Maybe you're in college or university with ADHD, a learning disability, anxiety or depression. Some of the tools that help you learn cost money. Tutoring, note-taking and assistive technology add up fast. The Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) is Ontario funding that helps pay for these costs. You apply for it together with a federal grant. This guide explains what it pays for, who qualifies and how to apply. It also covers the mistakes that can mean paying it back.
This is general information. OSAP and your school's financial aid office make the decisions, and the rules can change each year.
What the BSWD and the federal grant are
There are two pieces of funding, and one application covers both:
The Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD). Up to $2,000 per academic year.
The Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment, Students with Disabilities (CSG-DSE). Up to $20,000 per academic year.
These amounts are maximums. OSAP says each type of service or item has its own cap. You may get funding for all or only part of what you ask for.
This funding is not a loan. It's meant for the extra costs of studying with a disability. It's separate from your regular OSAP grants and loans.
What it can pay for
OSAP says the costs must be linked to your studies. You must also need them because of how your disability limits you. Examples OSAP gives include:
note-takers
tutors
assistive technology to access course materials
For mental health and ADHD, that might mean tutoring to help with planning and organization, or software that reads text aloud. What you get depends on how your condition affects your learning, not on the diagnosis itself.
What it doesn't cover. Not every disability-related item counts. OSAP gives hearing aids and personal mobility devices as examples of items that aren't eligible.
Can it pay for an assessment?
Sometimes. OSAP will only look at the cost of an assessment if it's needed to show how your disability affects your studies. The assessment must have taken place no more than 6 months before your study start date. Upfront funding may be possible for eligible psychoeducational assessments only.
Because the rules are narrow, talk to your financial aid office before you book an assessment and expect funding for it.
Who qualifies
To be considered for the BSWD, OSAP says you must:
Self-identify as having a disability when you apply for OSAP. It must be permanent, or persistent or prolonged.
Have that disability verified with the required documents for OSAP.
Qualify for funding from one of these: * OSAP for full-time students, with at least $1 in calculated provincial need * OSAP for part-time students, while getting an Ontario Part-Time Grant * an institution-funded special bursary (public Ontario colleges and universities only)
The rules for the federal grant are similar. For full-time students, it looks at federal need instead of provincial need. Part-time students can qualify too.
Students in micro-credential programs, and students who only get the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant, aren't eligible.
A lighter course load can still count as full-time
Many students with mental health conditions or ADHD do better with fewer courses. Ontario says that if you have a permanent disability, or a persistent or prolonged disability, you could get full-time OSAP while taking 40% or more of a full course load. You still need to self-identify and have your disability verified.
This can matter for the BSWD too, since full-time OSAP is one way to qualify. Ask your financial aid office how a reduced load would work for you.
Ontario also says that people who get income support from ODSP can apply for OSAP.
Getting your disability verified
Verification is the first gate. OSAP has its own Disability Verification Form. Ask OSAP or your financial aid office which documents you need for your situation. Some documents can take weeks to get, so start early.
At our clinic, our psychologists and nurse practitioners complete the OSAP Disability Verification Form.
How to apply, step by step
Apply for OSAP and self-identify. Say you have a disability on your OSAP application.
Get your disability verified. Send the verification form and any other documents OSAP asks for.
Book with your school's accessibility office. At a public Ontario school, you fill out the application with this office. Staff there help decide which services and equipment fit your needs.
Use the right year's form. OSAP posts a separate application for each school year, such as 2026-27.
Send it to financial aid on time. Your financial aid office checks that it's complete and that you're eligible.
Deadlines you can't miss
OSAP sets these deadlines, counted back from the end of your study period:
Your application must reach your financial aid office at least 60 days before your study period ends.
All required documents must arrive at least 40 days before it ends.
Receipts for each approved item are due by the end of your study period.
Applying early is better. It gives you time to use the services while you still need them. A simple trick is to put all three dates in your phone calendar as soon as you know your study period.
Rules about buying equipment
A few rules catch students off guard:
Buying before approval is risky. OSAP says items bought before approval may not be funded. Your school may offer the item for free. Or it may not be part of the accommodations recommended for you.
Timing matters. Equipment bought more than 60 days before your study period starts isn't eligible.
No used items or private sales. Items bought second-hand, or from a seller that isn't a registered business, aren't eligible. OSAP names online marketplaces as an example.
After you get the money
Funding can't be paid until your study period has started. It may come by cheque, in one or more payments. Your financial aid office can tell you how it works at your school.
Then you need to:
buy the approved services or equipment before your study period ends
keep receipts, electronic or original
keep a time log for services such as tutoring or note-taking, and make sure it matches your receipts
If you don't buy what was approved, or your receipts don't match, OSAP says you may have to pay back all or part of the funding. It could also affect future OSAP and BSWD funding.
Support while you study
Funding helps with tools. But school stress can still make ADHD and mental health symptoms harder to manage. Therapy can help you build routines, handle anxiety and keep going when deadlines pile up.
Learn more about our ADHD counselling, what to expect from a learning disability assessment for adults and our psychological assessments in Ottawa. Our clinicians can provide supporting documentation where appropriate, as part of your care with us.
You can see us in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge or Ottawa, or by secure video from anywhere in Ontario.
Cost, billing and your first step
Therapy sessions with our therapists range from $130 to $200, depending on the clinician.
We accept Health Spending Accounts (HSAs).
We can direct bill many insurers. Coverage depends on your plan, so check with your insurer before you start.
Book a free 15-minute consultation with our admin team. Let them know if you need help with the OSAP Disability Verification Form, an assessment or therapy, and they'll help you find a good fit.
If you're in crisis: if you or someone you love is in immediate danger, call 911. If you're thinking about suicide, call or text 9-8-8 any time, day or night.
Last reviewed: October 2026