Official Guidelines Updated: March 2026
Key Facts for 2025–2026:
The B.C. Access Grant for Students with Disabilities provides up to $1,560 per program year ($30 per week of study) by replacing a portion of your B.C. student loan with non-repayable grant funding. It is available to full-time students with a permanent disability or a persistent or prolonged disability at public and private designated post-secondary institutions in B.C.
The B.C. Access Grant for Students with Disabilities is a provincial, non-repayable grant that helps reduce the student debt of full-time post-secondary students living with a permanent disability or a persistent or prolonged disability. Rather than providing additional funding on top of your existing aid package, this grant works by replacing up to $1,560 per program year in B.C. student loan funding with grant money — meaning the same amount of financial assistance is provided, but a portion of what would otherwise be a repayable loan becomes a non-repayable grant.
Students with disabilities may also be eligible for a range of additional provincial and federal supports. See the Other Financial Aid Options section below for a full overview.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the B.C. Access Grant for Students with Disabilities, you must meet all of the following:
- Qualify for federal and provincial student financial assistance through StudentAid BC. This means meeting the standard residency, citizenship, and financial need requirements for B.C. student aid.
- Be enrolled as a full-time student in a program at a designated public or private post-secondary institution. For students with a disability, a course load of 40% or more qualifies as full-time (compared to 60% for students without a disability).
- Have a permanent disability, or a persistent or prolonged disability, as defined by the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program:
- A permanent disability (PD) is a functional limitation caused by a physical or mental impairment that is expected to remain for the person’s lifetime, restricts the person’s ability to perform daily activities, and affects their participation in post-secondary studies or the workforce.
- A persistent or prolonged disability (PPD) is a functional limitation caused by a physical or mental impairment that has lasted or is expected to last for a period of at least 12 months, restricts the person’s ability to perform daily activities, and affects their participation in post-secondary studies or the workforce.
- Have your disability verified with StudentAid BC (see How to Apply below).
Pro Tip:
Unlike the B.C. Access Grant for Full-Time or Part-Time Students, this grant is available at both public and private designated post-secondary institutions in B.C. — so you do not need to be enrolled at a public institution to qualify.
How Much Can You Get?
Eligible students receive up to $1,560 per program year, calculated at $30 per week of study. This amount is applied as a replacement of an equivalent portion of your B.C. student loan — it reduces your overall loan balance by converting that amount to a non-repayable grant.
You can receive this grant for each year of your studies as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
How to Apply
How you apply depends on whether your disability has already been verified with StudentAid BC:
If your disability is already on file with StudentAid BC — you will be automatically assessed for the B.C. Access Grant for Students with Disabilities when you apply for student financial assistance. No additional steps are required.
If your disability has not yet been verified with StudentAid BC — you must complete the Appendix 8 for Full-Time Students: Disability Programs Application form. This form is used to establish eligibility for disability-related grant programs administered by StudentAid BC. Download the form from the StudentAid BC website, have the relevant sections completed by a qualified medical or healthcare professional, and submit it to StudentAid BC for review.
Once your disability is verified, you will be automatically assessed for this grant — and for other disability-related programs — in future application cycles without needing to resubmit documentation.
Important:
If you have a learning disorder, you do not need the Appendix 8 Verification of Disability form — instead, submit a psycho-educational assessment completed within the last five years or after you turned 18. Visual or auditory conditions require the Appendix 8 to be completed by the relevant specialist. Gather your documentation early to avoid delays in your assessment.
Other Financial Aid Options for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities may be eligible for a number of additional provincial and federal programs. These can be combined with the B.C. Access Grant for Students with Disabilities depending on your circumstances:
- B.C. Supplemental Bursary for Students with Disabilities — an additional non-repayable bursary of up to $800 per program year for students with a course load of 40% or more, or $400 per program year for a course load of 20% to 39%. Automatically assessed through your StudentAid BC application.
- B.C. Assistance Program for Students with Disabilities (APSD) — up to $10,000 per program year ($12,000 if attendant care is required at school) for education-related specialized services and adaptive equipment at designated B.C. institutions. Available after federal CSG-DSE funds are exhausted.
- Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities — a federal non-repayable grant of $2,800 per year (fixed amount, not income-tested).
- Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment — up to $20,000 per year for disability-related educational services and equipment such as tutors, interpreters, assistive technology, and medical assessments.
- Canada Student Loans — permanently interest-free federal loans, with a reduced course load threshold of 40% for students with disabilities.
Ready to find a program? Explore eligible schools today.
