How to access government funding to cover the costs of a tutor, learning strategist, or notetaker

Getting CSG-DSE funding for tutor, learning strategist, & notetaking services has a few stages and student action items.

Here’s the break-down for getting this funding as a BC resident.

What is CSG funding?

In this context, when we say “CSG” we are talking specifically about the CSG-DSE or Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Disabilities. So we’ll call it “CSG” for simplicity here. You can apply for services (i.e. tutoring, notetaking) as well as equipment (assistive technology) through this grant.

Note: there are other non-repayable grants available with similar names, such as the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities (CSG-D) which your Center for Accessible Learning (CAL) Advisor would also help you apply for at the same time as the CSG-DSE. Students from provinces other than BC can also access this funding via their provincial student loan office.

How do I know if I’m eligible?

To be eligible for CSG funding, you must:

1. Be approved for a student loan in the term you wish to use services/equipment.
2. Establish disability status (either permanent or persisting at least 12 months) with the BC Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. Typically this step only needs to be done once, via Section 4 of the Appendix 8 form.
3. Work with your CAL Advisor to submit the application for funding. This includes providing your student loan number to your Advisor, and confirming the details of all services you would like funding for (common services include tutoring, learning strategy, and notetaking).

IMPORTANT:

Before getting funding, students are responsible for:

• Providing information to the CAL staff on all services requested.
• Confirming that your CAL Advisor has put in a CSG application for you for all of the services & equipment you would like to use. This is required every term you seek services or equipment.
• Replying in a timely fashion to any CAL staff who are assisting with your funding application (remember to check your email junk folder).

After getting funding, students are responsible for:

• Understanding which services you’ve been approved for, and the # of hours (e.g. tutoring hours). This is confirmed on your Services Approval Letter, which gets uploaded to your SABC dashboard.
• Keeping track of the services you use and not going over your funded hours (unless you decide to pay out of pocket for going over your funded hours).
• Requesting receipts from all of your service providers* and returning any unused funds after each term. *The LAP will prepare a receipt for all of your LAP services on behalf of your tutors/strategist/notetakers.

Funding applications must be put in well before the end of term. Contact your CAL Advisor early each term you’d like to access funding. Funding requests cannot be submitted after your courses have ended.

How will I receive the funds?

Every term in which you apply for CSG and are approved, a cheque will be mailed to your address. To verify which address is on your UVic profile, go to uvic.ca and then your Personal & account profile in your Online Tools.

IMPORTANT:

Students are responsible for :

• paying for all services used at the end of each term, regardless of funding status.
• understanding what funding you have been approved for, and for returning detailed service receipts and any unused funds to your student aid office after each term.

Funding may only be used for the specific service it’s been approved for, and during the study dates specified. For example, typical maximums for funded services may be 30 hours (2 hours/week) for tutoring per course, and 10-15 hours of learning strategist support per term. You can confirm exactly which services you’ve been funded for in the service approval letter which is available in your SABC dashboard (example below).

You must also provide receipts signed by your service provider(s) which outline the date and duration of every session of tutoring and learning strategist support. See our Invoice Payment & Funding page for more information on receipts.