If you live with a disability and you're heading to college or university in Canada, your funding picture has two layers. The awards on this page are the first layer: scholarships and bursaries where a disability is part of the eligibility, each checked on its official page. The second layer is bigger and easier to miss, so read past the list.
Who this page is for
You have a permanent or persistent disability (physical, sensory, learning, chronic illness, or mental health) and you're applying to a Canadian post-secondary program. Each award below names students with disabilities in its own eligibility rules.
Funding that is easy to miss
- Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities. If you qualify for federal student aid and document your disability, this grant gets added to your assessment. It's money, not a loan. Apply through your province's student aid application (OSAP in Ontario, StudentAid BC, and so on) and check the disability box; the paperwork is usually a medical certificate or proof of an earlier assessment.
- Extended student aid. Students with a disability can receive federal aid for up to 520 weeks instead of the standard 340. If your program takes longer because of your disability, the system is built for that.
- Equipment and services funding. Provinces top up federal grants for assistive equipment, note-takers, and interpreters. Your school's accessibility office knows the current names and forms; talk to them before classes start, not after.
- Campus awards. Your university may run internal bursaries for students registered with its accessibility office. These may not show up in national searches, so ask the office directly.
How to use this page
Filter the list below, open any award, and check the eligibility line before anything else. Some awards want documentation up front; others take your word at application and verify later. Apply to the small ones too. The money is just as real.