Snowdon Trust

Did you know disabled students are entitled to support for the additional cost of accessible accommodation? 🏡

If you live in university-owned accommodation and need a room which would usually be more expensive due to your access needs (for example an en-suite or a larger room), your university should not pass this cost onto you. Get in touch with your university’s accommodation and disability support teams to arrange your accommodation needs.

If you live in privately owned accommodation, you may be eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowance support for the difference in cost between your accessible accommodation and standard accommodation. Read our guidance on applying for accommodation support through DSA here: https://www.snowdontrust.org/signposting/dsa-accommodation-support-guidance/

If you are unable to get support for your additional accommodation support through either your university or DSA, you may be eligible to apply for our disability-related cost grants. Applications will be opening soon, so make sure you're following us to find out how and when to apply.

Photo by Justin Kaneps

It's been great to catch up with Snowdon Master's Scholars Louis, Isobel and Joe and find out what they've been up to this term ⭐

While all three have faced challenges from health flare ups to accommodation issues and academic staff not always understanding access needs, Louis, Isobel and Joe have continued to show their incredible creativity and resilience as they strive towards greater disability inclusion across the arts 🎶

The UK Government is proposing major changes to how assistive software is funded through the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), which could drastically reduce the support available to disabled students.

What are we doing? ➡️ To ensure disabled students’ voices are heard, we’re gathering feedback from the Snowdon Trust community to put together an evidence-based response to the government consultation.

How can you help? ➡️ You may receive an email from us asking you to fill out a survey to share your experiences of assistive software. If you haven’t yet received an email but would like to get involved, send us a message so we can share the survey with you.

A massive thank you and congratulations to our incredible runners who completed the London Marathon last weekend! 🙌🏅

Through their impressive training and fantastic fundraising efforts, they've raised thousands of pounds to ensure equal access for disabled students ⭐

There's still time to donate, so head to this link to boost their totals and congratulate them on this amazing achievement ➡️ https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/snowdontrust/profile

Tomorrow’s the big day! Good luck to the incredible runners taking on the legendary London Marathon tomorrow in support of the Snowdon Trust 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Join us in cheering them on as they take on the 26.2 miles to ensure disabled students have equal access to thrive in education 🙌

Support our amazing team by heading to this link to give their fundraising a final boost! 🚀 https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/snowdontrust/profile

Planning on applying for travel support through Disabled Students’ Allowance? 🚕

From September 2025, the rules for getting travel costs funded through DSA have been updated. We’ve put together a guide to help you navigate the new rules, including:
- when DSA can pay for travel costs
- key rules you should know before applying
- a letter you can give to your GP to help you get the right evidence

Read the guide at snowdontrust.org/signposting/dsa-travel-support-guidance/

We're celebrating Autism Acceptance Month by showcasing the work of Connor, a Snowdon Master's Scholar alumni who is now using his lived experience of autism to inform his PhD research.

After graduating with a Distinction in MSc Applied Clinical Psychology, supported by the Snowdon Trust, Connor is now in the first year of his SWDTP ESRC-funded PhD with the University of Bath’s Department of Psychology, Centre for Applied Autism Research.

With autistic individuals being more vulnerable to sexual abuse (SA) and r**e and serious sexual offences (RaSSO) than non-autistic individuals, Connor aims to identify the risk factors which predict this and understand the experience of autistic victim-survivors of SA and RaSSO through a multi-perspective exploration (by interviewing autistic victim-survivors of SA and RaSSO, their parents/supporters, and criminal justice system professionals). Finally, Connor will produce materials for the criminal justice system, which intend to improve outcomes for autistic victim-survivors.

Connor is currently working on the scoping review and data collection for his study 1. His PhD is “going incredibly well”, with thanks to his fantastic supervisory team: Professor Katie Maras, Dr Tina Skinner, and Professor Catherine Hamilton-Giachritsis.

“I am loving it, as it allows me to pursue my favourite interest (autism research) and contribute to the literature. The topic is very close to me as well, since I am an autistic victim-survivor of SA myself.”

Connor embodies disability leadership, driving research forward through expertise rooted in lived experience. We're proud to have supported his journey.