Applying for Students with Permanent Disabilities Grant Funding

Summary

This video script outlines the process for students with permanent disabilities to apply for government grants in Canada. It covers eligibility criteria, including proving disability status and financial need, and maintaining enrollment. The grants, administered by Student Aid BC, cover tuition, books, learning support services, and assistive technologies. The script also explains the application process, the importance of timely submission, and managing grant funds, including accounting for expenditures and reapplying for subsequent terms.

Takeaways

• 📚 Grants for Students with Disabilities: The video discusses government grants available to students with permanent disabilities to help with the additional costs of education.
• 🔍 Establishing Eligibility: To qualify for these grants, students must be recognized by Student Aid BC as having a 'Permanent Disability'.
• 📈 Ongoing Eligibility: Students must maintain eligibility by demonstrating financial need and maintaining full or part-time course enrollment each term.
• 💼 Applying for Services: Students can apply for services and technology to address exceptional education-related costs through the grants.
• 💼 Accountability: It is necessary to account for expenditures of public funds back to the funding agency.
• 🔄 Reapplication Process: Students need to know the steps for reapplying for grants for subsequent terms or study periods.
• 🇨🇦 Federal Grants: The Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment are the two main grants discussed.
• 🏛 Provincial Administration: Although federal, these grants are administered through the student aid ministry in each province, such as Student Aid BC for BC residents.
• 📑 Medical Documentation: Students must submit proof of permanent disability by providing medical documentation to Student Aid BC.
• 💼 Financial Need: Financial need is assessed through a Student Aid BC application, which is required for eligibility.
• 📚 Post-Secondary Programs: The grants are intended for students in post-secondary programs, typically courses at the 100 level and above.
• 🔄 Part-Time Consideration: Students with disabilities can take part-time programming and still apply for full-time student loans to cover living costs, with certain conditions.

Q & A

What types of grants are available for students with permanent disabilities?

The video discusses two main federal grants: the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities for Services and Equipment.

Why are these grants designed?

The grants are designed to recognize the additional expenses associated with living and studying with a disability and to lower specific functional barriers encountered in coursework.

What are the typical costs covered by these grants?

Typical costs covered include tuition and books, services related to access and learning success, and assistive or adaptive technologies.

How are the Canada Student Grants administered?

The grants are administered provincially through the student aid ministry in each province. For BC residents, Student Aid BC is the funder.

What are the eligibility requirements for the Canada Student Grants?

There are three eligibility requirements: submitting proof of permanent disability, establishing financial need through an approved Student Aid BC application, and maintaining the full or part-time course enrolment required by that application.

How can a student establish financial need for the grants?

A student can establish financial need by completing an approved full-time or part-time Student Aid BC application, which uses the student loan assessment mechanism as a means test.

What is the process for applying for a part-time student aid application?

Part-time aid applications are completed by downloading a PDF from the Student Aid BC website, completing it, and submitting it directly to Camosun’s Financial Aid and Awards by scanning and emailing it.

How can a student demonstrate they have a permanent disability to Student Aid BC?

A student can demonstrate a permanent disability by submitting medical documentation and sections of 1 and 2 of an Appendix 8 application to Student Aid BC.

What is the significance of Appendix 8 in the application process?

Appendix 8 is a form-fillable PDF that, when completed and submitted with medical documentation, helps establish a student's permanent disability status with Student Aid BC.

How can a student apply for specific services and equipment after establishing permanent disability status?

A student can email [email protected] to make requests for applying for specific services and equipment each subsequent term, requiring an Appendix 8 signed by the student and their CAL Instructor for equipment requests.

What is required for maintaining ongoing eligibility for the grants?

