Are you a disabled/neurodivergent university student in Canada? Perhaps you are thinking of applying for uni next year? If so, you may be interested to learn more about the disabled student support for university students in Canada. University can be a more challenging and expensive experience for disabled/neurodivergent students due to the additional time, energy, perseverance and equipment/support systems required to provide the same learning opportunities that non-disabled students receive. Luckily the Canadian Government has identified these difficulties and have issued two non-repayable Canada Student Grant for students with disabilities to hopefully level the playing field and provide students with more accessible learning opportunities. Let’s have a look at the eligibility requirements and how you can get started with your applications!
Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities
The Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities is a non-repayable grant issued by the Canadian government to disabled/neurodivergent students whose learning is directly impacted by their disability/condition.
It is important to note that the grant is not available to students from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec. See more on support for these regions here.
Eligibility Requirements
Canadian students can apply for the Disabled student support grant if they meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Have a financial need
- Are a university student in a qualified program in post-secondary education
- Are a student with a disability recognized by the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program
- Provide with your application, a document(s) that shows that you have a disability
How much disabled student support can I receive from the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities?
Disabled students in Canada can receive up to $2,800 per year (2023/24) and this will be a direct payment to your bank account. You can get this grant for each year of your studies as long as you still qualify. The amount of the grant remains the same regardless of your assessed need. This could reduce or replace the need for a student loan.
What can I use the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities to pay for?
The Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities is seen as a form of financial aid to contribute towards the costs of accommodation, tuition fees and books etc. This can be helpful for disabled/neurodivergent students as some may not be able to work alongside their studies to finance these costs, so can help to take away financial stress and enable you to meet essential learning costs.
Aside from the costs of accommodation, tuition fees and books, many disabled/neurodivergent students require support services and equipment to access their learning at university. These can be supplied by applying for an additional grant, the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for students with disabilities.
Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment – Students with Disabilities
This is a non-repayable grant issued by the Canadian government to disabled/neurodivergent students to support their learning with the ability to access support services and equipment through the provision of non-repayable funding.
Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility requirements for this grant are the same as the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities as outlined above, with the following additions:
- You must send written confirmation from a qualified person that you need education-related services or equipment in order to study at university.
- Send a document/receipts which confirms the related cost of equipment and services
To confirm your education-related services or equipment, a qualified person can be a:
- Rehabilitation caseworker
- Official from a centre for students with disabilities;
- Guidance counsellor
- Financial aid administrator from your university
How much disabled student support can I receive from the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment?
Disabled students in Canada can receive up to $20,000 per year (2023/24) and this will be a direct payment to your bank account. You can get this grant for each year of your studies as long as you still qualify.
What can I use the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment to pay for?
The difference between the two grants is that the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment must be used solely to purchase services and equipment to support your learning at university. Here are just a few examples of the support forms you could use your grant to pay for:
- Tutors
- Note takers
- Interpreters
- Readers
- Assistive technology (computer/software such as Jamworks)
- Specialised transportation (to and from campus)
- Reimbursements for learning disability assessments
The amount of funding you will be offered is dependent on your disability/condition and the cost of the support you require for your learning. The funding from this grant can only be used to purchase services and equipment that have been approved by student aid, and any additional purchases will be identified as an ‘overpayment’ and deducted from future loan allowances.
Jamworks – Study support for disabled students at university
A form of assistive technology software which you could purchase with your Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment funds is a Jamworks Pro subscription. Jamworks is an app available on both mobile and desktop devices which enables students to record their lecture content and automatically note down the important information through the use of AI technology. AI generated features such as a lecture transcript, highlight summaries, revision quizzes and key points can make study more accessible for disabled students as they now have access to multiple forms of revision without having to engage in writing any notes by hand. Lecture recordings can easily be accessed on any device and all revision content is stored in the cloud which is convenient and accessible, reducing the need to carry heavy folders and notebooks around campus. The accessibility profiles stand out as a prominent feature in supporting the learning of disabled students as they can adapt the dashboard to be more visually engaging for their individual needs.
The Jamworks DSA Community
Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is the UK version of a disabled student support grant for UK university students. The Jamworks team have developed a community for disabled students who are going through the DSA application process to join where they can ask experts and fellow students any questions they may have, as well as provide advice to others. Canadian students applying for both Canadian disability grants are welcome to join the Jamworks DSA Community here, where we have a separate channel on the Discord server specifically for Canadian students. It’s a great way to connect with other students who are going through the same process and helps to normalise being a disabled student at university.
How to apply for the Disabled Student Support Grants in Canada
You can get started with your application for either/both grant schemes by applying on your province/territory’s student aid website. Click here for the full list of websites. The student aid company will then contact you with next steps once your application has been processed and your evidence has been approved. Your university will need to confirm your student status to the student aid company in order for you to receive your funding. To ensure this, log into your National Student Loans Service Centre account here.
Get started with a Jamworks Pro subscription today to support your learning at university and get better grades – click here to begin!
