B.C. Supplemental Bursary for Students with Disabilities (SBSD)

What you will need

• ✓ An application through StudentAid BC's disability funding process (the official page links to 'How to apply for disability funding')
• ✓ You must qualify for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities

About this award

You can receive either $800 or $400 per program year. You get $800 if you have a course load of 40% or greater, and $400 if your course load is between 20% and 39%. As a bursary, this money is yours to keep — there is nothing to repay. This is for you if you are a student living with a permanent, persistent, or prolonged disability and need extra help covering the costs of your education. No deadline is posted publicly — before you start the application, check Government of British Columbia — StudentAid BC's program page or call their office to confirm when applications open and close this year. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — email, portal, or phone. Ask Government of British Columbia — StudentAid BC during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. The bursary is paid per program year, so you can receive it again in each year you still qualify.

Who qualifies

You are eligible if you are a full-time or part-time student with a permanent, persistent, or prolonged disability and are enrolled in post-secondary level courses at a designated public post-secondary school in British Columbia. To receive the funding, you must also qualify for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities (a federal grant for learners with disabilities). Note that if you were already receiving SBSD funding for the same program at a school that is not a B.C. public school during the 2025/26 program year, you may request to keep receiving these grants until you finish your program or until July 31, 2029, whichever comes first.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Open to college, undergraduate, graduate, trades or certificate students
• ✓ Resident of British Columbia

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• Disability DocumentationAvoid providing vague descriptions of your condition. Instead, ensure your medical documentation clearly identifies your disability as permanent, persistent, or prolonged. Check with your doctor to ensure the wording matches the grant's requirements.
• SupportAvoid submitting your application without checking your other grants first. Instead, confirm you have already applied for and qualify for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities. This is a mandatory requirement for the B.C. supplemental funding.
• StrategyAvoid guessing your course load percentage. Instead, check it with your school: a course load of 40% or more gets $800, and 20% to 39% gets $400.
• RealismAvoid assuming this is your only source of aid. Instead, look for other disability-specific bursaries at your specific B.C. public school. Combining multiple grants is the best way to cover your full educational costs.

Questions students ask

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