.

    If you require any additional support accessing your assessment centre before your needs assessment, you can enquire about this in person or over the phone. Remember, you do not have to attend the assessment alone. You can bring a carer or guardian to help you feel more at ease.