| Students with Disabilities |  Printer-Friendly Format |
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a TERI Education Advisor for assistance.
- Who is a person with a disability?
- Where can a person with a disability go for help to obtain financial assistance for college?
- What does a Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency do for a person with a disability who wants to go to school?
- Who is eligible for VR services?
- Is it realistic for a person with a disability to borrow money to pay for college?
- What if a student's disability prevents working in traditional jobs or if, after graduation, prospective earnings are so low they prevent minimal repayment of an education loan?
- How does financial aid affect SSDI and SSI benefits?
- What should students do if they feel that they have not received sufficient financial aid?
1. Who is a person with a disability?
If you have a physical or mental impairment which, for you, constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment, then you may be considered disabled by most publicly funded rehabilitation programs. An impediment may involve your ability to see, hear, walk, speak, learn, breathe, or work.
If you have a physical or mental impairment which, for you, constitutes or results in a substantial impediment to employment, then you may be considered disabled by most publicly funded rehabilitation programs. An impediment may involve your ability to see, hear, walk, speak, learn, breathe, or work.
2. Where can a person with a disability go for help
to obtain financial assistance for college?
Regardless of issues of disability, nearly all financial aid for educational expenses is administered and distributed by colleges and schools. Contact your school's financial aid office for information on financial aid opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Regardless of issues of disability, nearly all financial aid for educational expenses is administered and distributed by colleges and schools. Contact your school's financial aid office for information on financial aid opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
3. What does a Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency do for a person with
a disability who wants to go to school?
A public VR agency can provide financial assistance to eligible persons with a disability whose Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP) includes college or technical school training as a means of achieving a vocational goal leading to competitive employment. VR agencies can provide a variety of assistance depending on your financial needs. State VR agencies require college-bound clients to apply for financial aid from the school or college they plan to attend.
A public VR agency can provide financial assistance to eligible persons with a disability whose Individual Written Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP) includes college or technical school training as a means of achieving a vocational goal leading to competitive employment. VR agencies can provide a variety of assistance depending on your financial needs. State VR agencies require college-bound clients to apply for financial aid from the school or college they plan to attend.
4. Who is eligible for VR services?
You must have a physical or mental disability that constitutes an impediment to employment. It also must be determined that you will benefit in terms of an employment outcome from vocational rehabilitation services which will prepare you for entering, engaging in, or retaining gainful employment.
You must have a physical or mental disability that constitutes an impediment to employment. It also must be determined that you will benefit in terms of an employment outcome from vocational rehabilitation services which will prepare you for entering, engaging in, or retaining gainful employment.
5. Is it realistic for a person with a disability to borrow money to
pay for college?
Yes, and most people will have to do so in order to cover all their costs.
Yes, and most people will have to do so in order to cover all their costs.
6. What if a student's disability prevents working in traditional jobs
or if, after graduation, prospective earnings are so low they prevent minimal repayment
of an education loan?
If the disability exists on or before the date of the loan, the student is responsible for repaying the loan. Before making the decision to borrow, people should be realistic about whether their disability is one that involves substantial ongoing medical expenses and that will make it difficult for them to earn enough to repay a loan. If there is a strong possibility that they will not be able to repay a loan because of the nature of their disability, people should not borrow.
If the disability exists on or before the date of the loan, the student is responsible for repaying the loan. Before making the decision to borrow, people should be realistic about whether their disability is one that involves substantial ongoing medical expenses and that will make it difficult for them to earn enough to repay a loan. If there is a strong possibility that they will not be able to repay a loan because of the nature of their disability, people should not borrow.
VR agencies have the option of providing financial assistance in place of a loan in a
financial aid package if it appears unlikely that the student will be able to repay the
loan.
It may be possible in some cases to delay payment of educational loans. Students should
discuss possibilities for delaying loan repayment (deferments or forbearance) with the
school's financial aid office or their lender.
If you default on your student loan, you are not eligible to receive financial aid or
other financial assistance until you have followed a repayment schedule as required by
the particular loan program or met other criteria.
7. How does financial aid affect SSDI and SSI benefits?
Grants, regardless of the amount, have no effect on SSDI. Grant funds which exceed tuition, fees, and books are considered unearned income for SSI recipients, and so SSI benefits are reduced by that amount. Loans do not affect SSDI or SSI benefits. Federal work-study awards are considered employment, and so may affect both SSDI and SSI benefits. To determine how federal work-study is treated in each situation, the student should contact the local Social Security Office. A federal work-study award may be an excellent opportunity for students with disabilities to test the employment market and to build a resume. There are usually work opportunities both on-campus and with community agencies where students can be effectively employed.
Grants, regardless of the amount, have no effect on SSDI. Grant funds which exceed tuition, fees, and books are considered unearned income for SSI recipients, and so SSI benefits are reduced by that amount. Loans do not affect SSDI or SSI benefits. Federal work-study awards are considered employment, and so may affect both SSDI and SSI benefits. To determine how federal work-study is treated in each situation, the student should contact the local Social Security Office. A federal work-study award may be an excellent opportunity for students with disabilities to test the employment market and to build a resume. There are usually work opportunities both on-campus and with community agencies where students can be effectively employed.
8. What should students do if they feel that they have not received
sufficient financial aid?
Contact the college's financial aid office or the State VR agencies and ask for reconsideration. Report any special circumstances, including changes in financial circumstances and those related to their disability.
Contact the college's financial aid office or the State VR agencies and ask for reconsideration. Report any special circumstances, including changes in financial circumstances and those related to their disability.