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Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

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Information for Health Care Professionals

Canada Student Loans Program - Financial Assistance for Students with Permanent Disabilities

The Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) provides financial assistance for students with permanent disabilities who are pursuing post-secondary education.

Financial assistance

What’s available in loans:

  • Up to $210 per week in loans for full-time students (students must be enrolled in at least 40 percent of a full course load).
  • An extended eligibility for loans of up to 520 weeks of study to accommodate a reduced course load.

What’s available in grants:

Loan Repayment Assistance:

  • The Permanent Disability Benefit is available to borrowers with a severe permanent disability and offers loan cancellation to those who qualify.
    • To be considered for this benefit, borrowers must meet the following definition:
      • A functional limitation caused by a physical or mental impairment that prevents a borrower from performing the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a post-secondary school level and the labour force and is expected to remain with the person for their expected life.
  • The Repayment Assistance Plan for borrowers with a Permanent Disability (RAP-PD) makes it easier for borrowers who are having difficulty making loan payments to manage their student debt. RAP-PD is intended for borrowers with permanent disabilities who do not immediately qualify for the Permanent Disability Benefit (loan cancellation).
    • Under RAP-PD, borrowers with a permanent disability who have incomes below a low-income threshold will not be required to make loan payments and will see their debt gradually reduced to zero over 10 years.
    • RAP-PD will take into consideration exceptional expenses, including medical, housing, special care or other expenses, that would be deducted from the applicant's income to determine an affordable payment.
      • To be considered for RAP-PD, borrowers must meet the following definition:
        • A functional limitation caused by a physical or mental impairment that restricts the ability of a person to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a post-secondary school level or the labour force and is expected to remain with the person for the person's expected life.

Who is eligible?

Canada Student Loans and Grants recipients must:

  • be considered as having a permanent disability by their provincial or territorial student financial aid office, as defined by the Canada Student Loans Program;
  • be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a protected person who has been accepted or is enrolled in a degree, diploma or certificate program that runs for at least 12 weeks at a designated educational institution;
  • be enrolled in at least 40 percent of a full course load (for full-time funding) or be enrolled in 20 to 39 percent of a full course load (for part-time funding) (Note: a student enrolled in 40 to 59 percent of a full course load can choose to be considered as a part-time student.);
  • be a permanent resident of a province or a territory that issues Canada Student Loans (Note: Quebec, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories operate their own student loan programs, and do not participate in the CSLP. Contact a student financial assistance office for more information.);
  • demonstrate financial need;
  • maintain satisfactory grades; and
  • pass a credit check if 22 years or older and applying for a Canada Student Loan for the first time.

Eligibility for most Canada Student Grants is assessed automatically when students apply and qualify for a Canada Student Loan through their province or territory of permanent residence. A separate application is required for the Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities.

Application process

Loans and grants

To apply for a Canada Student Loan, students must apply through their province or territory of permanent residence. With one application, students are automatically asssessed for most Canada Student Grants; a separate application is required for the Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities.

Students should contact their provincial or territorial student financial assistance office for more information on how to apply.

Note: Quebec, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories operate their own student financial assistance programs, and do not participate in the CSLP.

For more information on how to apply for a Canada Student Loan, visit CanLearn.ca: Getting a Student Loan – How to Apply.

Permanent Disability Benefit for loan cancellation

To apply for this benefit, the applicant must contact the National Student Loans Service Centre to be screened for eligibility and account verification before applying. Once pre-screened, an applicant can ask to be mailed an Application Kit for the Permanent Disability Benefit from the Canada Student Loans Program. The application kit is not currently available online.

The completed application kit must include the original signed copies of every included document and all the requested information. The completed kit must be sent to:

Canada Student Loans Program
c/o The Assessment Team
P.O. Box 2090, Station D
Ottawa ON
K1P 6C6

For more information concerning the Permanent Disability Benefit pre-screening and application, please contact the National Student Loans Service Centre. Applicants should also contact their provincial or territorial student financial assistance office to find out if they are eligible for loan forgiveness on other provincial government student loans.

Who is authorized to fill out medical forms for the CSLP?

Physicians and registered psychologists can complete the medical forms that are submitted with a permanently disabled student's Canada Student Loan application, grant application and permanent disability benefit (loan cancellation) application.

The information that medical practitioners provide on these forms verifies the student's permanent disability. This information helps determine whether a student meets the eligibility criteria for loans, grants and loan cancellation.

Medical forms for loans and grants

  • For grant eligibility, documentation verifying a permanent disability must be signed by a physician who is familiar with the applicant's medical condition. Some provinces and territories may combine this requirement with other required documentation.
  • For grant consideration as a student with learning disabilities, a Learning Disability Assessment Verification form must be completed by the registered psychologist who conducted the student's learning or psycho-educational assessment. This form may be obtained from the student’s provincial or territorial student financial assistance office or from the student's financial aid or awards office at their educational institution.
  • For loan consideration to study at a reduced course load and have an extended period of eligible student financial assistance, an applicant must submit documentation which has been signed by a physician or registered psychologist verifying a permanent disability.

To obtain the necessary documentation, an applicant must contact their provincial or territorial student financial assistance office or their disability resource centre or contact person on campus for further information. Students are encouraged to visit their educational institution's disability resource office, which will assist them with the application process in their province or territory.

Permanent Disability Benefit Medical Report for loan cancellation

For a student to be considered for the Permanent Disability Benefit (loan cancellation), a physician who has knowledge of the student's medical condition must complete the Permanent Disability Benefit Medical Report. This document is included in the Application Kit for the Permanent Disability Benefit. This kit is sent out to applicants who have been screened for eligibility and account verification before they apply for the Permanent Disability Benefit.

When completing the Permanent Disability Benefit Medical Report, a physician must demonstrate how the applicant:

  • meets the definition of permanent disability as defined by the CSLP;
  • is prevented from working in the labour force and studying at the post-secondary level due to their permanent disability, and that the permanent disability is expected to remain with the applicant for life.

Contact information

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Date Modified:
2010-11-23