Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD)
The BSWD is a government bursary intended to help students with disabilities access disability-related costs incurred while participating in post-secondary education. In order to be considered for this bursary, students must have applied and be eligible for some type of OSAP assistance. Students must also have contacted and be registered with the Accessibility Services office.
Your application must be received by Student Financial Services no later than 90 days before the end of your study period.
Eligibility and Funding Amounts
Students must have applied and be eligible for some assistance through one of the following financial aid programs: full-time OSAP, Part-time Canada Student Loans and Grants, or Ontario Special Bursary.
Institution-Funded Special Bursary
| If the Student has a Permanent Disability (PD) or Persistent or Prolonged Disability (PPD) and Has Applied and is Eligible For |
Eligible to apply for… |
| Full-Time (OSAP) loan and/or grants from Canada AND Ontario | Up to $22,000 |
| Full-Time (OSAP) loan and/or grants from Canada only | Up to $20,000 |
| Full-Time (OSAP) loan and/or grants from Ontario only | Up to $2,000 |
| Part-Time Canada Student Loan and/or grants and Ontario Part-time grant | Up to $22,000 |
| Part-Time Canada Student Loan and/or grants only | Up to $20,000 |
| Institution-Funded Special Bursary | Up to $2,000 |
Application Process
- Set up Electronic Transfer of Funds – Login using your Passport York account to update your banking information in the Student Address Module. For more information, please visit the Refunds page.
- Submit a financial aid application and self-identify as a student with a disability –
- Submit your application for full-time OSAP, part-time OSAP, or the Institution-Funded Special Bursary.
- You must indicate that you have a permanent disability or a persistent or prolonged disability on your application.
- Complete the BSWD/CSG-DSE application with your York accessibility counsellor – Once your financial aid application is submitted, complete the BSWD/CSG-DSE application with your accessibility counsellor. Your counsellor will identify the specific disability-related services or equipment needed to assist you.
- Submit the application – Your accessibility counsellor will submit the BSWD/CSG-DSE application along with any necessary documentation to Student Support and Advising by the application deadline.
- Application review – Student Support and Advising will check your eligibility by ensuring you:
- are progressing well in your academic program.
- have no outstanding disability bursary or OSAP overpayments.
- have no outstanding receipts for purchased disability-related equipment or services.
- are not in default of previous OSAP funding.
- are not submitting duplicate requests.
- Application processing – It usually takes two to three weeks to process your application. The processing of applications is dependent on the release of OSAP funding for the applicable term.
- Decision Notification – You will receive an email informing you of the approval or denial of your application. If approved, the email will detail the approved items and/or services, along with the maximum amounts allocated for each.
Deadlines:
Deadline to submit a BSWD/CSG-DSE application is 60 days before the end of your current study period.
Deadline to submit receipts is the end of your approved study period for which the bursary was issued.
Submission of Receipts
You must discuss any changes to the items and/or services on your BSWD/CSG-DSE application with your accessibility counsellor. We do not accept receipts for items and/or services that were not approved on your BSWD/CSG-DSE application.
All receipts must be submitted in PDF format to bswdaid@yorku.ca by the end of your approved study period. Make sure to include your student number in your email.
For one-time purchases such as equipment and software, receipts must be submitted no later than 30 days after the funding is received.
- the date of purchase
- the item purchased
- vendor’s information
- method of payment
- must confirm payment made in full
For on-going expenses such as tutors, note-takers academic strategist/coach should be submitted as soon as services are provided. Recommendation would be at the end of every month.
Receipts for service providers must be submitted with the form below:
Unpaid invoices, quotes and credit card statements are not acceptable proof of payment.
If receipts are not provided or received by the applicable deadline, the Ministry considers the student to have been over awarded, and the student will not be eligible for any further assistance under any OSAP program until receipts are submitted or the overpayment is repaid.
Dropping Course, Changing Academic Programs or and Withdrawing from Studies
Your eligibility for BSWD/CSG-DSE changes when you drop courses, change your academic program or withdraw from studies.
Receipts dated after you dropped courses might not be accepted.
Stop using your funds and immediately contact Student Support and Advising.
Always keep a copy of receipts from your service providers for your records.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Do I have to take OSAP loans to be eligible for BSWD/CSG-DSE?
- No. Please inform Student Financial Services if you wish to cancel your OSAP.
- Can I apply for BSWD/CSG-DSE every year?
- Yes, if you also apply for the associated financial aid application every year.
- The medical plan of my parent/spouse covers some of my disability-related expenses. Can I receive the unsuported amount from BSWD/CSG-DSE?
- Yes. Please discuss this with your accessibility counsellor when you apply.
- I did no use all my approved BSWD/CSG-DSE funds for my tutoring in a specific course. Can I use the remaining funds for tutoring in another course?
- No. You must return the unused portion. Contact your accessibility counsellor to discuss submitting another application for eligibility.
- I did no use all the funds from BSWD/CSG-DSE . How and where do I return those funds?
- Make a payment to your York student account and email bswdaid@yorku.ca once the payment has been made. Include your student number and the amount you have repaid in your email.
- Can I spend more than what was originally approved on my BSWD/CSG-DSE application?
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It is your responsibility to pay expenses that exceed the approved amounts for an item or service. For example, if an item is approved for a $150 maximum cost, and you pay $200 for it, then you are responsible for covering the $50 difference between the approved and actual cost.
It is also your responsibility to pay the entire cost for any unapproved item or service you purchase.
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- Can I hire family members to be my paid tutor using BSWD/CSG-DSE funds?
- No. Ministry guidelines states that family members should not be hired for any approved services.
Note: Any unused portion of the bursary must be repaid and cannot be carried forward to another term. The cheque should be made payable to York University and must be submitted to Student Financial Services at York Hall C102.
Special Appeal for Full-time Students
If you applied through the full-time OSAP program, but did not receive any assistance because the calculated resources were higher than the allowable expenses, you may still qualify for BSWD support. Please see your disability counselor for further information.
Awards for Students with Disabilities
Students can apply for all York awards using one application- the Student Financial Profile (SFP). For more information on this application and steps to apply see our SFP page.
Additional Resources
DisabilityAwards.ca is an online portal for scholarships and awards for students with disabilities studying in Canada’s colleges and universities.
NEADS (National Educational Association of Disabled Students) is dedicated to ensuring that educational institutions, federal, and provincial websites provide accessible information for students with disabilities. It offers an Online Resource Centre which includes a directory where students with disabilities can access information on scholarships, bursaries, awards, and government programs.