To maintain ongoing eligibility, a student must continue to meet the financial need criteria, maintain the required course enrolment, and, if applicable, provide accurate accounting for expenditures of approved services funds at the end of each term.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Introduction to Grant Funding for Students with Disabilities

This paragraph introduces the topic of government grants available to students with permanent disabilities. It outlines the purpose of these grants, which is to offset the additional costs associated with living and studying with a disability. The grants cover expenses such as tuition, books, access services, and assistive technologies. Two main federal grants are highlighted: the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment. The grants are administered provincially, with Student Aid BC being the administering body for British Columbia. Eligibility criteria are discussed, including the need for medical documentation to prove permanent disability, financial need assessment, and maintaining full or part-time enrollment. The paragraph also mentions that grants are not available for students in adult upgrading courses, who should instead consult with their CAL Instructor for specific funding information.

05:04

📚 Applying for Canada Student Grants and Financial Aid

This paragraph delves into the application process for the Canada Student Grants, emphasizing the importance of establishing financial need through a Student Aid BC application and maintaining the required course enrollment. It explains the student loan assessment mechanism used by the federal and provincial governments to determine financial need and the process for applying for full-time or part-time student aid. The paragraph details the steps for applying online or via PDF, the importance of providing accurate financial information, and the minimum credit requirements for maintaining an approved student aid status. It also discusses the special considerations for students with disabilities who may opt for part-time programming while applying for full-time student loans, and the potential impact on PWD income for those already receiving it.

10:09

📑 Documentation and Application for Permanent Disability Status

This paragraph focuses on the process of proving permanent disability status to Student Aid BC through medical documentation and the Appendix 8 application. It explains the grant amounts and how they are typically converted into non-repayable grants for students with established disability status. The paragraph outlines the application process for part-time student aid, the option to apply for both loan and grant or just grant funding, and the importance of submitting the Appendix 8 and medical documentation to Student Aid BC in a timely manner. It also provides guidance on where to find medical assessment forms for new students, how to complete the Appendix 8 form, and the steps for uploading these documents to the Student Aid BC My Dashboard. The paragraph concludes with instructions on how to communicate with Student Aid BC through the My Dashboard Message Centre and the importance of checking for updates on the application status.

🔄 Ongoing Eligibility and Application for Services and Equipment

The final paragraph discusses the ongoing eligibility for grant funding once a student has been recognized as having a permanent disability by Student Aid BC. It explains that grant funding amounts are typically non-repayable, with the exception of unused funds for approved services under the services and equipment grant. The paragraph outlines the process for applying for specific services and equipment each term, the requirement for an Appendix 8 signed by the student and CAL Instructor for equipment requests, and the responsibility of providing an accurate accounting of expenditures for approved services funds at the end of each term. It also mentions the need to return unused funds and receipts for services used, and directs viewers to a tutorial video for further guidance. The paragraph concludes by encouraging viewers with specific questions to contact the provided email address for assistance or referral to a subject matter expert.

Keywords

💡Grant funding

Grant funding refers to financial assistance provided by the government or other organizations to support specific causes or groups. In the context of this video, it is the financial aid available for students with permanent disabilities to help cover the costs associated with their education. The script mentions that these grants are designed to recognize the additional expenses incurred by students with disabilities and to lower functional barriers in coursework.

💡Permanent Disability

A permanent disability is a long-term or lifelong condition that significantly impacts an individual's ability to perform daily activities or work. In the video, establishing eligibility for grant funding requires students to be recognized as having a 'Permanent Disability' by Student Aid BC, which involves submitting medical documentation to prove the condition.

💡Student Aid BC

Student Aid BC is the provincial organization responsible for administering student financial assistance in British Columbia, Canada. The video explains that students must be recognized by Student Aid BC as having a permanent disability to be eligible for the grants discussed, and it also outlines the process for applying for financial aid through this organization.

💡Eligibility

Eligibility in this context refers to the qualifications or criteria that must be met to qualify for a particular benefit or service. The video outlines three main eligibility requirements for the Canada Student Grants: submitting proof of permanent disability, establishing financial need, and maintaining full or part-time course enrollment.

💡Financial Need

Financial need is a measure used to determine a student's economic situation and their need for financial assistance. The script explains that the federal and provincial governments use a student loan assessment mechanism to determine if a student shows any financial need, which is a prerequisite for receiving public funding.

