Category: Scholarships

Moving west to east, we have now arrived at New Brunswick: this province will be the focus of this article, the next in this series of articles exploring each Canadian province and territory’s approach to financial assistance for post-secondary students with disabilities. Although there are similarities, there are enough differences in eligibility, application requirements, and the amount of funding available that each place warrants their own article.

In the Government of New Brunswick’s Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, it is the Student Financial Services that is responsible for processing and administering financial aid. Funding comes from both the Government of New Brunswick and the Government of Canada. This is significant for two reasons.

One, anyone applying for aid in the form of loans, grants, and bursaries need only submit one application in order to be considered for funding from both levels of government. Make note that it is the province’s Student Financial Services that will handle all applications.

Two, all students with disabilities in this province may apply for the following two federal grants:

1. The Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

The Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities provides a maximum of $2000 per academic year. It is geared towards covering costs like tuition, education materials, and living expenses.

This is a federal grant so you would think that the eligibility requirements are the same across Canada but because it is New Brunswick that is administering the grant, the eligibility requirements are comparatively more extensive than other provinces’. For example, there is still the shared requirements of having financial need; enrollment in either part-time or full-time studies; and documentation of permanent disability. The New Brunswick Student Financial Services also stipulates applicants must achieve satisfactory academic performance; must not be in default of any previous student loans; must not be studying beyond the program’s length; and must not be beyond their lifetime assistance limit. This limit is the maximum total number of weeks a student may receive financial assistance and for students with permanent disabilities, the limit is 520 weeks.

2. The Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities for Services and Equipment

This grant is geared towards ensuring students with permanent disabilities have equitable access to higher education and the attendant benefits. The maximum annual coverage is $8000 and this is meant to pay for necessary education-related costs like educational attendant care fees, specialized transportation to and from campus, and educational materials in alternative formats.

Students applying for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities apply via the online application; they must indicate that their status and provide medical documentation. However, if applying for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities for Services and Equipment, a separate application is required. All sections of this application must be completed by the student, with the exception of one specific section that must be completed by an official at the student’s educational institution. Part of the application must indicate what services and equipment the funding is going to cover, and once the funding is provided, all receipts must be saved in order to demonstrate the funds were appropriately utilized. Any amounts remaining must be returned to Student Financial Services.

Post-secondary students in New Brunswick have access to both provincial and federal funding. For students with disabilities, there are two federal grants specifically geared towards their needs. Because it is the provincial government that administers the funding, make sure you check and double-check all requirements—eligibility, documentation, deadline—before hitting submit.

References:

1. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/services/services_renderer.201390.Canada_Student_Grant_for_Students_with_Permanent_Disabilities.html#serviceDescription
2. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/petl-epft/PDF/SFS/csg-pd-e.pdf
3. https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/petl-epft/PDF/SFS/Guide-e.pdf

This is the ninth article in a series of articles focusing on the financial assistance available for Canadian post-secondary students with disabilities. Each province and territory gets their own specific article in order to properly cover differences in eligibility, application process, and the amount of funding available. In this article, it is Newfoundland and Labrador’s turn to get the spotlight!

First, let’s begin with some background information. The Department of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour is the overarching entity that administers among other programs, the Student Financial Services Division. This is the financial aid program for students in Newfoundland and Labrador. The funding provided comes from both the federal and provincial governments—the advantage of this arrangement is that you submit one application and you will be considered for loans and grants from two funding sources.

This is not exactly the case for students with disabilities. You will still need to complete and submit the same application that everyone else has to, but if you are interested in the following three grants, additional documentation and applications are required. See below for specific information:

1. The Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

The maximum funding offered by this grant is $2000 per academic year (defined as August 1^st to July 31^st). Eligible applicants must have a permanent functional limitation and must have been assessed to need at least $1 in order to attend their program. Applicants may be either undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in either full-time or part-time studies, and the grant may be awarded for every single year of study. The grant may be put towards tuition, textbooks, and living costs.

This grant does not require a separate application: in the application for student financial assistance submitted to the Student Financial Services Division, you must indicate that you are a student with a permanent disability. There is however a requirement to submit a completed Verification of Eligibility Form for Students with Permanent Disability. Once this verification form has been reviewed and approved, you will never need to submit it again for each subsequent academic year and each year’s financial aid application.

2. The Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities

The maximum funding offered by this grant is $8000 per academic year. If you are eligible for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities, you are eligible for the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. This grant is meant to cover costs incurred in the course of pursuing post-secondary education with a permanent disability. It is advised that before you submit the separate application required, speak to the disability counsellor or coordinator at your school to determine what resources and supports are already freely available there.

This grant requires a separate application (called the Application for Grants for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities), and please note that this application must be submitted every single year you wish to apply for this grant. The application will require you to clearly indicate the cost of the required services and equipment. In addition, relevant receipts must be provided to the Student Financial Assistance Division or possibility for future funding may be jeopardized.

3. The Grant for High Need Students with Permanent Disabilities

With this grant, the Newfoundland and Labrador government is acknowledging that students with disabilities may have additional costs that more than what the first two grants will be able to cover. If your applications indicate that your expense estimates will exceed the maximum amounts the grants will provide, your application will automatically be assessed for the Grant for High Need Students with Permanent Disabilities. You must have been approved for funding from the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. No maximum funding amount is given.

