Purpose
The NEADS Financial Assistance Program is offered to encourage full access to post-secondary education for persons living with disabilities, who often have higher costs and greater barriers to participation in higher education.
The program will award 68 NEADS grants and 3 partner-funded scholarships in the Fall 2024 semester.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
- Applicants must be living with a permanent, persistent or prolonged disability.
- Applicants must be currently enrolled at a post-secondary institution as a full-time student.
- Applicants must be still enrolled in their studies at the time when the grant/scholarship is awarded.
Notes:
- For the purpose of these grants/scholarships, a permanent, persistent or prolonged disability is a functional limitation which limits an individual’s ability to participate fully in post-secondary education.
- For the purpose of these grants/scholarships a persistent or prolonged disability is a functional limitation which limits an individual’s ability to participate fully in post-secondary education that has lasted, or is expected to last at minimum 12 months.
- Current high school students must be accepted in order to apply.
- Full-time is defined as 40% of a course-load, as per the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program definition.
Fall 2024 – Types of available NEADS grants:
- 28 grants of $2,000 for Tuition Fees
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Assistive Technology (e.g. braille display, screen reader, voice recognition software, prosthetics)
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Computers & Tablets
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Ergonomic Equipment (e.g. office chair, sit/stand desk, wheelchair seat cushion)
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Rent Support
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Food Security
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Mental Health & Wellness Services (e.g. counselling, massage therapy)
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Learning Supports (e.g. Psychological Assessments, ADHD coaching, tutoring)
- 5 grants of $2,000 for Medical Supplies (e.g. medications, wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs).
Fall 2024 – Types of available partner-funded scholarships:
The following awards are offered as part of the NEADS Financial Assistance Program. Specific scholarships will be available in certain semesters of each academic year.
- Canada Post Award (1 at $10,000).
- AMI Robert Pearson Memorial Scholarship (2 at $5,000, one for an anglophone and one for francophone studying in Canada).
- Connor Clark & Lunn Financial Group Scholarship for Student in Business, Economics, or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (1 at $5,000).
- Merasty Truthwaite Memorial Scholarship for the Visually Impaired (1 at $1,000).
- Holly Bartlett Memorial Award (1 at $1,000)
- Christine Nieder Memorial Award (1 at $1,000)
The following scholarships are the only ones available for Fall 2024:
- AMI Robert Pearson Memorial Scholarship (2 at $5,000)
- Merasty Truthwaite Memorial Scholarship for the Visually Impaired (1 at $1,000).
Selection Criteria:
The application process will require students to demonstrate:
- The extent of their financial need.
- Strong commitment to academia through study, research, and innovation (Canada Post Scholarship)
- Community involvement (Canada Post scholarship).
- Leadership and advocacy for self and others (Canada Post Scholarship)
- Knowledge about media accessibility (Accessible Media Inc. Scholarship).
Selection Process
Once your application has been submitted, it will be reviewed for completeness and adherence to the above guidelines. Assuming all guidelines are met, selection committees review applications based on the selection criteria described above.
Due to the volume of applications received, only those selected to receive an award will be contacted.
Review our Frequently Asked Questions or for any other inquiries pertaining to the application process please contact the financial assistance programs team at: etes@neads.ca.
Applications Open: Friday August 11, 2024
Deadline to Apply: Friday October 11, 2024 at 11:59pm, Eastern time.