💡Post-secondary Programs

Post-secondary programs are educational courses or training beyond secondary school, typically at colleges or universities. The video mentions that student aid applications are for students in post-secondary programs, and at Camosun, these are typically courses at the 100 level and above.

💡Full-time and Part-time Student Aid

The terms full-time and part-time refer to the intensity of a student's course load relative to the standard course load for their program. The video explains the different processes for applying for full-time and part-time student aid, and how these affect the amount of financial assistance a student can receive.

💡Appendix 8

Appendix 8 is a specific form used in the application process for recognizing a student's permanent disability status with Student Aid BC. The video describes how to complete sections 1 and 2 of this form and submit it along with medical documentation as part of the eligibility requirements for the grants.

💡Assistive Technologies

Assistive technologies are devices or systems designed to help individuals with disabilities perform tasks more easily. The video mentions that grants can cover assistive or adaptive technologies, which are essential for students with disabilities to access and succeed in their education.

💡Canada Student Grants

The Canada Student Grants are financial aid programs provided by the federal government to support students in post-secondary education. The video discusses two specific grants: the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities for Services and Equipment.

💡Reassessment

Reassessment is the process of re-evaluating a situation or application, often to adjust or update the previous decision or allocation. In the script, it is mentioned in the context of students receiving Persons with Disabilities Income (PWD) in BC, who may need a reassessment of their loan amount if they apply for a full-time loan while taking a reduced course load.

Highlights

Grant funding is available for students with permanent disabilities to help with the additional costs of education and living.

Eligibility for these grants is established by being recognized as a student with a 'Permanent Disability' by Student Aid BC.

Grants cover tuition, books, access and learning services, and assistive technologies.

There are two main federal grants: the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment.

Grants are administered provincially, with Student Aid BC being the funder for BC residents.

Three eligibility requirements include submitting medical documentation, establishing financial need, and maintaining course enrolment.

Financial need is determined through a Student Aid BC application for post-secondary programs.

Full-time and part-time student aid applications have different processes and requirements.

Students with disabilities can take part-time programming and still apply for full-time student loans.

Receiving provincial PWD income may affect the ability to take on a full-time student loan.

Medical documentation and Appendix 8 application are required to demonstrate a permanent disability.

Appendix 8 is a form-fillable PDF that collects personal and educational information for the application process.

Student Aid BC's My Dashboard is used for uploading Appendix 8 and medical documentation.

Once Appendix 8 is approved, students receive permanent disability grant funding as part of their student aid.

Unused funds from the services and equipment grant must be returned with receipts for services used.

CAL handles the process of sending Appendix 8 for equipment requests to the provincial assistive technology broker.

An accurate accounting of expenditures for approved services funds is required at the end of each term.

For specific questions about grants, contact Camosun's financial aid office for assistance or referrals.

Transcripts

In this video we’ll be discussing Grant funding that’s available for

students with permanent disabilities. How to establish eligibility for these grants

by being recognized as a student with a “Permanent Disability” by Student Aid BC

Establishing and maintaining ongoing eligibility for the grants

Applying for services and technology to address exceptional education related costs

Accounting for expenditures for these public funds back to the funding agency

And steps for reapplying for your next term or study period

If you have a permanent disability, you may be eligible to apply for

and receive government grants. The grants are designed to recognize

that it can be more expensive to live with and go to school with a disability; and,

they also exist

for the purpose of lowering specific functional barriers you encounter in your course work

Typical costs covered by the grants are tuition and books,

services related to access and learning success, and assistive or adaptive technologies

There are two main federal grants that we will be discussing in the video

The first is the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

and the second is the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent

Disabilities for Services and Equipment”

In the video we wont be covering grants for students who are taking adult upgrading courses.

Students in these programs are

encouraged to connect with their CAL Instructor to find out more about specific funding for

services in adult upgrading.

These Canada Student Grants are available across the country but are administered provincially

through the

student aid ministry in each province -- so for BC residents, Student Aid BC is the funder.

There are 3 eligibility requirements to be able to apply for the Canada Student Grants.

The 1st is a one time requirement. It involves sending Student Aid BC proof of your permanent

disability by submitting your medical documentation from your medical assessor.

