A plain-English guide for autistic, ADHD and neurodivergent students, and students with mental health conditions, who have been offered (or are thinking about) Specialist Mentoring through their Disabled Students' Allowance.
In short: A DSA Specialist Mentor meets you regularly, usually once a week, to help you manage university alongside your condition: planning your workload, getting started on tasks, handling deadlines, understanding what your course expects and building your independence. It is not subject tutoring or counselling. Your Disabled Students' Allowance pays for it, so it costs you nothing.
DSA funds two Specialist Mentor roles, and we offer both:
Your Needs Assessor recommends the role that fits you. Some students have both.
Every student is different, so sessions follow your goals, not a script. Common things students bring:
Sessions are usually an hour, often weekly, though your Needs Assessor sets the number of hours. You can meet face to face in Manchester and the North West, or by Microsoft Teams anywhere in the UK, and switch between them. After each session we email you a short summary to confirm; that's how the session is recorded for your DSA.
Your DSA, through Student Finance England, pays your mentoring provider directly. You don't pay anything and there's nothing to claim back. Our rate is £55 an hour (no VAT).
No. A study skills tutor teaches techniques such as essay structure or note-taking. A Specialist Mentor helps you manage university alongside your condition: planning, starting tasks, handling overwhelm, communication and independence. DSA funds them as separate roles.
Yes. Our Specialist Mentor – Autism Spectrum Conditions (SM-ASC) role supports students with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence as well as autistic students. Your Needs Assessor confirms which role is recommended for you.
Usually once a week for about an hour, but it depends on the hours your Needs Assessor recommends and what suits you. You can agree a pattern with your mentor and change it as the year goes on.
DSA needs evidence of your condition, and Student Finance England tells you what evidence they accept when you apply. Once your DSA is approved and mentoring is recommended in your DSA2 letter, you can start.
Have a question, or want to ask for us at your Needs Assessment? Email nmh@neurodivergentminds.com. We're taking new students. See our DSA mentoring page for rates, roles and policies.
Written by Claire Brett, BA (Hons), MEd, MBPsS, DSA Specialist Mentor. Last updated: 10 November 2026.
