Canada Student Grants – Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities

Students with Permanent Disabilities have to face many challenges in the pursuit of higher education. The rise of awareness about the issues faced by students with disabilities has led to our colleges, universities, and education programs striving for inclusivity and accessibility for one and all. There are plenty of study aids for students with permanent disabilities in terms of services like note-taking, tutoring, interpreters, etc. and equipment like text-to-speech converters, braille readers, etc. But the cost to avail these services and tools, that aid in the education of students with disabilities, can be pretty expensive.   

Federal Student Grants for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities aims to provide financial aid to those who need these resources to continue their studies without any interruptions. To check if you qualify for this grant, read the eligibility criteria below

Eligibility Criteria

You must meet the following eligibility requirements to receive Federal Student Grants for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities:

• You have a permanent disability. It could be a physical or mental impairment that restricts your daily activities and affects your ability to work in substantially gainful employment.
• You must enclose proof of disability along with your financial aid application. This could be a medical certificate, a psycho-educational assessment, or documents that indicate you have received federal or provincial permanent disability assistance in the form of grants, loans, scholarships, or bursaries.
• You seek financial aid from the federal government as you can’t afford to pay for these services and equipment from your pocket. This criterion ensures that the grant is awarded to only those from mid-income and low-income families.
• You must be signed up with a full-time or a part-time program at a designated educational institution.

Next Step: Get in touch with the guidance counsellor of your preferred school to clarify if your school or study program is supported by Canada Student Loans and Grants. An experienced counsellor will also inform you about other financial aid options that the school may directly offer to students with disabilities.

• Your application should also enclose a written letter from a qualified authority stating that you need these services and tools to study efficiently.
• Don’t forget to explicitly disclose in written communication the exact cost of the services or equipment that you need. 
• You don’t reside in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut or Quebec. Students from these provinces cannot apply for Federal Student Grants as these provinces have their own financial aid programs for students.

How to Apply

Unlike other federal grants that require you to submit one common application for all Canada Student Grants and Loans, there is a separate application form for the Federal Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Disabilities. Submit this application along with proof of disability, a written letter from a qualified person mentioning the need and the cost of the services and equipment.

How Much Can You Get?

Curious to know how much money you can get from the grant for services and equipment for students with permanent disabilities? Drumrolls, please! A whopping amount of up to $20,000 – that’s how much you can receive from this grant every school year till you continue to study. Please note that based on your needs evaluated for the services and tools, you will receive the grant amount that exactly covers the cost of these services and equipment. You can receive this grant amount in addition to the $4,000 from the Canada Student Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities. The school year begins on August 1st and ends on July 31st.   

Other Federal Financial Aid Options

Don’t lose hope if your application is not selected for Federal Student Grants for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. There are numerous other federal and provincial financial aid programs that you can seek to pay for the services and tools that you need. Check out Federal Student Loans, Federal Student Scholarships, and Federal Student Bursaries for further assistance.

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