Computer equipment
You’ll receive the payment for specialist computer equipment from us, so you can buy the equipment recommended in the report. The payment will be for £200 less than the amount quoted by the recommended supplier. This is because you must pay £200 towards the purchase of any laptop or desktop computer.
You have 2 calendar months from the date you receive your payment to buy your equipment and send us the receipts.
If we do not receive your receipts within 2 months, we will assume that you've not bought the equipment. An overpayment will be raised for the full amount, which you'll be asked to repay.
If you do not wish to use the recommended supplier stated in your assessment of study needs report, you can choose to use another supplier. If you do not buy all the recommended equipment and software, the cost of any missing items must be repaid.
You can buy higher specification equipment by paying the additional cost yourself. You must make sure that the equipment you buy can support any recommended software.
If you do not pay the full or higher price for any of the recommended items of equipment or software, the difference in cost must be repaid.
Any overpayments resulting from buying your specialist equipment will be deducted from your annual bursary award. If you still have remaining bursary instalments to be paid, the overpayment deduction will be spread over the remaining instalments.
Equipment insurance
The cost of any insurance is usually included in the initial specialist equipment award payment you receive.
If this extra insurance cost has been recommended separately in your assessment of study needs report and approved by us, you can upload the receipts to your MyFunding account to claim a refund.
Training to use the equipment
If IT training has been recommended in your assessment of study needs and approved by us, this cost will be covered by the Non-Medical Helper Allowance of your DSAs award.
The training does not need to be carried out by the same company that supplies your specialist equipment.
Specialist Glasses
If specialist glasses have been recommended in your assessment of study needs and the cost approved by us, you must buy the glasses and then upload the original receipt to your MyFunding account.
Your assessment of study needs report must detail the opticians that can carry out your sight test and supply the specialist glasses.