The other two requirements are necessary to complete each school term where you would

like to receive the Canada student grant. You need to establish financial need through

an approved full or part-time Student Aid BC application,

and you need to maintain the full or part-time course enrolment required by that application.

Let's look at these eligibility categories in more detail:

The federal and provincial governments use the student loan assessment mechanism as

a means test

to determine whether a student shows a dollar or more of financial need. Students without

financial

need won’t qualify for public funding, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.

Student aid applications are for students in post-secondary programs and, at Camosun,

these

are typically courses 100 level and above. There may be restrictions on which programs

are

considered eligible for financial aid, so check with Camosun Financial and Awards to

make sure you are eligible to apply, even if you are in a post-secondary program.

If you navigate to the Student Aid BC website, you can follow the steps on

how to apply for either a full-time or part-time student aid application.

The application processes are different for both.

Full-time aid applications are completed on the Student Aid BC

“My Dashboard” through an online form.

Part-time aid applications are completed by downloading a PDF from the Student Aid BC website,

completing and submitting directly to Camosun’s Financial Aid and Awards by

scanning and emailing it to them. This is the preferred method over mailing it.

On both applications, in addition to other financial information it’s important to know you

will need to provide your reported gross income from line 15000 of your income tax return.

For your student aid application to continue to stay approved,

you need to maintain a minimum enrollment in course credits.

Check with Camosun Financial Aid if you're not sure about the minimum

credit requirements for each. It’s also a really good idea to check

with Academic Advising when considering course enrollment and program planning.

To review again, in terms of deciding which type of student aid you should apply for,

keep in mind this will depend on the credit value of your courses.

Credit values vary by academic program,

are based on program hours per week and these can change between academic terms and years.

Work with Camosun Financial Aid and Awards to determine if you're part-time or full-time.

An interesting thing to know is that the federal and provincial governments recognize that it may

be more difficult for students with disabilities to go to school and maintain work to fund their

living costs. They also recognize that many students with disabilities want to take a

reduced course load in order to balance academic demands and the management of their health.

Students with permanent disabilities approved by the ministry can take part-time programming

[between a 40 to 59% full-time course load] and still apply for a full-time

student loan to cover living costs. In order to take advantage of this program,

you have to establish your permanent disability status with Student Aid BC first.

*Students who also receive provincial Persons with Disabilities Income (known as PWD in BC),

are

cautioned, as their PWD income may be negatively impacted by taking on a full-time student loan.

This is because they are already funded for living costs under the PWD program. If you

are receiving

PWD living income and you apply for a full time loan and you are talking a reduced course

load,

we recommend you connect with Camosun Financial Aid directly to make sure that the loan amount

won’t affect your PWD income. There may be need for a reassessment of your loan amount

The next category of eligibility is to demonstrate to Student Aid BC that you

have a permanent disability. The way to do that is to submit

your medical documentation & sections of 1 and 2 of an Appendix 8 application.

Before we look a the appendix 8 application process there are a few more things to know.

This slide shows the breakdown of grant amounts after a person has applied for

either a part-time or full-time student loan. It’s important to note that students who

have

established permanent disability status with Student Aid BC typically have most, if not

all of their part-time aid application turn into grant that doesn’t need to be paid back.

The supplemental bursary and the Canada Student Grant (not the portion associated

with services and equipment, but the other portion) these amounts are folded into the

overall assessed student aid funding amount. These are not top ups above those amounts.

If you are applying for a part time student aid application, you can choose whether to apply for both a loan

and grant, or just grant funding.

If you are only applying for the student aid funding to establish eligibility

for the disability and other grants, you can decline the loan portion.

Some students applying for the part-time program decline the loan.

Both the full-time and part-time student aid applications ask you if you have a permanent

disability. If you will be able to provide a completed

Appendix 8 with your permanent disability medical attached now or soon, then answer YES

Keep in mind, answering yes will mean that your student aid funding will be held until

Student Aid BC receives and approves your Appendix 8 and medical documentation.

