Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) and Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment – Students with Disabilities (CSG-DSE) exist to help eligible full-time and part-time students pay for disability-related services and equipment needed to participate in postsecondary studies.
Application Deadlines
| Academic Term | Deadline |
| Fall 2025 | Monday, October 6th 2025 at 5pm |
| Winter 2026 | Monday, February 9th 2026 at 5pm |
BSWD CSG-DSE Application Process
You must:
- Be OSAP-eligible to apply for the BSWD CSG-DSE
- Submit a Disability Verification Form (DVF) directly to OSAP
- Indicate on your OSAP file if you have a permanent disability or a persistent/prolonged disability status.
- In this meeting you may discuss your needs in relation to the items/services that you are applying for. In the meeting, we will be discussing the reasons why you are applying and how this relates to your disability-related needs.
- If applicable, get a quote for your equipment or service. This will be required to submit the application.
- For students looking for reimbursement, get your receipts together to submit.
- You must complete the BSWD CSG-DSE application for the current academic year. Applications must be received by Student Accounts and Financial Aid no later than 60 days before the end of your study period.
- Please review your application for completion and accuracy before submitting it to SAS. Please reference the Submitting your application form and supporting documents guide [PDF] for additional support.
- Once completed, please submit your application to our Secure File Upload
- SAS prepares your application, ensuring all met criteria and required documents are included. You may be contacted to provide or update any missing information.
- A committee reviews your application carefully for consideration. Students will be contacted once their application has been processed. Review typically takes up to 4 weeks.
Hearing Back About your Application
If your Application is Approved…
You will be contacted by Student Accounts and Financial Aid directly to learn the next steps to access and use your approved funds.
If your Application is Ineligible…
If your application is ineligible, you will be notified via email. Appeals for bursary denials may be directed to [email protected]
Please keep in mind…
- Funding is not guaranteed.
- Eligibility for funding and the amount of funding you may be eligible to receive is based on OSAP eligibility, your disability status and your specific disability-related functional limitations.
- In most cases, applications in the last term of study are not eligible unless there are exceptional circumstances. Discuss with your Case Manager Team if this applies to you.
- The Ministry of Colleges and Universities have the final say in what funding can be granted; SAS cannot guarantee an outcome even if you are deemed eligible.
Forms and Resources
There are two expenses incurred prior to the start of university studies that may qualify for BSWD funding:
- Disability documentation (e.g., psychoeducational assessment) completed within 6 months before the first day of lectures.
- Computer equipment or assistive software bought within 60 days before the first day of lectures.
It is important that students consult with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) before buying any equipment or services for which they will apply for BSWD funding. BSWD funding is not guaranteed for purchases made without prior consultation with SAS.
SAS supports BSWD applications when there is a direct connection between the requested service or equipment, the disability-related functional impact, and the accommodations needs.
BSWD does not cover day-to-day disability-related costs incurred regardless of university attendance (e.g. hearing aids), or costs for all students associated with university attendance (e.g. textbooks or a phone).
Funding caps for BSWD-eligible services and equipment are set by the Ministry each year. SAS must follow these caps when approving applications.
If a student chooses to purchase equipment with a cost greater than the approved amount, the student will need to use their own funds to cover the difference in cost.