Yes. Autism counts as a disability for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), so eligible English students can get up to £27,783 in study support for 2025-26 and 2026-27. You'll need evidence of your diagnosis.
Why autism qualifies
DSA is funded study support for students with a disability or long-term health condition that affects their ability to study. The GOV.UK eligibility page lists examples (a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia or ADHD, a mental health condition, a physical or sensory disability, a long-term illness) but it doesn't name autism, which is why so many students assume it doesn't count. It does. Autism is treated as a disability or long-term condition affecting study, on the same footing as the conditions GOV.UK does list.
DSA is not means-tested, so your household income makes no difference to whether you get it or how much you get. It's now paid as a single combined allowance of up to £27,783 for both 2025-26 and 2026-27, covering specialist equipment, software, non-medical helper support and disability-related travel. The old separate caps for equipment and helpers no longer apply.
The evidence you'll need
Qualifying as a category is not the same as having a claim approved. The part that stalls most autism claims is evidence. DSA accepts either:
- A letter or report from a doctor or consultant confirming an autistic spectrum condition and its impact on your study, or
- A diagnostic assessment for autism.
A bare referral letter (the letter that puts you on a waiting list) is not enough on its own, because it confirms you are waiting for an assessment rather than confirming a diagnosis. If your NHS autism assessment is still on a long waiting list and you have nothing in writing that confirms the condition, the claim will usually wait until that evidence exists.
Who's eligible
To claim DSA you have to be an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate student living in England, studying a course that lasts at least a year and that qualifies for student finance. Full-time undergraduates apply through their student finance account; postgraduate and part-time students use a DSA1 form. DSA covers the study-related support, not your tuition fees or living costs.
What happens after you apply
Once you've applied with your evidence, the Student Loans Company tells you within about 4 weeks whether your application is successful. If it is, you book a Study Needs Assessment at an assessment centre of your choice. It's a supportive one-to-one conversation, not a test you can pass or fail; it works out the equipment, software and support that fit how you study. From applying, it can take up to 14 weeks to get your support in place, so the earlier you start, the more likely it's ready for the start of term.
Two sibling questions worth reading next: what evidence do I need for DSA? and do I need a diagnosis to get DSA?
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.