Post-secondary students with disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador have three grants available for them. Make note of which require additional documentation and applications. The Student Financial Services Division has set up two separate email addresses depending on what you need. If you have a question, direct it to studentaidenquiry@gov.nl.ca. If you have documents to submit, use studentaidmailbox@gov.nl.ca. Check before you hit send!

References:

1. https://www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/studentaid/disabilities/index.html
2. https://www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/studentaid/apply/2018_2019/pd_overview.pdf
3. https://www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/studentaid/faq/index.html
4. https://www.aesl.gov.nl.ca/studentaid/changes/index.html

Each article in this series will put the spotlight on each Canadian province or territory’s financial assistance available for post-secondary students with disabilities. This article will focus on the territory of Yukon.

Out of the three Canadian territories, Yukon is the only one where students may apply for and access federal student funding. Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are like Quebec in that they all manage and administer their own student financial aid organization. All eligible students in Yukon may access the Canada Student Loan and Grant Program.

For students with disabilities in Yukon, access to the Canada Student Loan and Grant Program means they can also apply for the following two grants:

1. Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

This Grant is available to full-time or part-time students who have been assessed to need at least $1. Documentation of disability must be provided; examples include a medical certificate, a psycho-educational assessment, or documentation of having previously received similar governmental funding. Students may receive up to $2,000 per school year.

2. Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities

This Grant will help students with disabilities cover education-related services and equipment necessary in their pursuit of education and training. Examples include specialized tutors, note takers, Braille products, and voice recognition software. The eligibility criteria here is the same as the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities. This Grant does have one additional criterion: you must provide written documentation of the specific equipment or services required from a person who is qualified to make such a decision as well as the associated costs. Students may receive up to $8,000 per school year. Once you have been approved, make sure you keep all your receipts—you will be required to provide them at the end of the year.

The Yukon Department of Education is responsible for managing student financial assistance. You may either apply online or via a paper application. This general application must be accompanied by a separate application form specifically applying for the two grants named above. These applications go to the Yukon Department of Education, not the Government of Canada.

Your next question may be when you need to submit everything. The earlier you submit your application, the better. Processing a grant can take as long as two months, so plan your application timeline accordingly.

The last thing I want to leave you with is a reminder that the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities are specifically for you, for students with disabilities—but general student financial assistance is also available. This includes the Yukon Grant, designated for full-time students and amounts to almost $5,000 for a standard 8-month school year. Good news is that the general application you submit to the Yukon Department of Education covers this along with the Canada Student Grants.

References:

1. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/student-funding.html
2. http://www.disabilityawards.ca/gov.php?lang=EN&ID=YK
3. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/loans.html
4. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/grants/disabilities.html
5. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/grants/disabilities-service-equipment.html
6. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/student-funding-application.html
7. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/loans-faq.html
8. http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/loans-faq.html

This is the sixth article in a series examining the financial assistance available to Canadian post-secondary students with disabilities. Due to differences in eligibility criteria, amount available, and the application process, each province and territory is accorded their own piece. In this article, I take a magnifying glass to Quebec.

The first thing you need to be aware of is that: post-secondary students with disabilities in Quebec are not eligible to receive Canada Student Loans and Grants. This means they cannot apply for either the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities nor the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. In other words, post-secondary students in Quebec do not have access to federal financial aid funding. Unlike the other provinces’ financial aid programs, the one the Quebec government manages is completely separate from the federal government.

The organization responsible for post-secondary student financial aid is called Aide Financière aux Études (AFE). Their homepage may be found at: http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/en/. Note that there is a toggle at the top-right of the page, allowing you to switch between either French or English for the site’s language.

Within AFE is a specific program called the Loans and Bursaries Program. AFE is the umbrella organization that oversees student financial aid while the Loans and Bursaries Program provides the actual financial aid. Generally, when you apply for financial aid, you are specifically applying to the Loans and Bursaries Program.

There are no specific grants or bursaries whose eligibility criteria purposely states only students with disabilities may apply. Students with disabilities submit the general Application for Financial Assistance form to the Loans and Bursaries Program like any other student. This form must indicate that you have a major functional disability (for example, severe hearing impairment, severe visual impairment, organic impairment, or motor impairment). A Medical Certificate completed by a health care professional must also accompany your application.

Students with disabilities may access funding from the Loans and Bursaries Program as well as another program called the Allowance for Special Needs Program. Once you are recognized by the Loans and Bursary Program to have a major functional disability, you may receive funding from this second program for different types of expenses like specialized services, paratransit services, special needs housing, and material resources. Note that which types of expenses are covered depends on the specific program (college or university; private or public; in or outside Quebec) you are enrolled in.

Now you may be wondering why I have not mentioned amounts at all in this article. The Loans and Bursaries Program expects each applicant to pay what they can for their own educational expenses, so the amount of assistance you receive will be unique, calculated to your own personal circumstances. This is why I cannot cite any numbers to you in this article. However, the good news is that students with recognized disabilities may receive the full amount as a bursary, not a loan.

The main element I want you remember from this article is that Quebec does things differently. You will not know how much you receive until after your application is processed. The key is to make sure your application is as detailed as possible and submitted as soon as possible.

References:

1. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/province-territory-student-financial-assistance.html
2. http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/en/
3. http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/AFE/documents/Publications/AFE/PUBL_Aide_votre_portee_2018_2019_A.pdf
4. http://www.afe.gouv.qc.ca/en/allowance-for-specialneeds-adults/allowance-for-special-needs-program-adults/