- Canada Student Loans and Grants
- Saving for Education
- Adult Learning and Literacy
- Post-Secondary Education
- Student Exchanges and Academic Mobility
Grants for Students with Disabilities
If you have a permanent disability, such as deafness, blindness, or a physical or learning disability, you may qualify for the following Grants:
Important Note for residents of Quebec, Nunavut, or the North-West Territories.
Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities
The Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities can provide up to $8,000 per loan year to help pay for exceptional education-related costs associated with your disability. These costs may include tutors, oral or sign interpreters, attendant care for studies, specialized transportation (to and from school only), 75% of the cost of a learning disability assessment up to a maximum of $1,200, note takers, readers and braillers.
To be eligible for this grant, you must:
- Apply for and meet the eligibility criteria for assistance under the Canada Student Loans Program for full-time or part-time study;
- have a permanent disability: a functional limitation caused by a physical or mental impairment that restricts the ability of a person to perform the daily activities necessary to participate fully in post-secondary studies or in the labour force; and
- have need of exceptional education-related services or equipment that are required to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a post-secondary level.
To apply, you must first establish your financial need by applying and qualifying for a full-time or part-time Canada Student Loan. You must then complete and submit a separate application form for the Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities. Contact your Provincial or Territorial Student Assistance Office or educational institution to apply for loans and receive the application form for the Canada Study Grant.
Canada Access Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities
This up-front grant is awarded to students with permanent disabilities who have demonstrated financial need. It is intended to assist in covering the costs of accommodation, tuition, books, and other education-related expenses up to $2,000 per loan year.
To be considered for this Canada Access Grant, you must apply for and be eligible to receive a student loan through your Provincial or Territorial Student Assistance Office. There is no separate application for this grant, but you must provide proof of your permanent disability with your loan application.
You may qualify for this grant if you:
- Are a person with a “permanent disability” as defined in the Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations (CSFAR);
- Provide acceptable documentation as required by the CSFAR (i.e., medical certificate, learning disability assessment; or proof of receipt of federal and/or provincial disability insurance);
- are eligible for a full-time or part-time Canada Student Loan as outlined for students with permanent disabilities.
