Official Guidelines Updated: March 2026
Key Facts for 2025–2026:
The Learning Disability Assessment Bursary provides up to $3,500 to help eligible students cover the cost of a psycho-educational assessment. The assessment is used to establish eligibility for disability-related services and equipment through StudentAid BC and your institution. Apply through the accessibility services office at your post-secondary institution.
The Learning Disability Assessment Bursary (LDAB) helps part-time and full-time students with the upfront cost of obtaining a psycho-educational assessment — the assessment used to identify and document a learning disability for the purpose of accessing disability-related supports at the post-secondary level.
Without a recent psycho-educational assessment, students with a learning disability cannot be verified with StudentAid BC and therefore cannot access disability-related grants and services such as the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment, the B.C. Supplemental Bursary for Students with Disabilities, or other accessibility supports at their institution. The LDAB removes the cost of the assessment as a barrier to accessing those programs.
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the Learning Disability Assessment Bursary, you must:
- Qualify for student funding through StudentAid BC — you must meet the standard eligibility requirements for B.C. student financial assistance.
- Be enrolled in full-time or part-time post-secondary level courses at a designated public post-secondary institution in B.C.
- Have been recommended to have a learning disability assessment by the accessibility services office at your school. The recommendation must come from the institution — you cannot self-refer for this bursary.
Important:
The LDAB is intended for students who do not yet have a current learning disability assessment, or whose existing assessment is outdated. If you already have a valid psycho-educational assessment (completed within the last five years, or after you turned 18), you should submit it directly to StudentAid BC via the Appendix 8 process to establish your eligibility for disability programs — you would not need the LDAB.
How Much Can You Get?
Up to $3,500 is available to eligible students to cover the cost of a psycho-educational assessment. The exact amount depends on the actual cost of the assessment you require. This bursary is specifically for the assessment cost — it does not cover equipment, services, or other educational expenses.
How to Apply
Contact the accessibility services office at the post-secondary institution you are attending or planning to attend. The accessibility services office is the starting point for this bursary — they will recommend the assessment if appropriate, guide you through the process, and coordinate the application and payment of the bursary. You do not apply to StudentAid BC directly for the LDAB.
Pro Tip:
Reach out to your institution’s accessibility services office as early as possible — ideally before or at the start of your program. Psycho-educational assessments can take time to arrange, and you cannot access most disability-related grants and institutional supports until your learning disability has been verified. Getting the assessment done early means less disruption to your studies.
What Happens After the Assessment?
Once your psycho-educational assessment is complete, it serves as the documentation needed to verify your learning disability with StudentAid BC. You do not need to submit the Appendix 8 Verification of Disability form — for learning disabilities, the psycho-educational assessment itself is the accepted documentation. Submit it to StudentAid BC to be automatically assessed for disability-related programs in future application cycles, including the B.C. Supplemental Bursary for Students with Disabilities, the B.C. Access Grant for Students with Disabilities, and the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities.
Other Financial Aid Options for Students with Disabilities
Once your learning disability is established through assessment and verified with StudentAid BC, you may be eligible for a range of additional programs, including the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment (up to $20,000/year for education-related disability services and equipment), the B.C. Supplemental Bursary for Students with Disabilities ($800 or $400/year depending on course load), and the B.C. Assistance Program for Students with Disabilities (APSD) for students who exhaust their federal CSG-DSE funding.
Ready to find a program? Explore eligible schools today.
