Student Support Services

A female student works at a computer

Supporting you at dBs

We're here to support you throughout your time at dBs and beyond. Whether it's help settling in, assistance with your studies, mental health support or even advice on your finances, our Student Support Team is here to help.

If you're looking for support, this page outlines some of the ways that we can assist you. It provides links to our specialist services, and all our contact information so you can reach us easily if you need to.

What support we offer

Academic Support

Study Skills sessions for all first year students

We recognise that some of our students need some support with certain aspects of the course or have had a gap since leaving school. These sessions focus on academic support covering all aspects of the academic skill set to help you during your journey at dBs Institute.

Support drop-in sessions

These weekly drop-in sessions allow you to join a group session lead by one of the support team to discuss anything you need help with or for signposting to further support.

In addition, we also offer drop-in Research Labs for third-year undergraduate students who are undertaking their final major research projects (e.g. dissertation).

1:1 support

For any student that needs more support than the group sessions above, we offer bookable 1:1 sessions for mental health or academic needs, as well as interim support for students whilst waiting for Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) to be approved.

Female dBs Student engaging in a lecture

Specialist Support

Additionally funded support

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA)

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) funding offers additional support for students who have a diagnosis of a specific learning difference (SpLD) e.g. dyslexia or ADHD, Autism, a physical disability or other; or have a working/diagnosis of a mental health problem.

dBs provide all Band 4 DSA support in-house, which covers mental health mentoring, autism mentoring and academic support. Access may vary across campuses, please contact us if you have any specific questions regarding this.

DSA can provide 1:1 support, assistive technologies and a specialist equipment allowance including, for example, support with travel costs and printing costs.

You do not need to wait until starting at dBs to declare a disability or support need. Once you have made an application to study, we can put you in touch with our Student Support Team to discuss your needs and help you prepare before your course officially begins.

dBs common area

International students and DSA

International students studying in the UK will need to hold home residency status to be eligible to apply for DSA.

Find out more about what DSA is, the assessment process, the support you can receive and FAQs surrounding the application process.

Reasonable adjustment

It’s possible that you will find certain aspects of your study difficult due to your differences. Reasonable Adjustments can be made to ensure as much as possible the same experience for everyone. At dBs, we try to think creatively when it comes to these solutions and ensure that no one is disadvantaged.

Information for Needs Assessors

Transition

At dBs, we recognised that it is hard for some people to settle into a new environment. We offer transition meetings over summer and additional tours of the buildings with a technician and the support team. We aim to ensure that you are familiar with the buildings and as many of the support team members and other staff as appropriate before enrolment week. Any additional requirements will be discussed on an individual basis.

Well-being & Counselling

Counselling services and
Mental Health Support

University life is great, but doesn't come without its struggles. We have a team of fully qualified counsellors and Mental Health Advisors to support you whilst you're with us. 

Students can also access well-being sessions aimed at helping individuals through inclusive activities and discussions.

A close-up image of a student sitting in a lecture hall

Finance & Accommodation

Financial advice

Moving and living away from home for the first time can be scary and making sensible financial decisions is not always easy. We offer financial advice drop-ins and have talks by support organisations to help you make the right choices and manage your money more effectively.

Accommodation advice

As we do not have our own Halls of Residence, prospective and enrolled students have access to an array of advice and support from our accommodation officer, Annie Heyes. As part of her role, Annie offers:

  • 1:1 support through in-person and remote drop-ins
  • Budgeting support
  • Advice on how to find and secure accommodation
  • Providing you with external resources such as our yearly accommodation guide, and introducing you to student accommodation support organisation HYBR
  • Supporting you in finding suitable housemates through our Discord group
  • Information and advice on your rights as a student tenant


Head to our accommodation page for more information

Two students sit on bleacher style seating working in dBs Manchester