Before you get too excited about all the various government programs listed below, you must know that autism is a difficult sell. Most people have this image of disabled people as being wheelchair bound. I in no way want to belittle their struggle, but mental disabilities are not even on the radar when it comes to post-secondary funding. The notion of someone who appears physically normal needing an aide to attend university, is simply foreign to the bureaucrats. My understanding is that getting disability funding for someone with autism to attend college or university, is next to impossible. If anyone has had success, please email me so I can pass the information on to others.
Student Aid BC
This is a BC government program to assist with post-secondary funding. If your permanent disability creates barriers to post-secondary education, you may be eligible for a non-repayable Canada study grant of up to $8,000 per program year.
For more information visit,
Canada Study Grant
This is the federal government program to assist with funding for students with permanent disabilities.
For more information visit
Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students
Under this federal program you could receive up to $6,000 per year.
For more information visit,
Bursaries
The sky is the limit on this one. A good place to begin would be the student services office for the educational institution that your child will be attending. An internet search for bursaries for students with disabilities will return many listings. If your child is still in high school, you should check with the academic counselor for more information. Also, try approaching any of the charities listed on my Charities page or any others that you can think of.
You can also try BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities – Educational Awards
Additional Links
- NEADS The National Educational Association of Disabled Students
Autism Funding in BC 