Financial Support

Eligible OSAP students may qualify for the Ontario Student Assistance Program's Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD):

• Up to $150/hr for Behaviour Coaches/ Trainers/ Assistants/ Strategists or Education Interventionists (Number of hours will vary according to the recommendation of the assessor or the specialist):

  • Funding is intended to pay for behaviour support/ coaching services for education-related activities.

  • These services can be provided to students who experience a functional limitation related to behaviour 

  • Service providers must have a bachelor’s degree, diploma or certificate in a related field (e.g., rehabilitation, psychology, teachers’ training, special education, etc.) and over 1 year of related experience.

  • Other service providers may be funded if they have an equivalent combination of training and/or experience. Note: If an individual provides support as both a tutor/reader/note-taker and as one of the behaviour-related service providers listed in this row, additional rates may be considered.

• Up to $150/hour (max $2,500/term, base of 10 hrs/term or as otherwise recommended by a student’s assessor or disability/accessibility advisor at the school) for Academic Strategist/ strategy sessions:

  • These services would be for students with LD, ADD/ADHD, and/or mental health disabilities. 

  • Note: ADD/ADHD coaching is a different service and is not eligible for CSG-DSE funding; ADD/ADHD coaching is eligible for BSWD funding only. 

  • Funding should only be provided if the student’s school does not provide academic strategists to students. 

  • It is recommended that the service provider’s credentials include a teaching degree in special education. 

  • Students who require an increase in academic strategist hours are required to provide additional medical or specialist (e.g., assessor or disability/accessibility advisor) documents noting the reasons for this need and how the academic strategist is helping with their disability. 

  • Group strategy sessions may be approved if specific rationale is provided as to how the session will address the student’s identified functional limitation (e.g., time management, exam preparation). Academic strategists help students to identify and develop key academic skills (organization, time management, note-taking, test-taking, interpersonal dynamics, and more) to promote academic success.

• A maximum of $2,000/academic year (costs vary depending on service provider) for ADD/ADHD coaching (eligible under BSWD only) ADD/ADHD coaching is eligible for funding through BSWD only:

  • The Canada Student Financial Assistance Program found that ADD/ADHD coaching is much broader in scope than academic strategists and academic coaches, so the service falls outside eligibility for CSG-DSE funding. 

  • It is recommended for students with ADD/ADHD. 

  • ADD/ADHD coaching assists students with managing time effectively, planning and prioritizing, organizing, etc. 

  • Electronic or remote delivery (e.g., online, telephone) is allowable.

BSWD Application (osap.gov.on.ca/prdosapconsum/groups/forms/documents/forms/pocont1_095278.pdf)

To find out more about whether you may be eligible, talk to your Accessibility/Accommodations Advisor, who can help you complete and submit the form to support your application.