You must submit student aid and grant application paperwork to Student Aid BC

no later than 6 weeks prior to the end of your student aid study period.

In practical terms, this is six weeks prior to the last

day of final exams for the term that you applied for your student aid for.

If there are delays in processing --which there may be-- 6 weeks is too late!

CAL recommends you do this at the earliest opportunity during the term.

If you don’t already have permanent disability medical documentation,

check out the “New to CAL students” website where there are convenient

downloadable forms for your medical assessor to use.

Keep in mind, students with Specific Learning Disabilities (for example in reading, writing

and/or math) have to submit a psycho-educational assessment to Student Aid BC, as a learning

disability can only be diagnosed by a psychologist with specialized expertise through the

psycho-educational assessment process. Your family doctor cannot diagnose a learning disability

Once you have your medical documentation, you can prepare an Appendix 8 off the Student

Aid

BC forms library website. See the link in the description for the web address.

Appendix 8 is a form-fillable PDF that’s best completed using Adobe Acrobat.

Complete sections 1 and 2 on page 3 of the application. There are a variety of other

pages in the application, but if you have your medical docs already, the only sections

you

need to fill out are sections 1 and 2.The form asks for a variety of different

pieces of information: one of those is your Student Aid BC application number.

That number corresponds to the number on your full-time or part-time student aid application.

The form also asks for your student number which is your Camosun student number

and it asks for your personal education number--but you can leave that field blank.

The date classes start and end fields correspond to the dates you indicated

on your Student Aid BC application. Typically, it's the 1st and last day

of courses for the term. If you check the Camosun’s “Important dates calendar” online,

you can find specific start and end dates for each term. The quickest way to find that

document is

just Google “Camosun important dates” and navigate to the appropriate term that

applies to you.

If your courses don’t start on the standard dates listed, refer to the

list of non-standard course sections included at the top of the Important Dates site.

If you don’t already have an account with Student Aid BC,

you can create one by providing information about yourself and setting up a username and

password that you can use in the future to gain access to your My Dashboard.

Once you've completed your sections of the Appendix 8,

upload that and your medical documentation to your Student Aid BC My Dashboard.

The My Dashboard tool has a specific file upload area you can use for this purpose

A little more detail on the file upload.. Select the document purpose drop-down

and choose “Appendix 8 Permanent Disability Program Application.”

You can then add some detail in the optional comments box, letting Student Aid BC

know that you've attached the Appendix 8 and your medical documentation and then submit.

Student Aid BC uses the “Message Centre” in the My Dashboard to stay

in touch with you about the status of your application and other important information.

We strongly encourage you to check it often. They also send you email to the email you

indicated when you setup your MyDashboard, so check that email account as well.

Once you receive verification through the My Dashboard message system that your 1st

time

Appendix 8 is approved, now you have permanent disability status with Student Aid BC.

Now, each time you apply for a full-time or part-time Student Aid BC application, you

will receive permanent disability grant funding as a component of your student aid amounts.

The grant funding amounts are funds that you do not have to pay back.

An exception to this is that you do have to return unused funds

for approved services under the services and equipment grant

if you apply for that. We will discuss this in an upcoming slide.

Once you have the one-time approval from Student Aid BC recognizing you as

a student with a permanent disability, you can email [email protected]

to make requests for applying for specific services and equipment each subsequent term.

*Requests for equipment will require an Appendix 8 signed by you and your CAL Instructor.

CAL handles

the sending of that document to the provincial assistive technology broker for Student Aid BC,

so you don’t have to worry about sending it. Part of the terms and conditions of receiving

the grant for services funding is to provide an accurate accounting to Student Aid BC for

expenditures of approved services funds at the end of each term.

You have to return unused funds to the provincial government

along with receipts for services used. We show you how to do this in the Canada Student

Grant Service Provider Receipt Form Tutorial video. See the link in the

description below to watch the video to find out what you need to do.

We hope you found this video describing the process of applying

for permanent disability grants helpful. If you have specific questions about the grants,

please contact [email protected] and we will either answer your question or refer

you

to a subject matter expert who can.

Thanks for watching the video