Did not qualify?!

Post Reply New Topic

When I applied for my student loan this year, I applied as a student with a disability to get the grant available. The documentation I sent to them stated I have moderate classic autism. I am unable to work more than 8-10 hours a week because of it, and have hardly any income at all. When I got my loan document for next year, it makes no mention at all about this grant. I am assuming I was not approved for some crazy reason since there it was not added to my available funds. I also did not get anything telling me the request was denied. Arrgh!

Anyone in Canada get this grant (or was denied) and knows how this works? What should I be looking for in the paperwork?

I live in the U.S. and I don't have any experience with this, but I think you should contact them directly and inquire. Find out the name of the person whom you'll be speaking to ahead of time if you can (case worker if gov't, financial aid office if it's through the school). In person is best, on the phone is good, email or write if you have to. I think only they can tell you if you were denied and for what reason.

+1

From the US too, but I had a roommate that had to fight to get his financial aid set up every year. They wanted to consider both parents' income, but his stepmom and his dad had a prenup. He didn't pay for her daughters and she didn't pay for his sons. Exceptions had to be done so they'd not factor his stepmom's income, and it seemed every year he had to bring this to the student aid office so they'd not short him on aid eligibility.

That is one messed up prenup!!

Op: go in person to the financial aid office in your univ. and dont leave until you get it or you speak to someone above the person you're speaking with.

As long as you have all the documentation at hand and can show youve been given the grant previously (right?) yqou should get it.

You need to find out exactly why you were not eligible. If you are eligible and they are not giving you the grant, then they need to give you the grant. I had to fight very hard to get my academic competitiveness grant before they canceled it. So call financial aid or the grant owner and inquire exactly why you don't qualify for the grant.

It might be the qualifications of the grant changed too which made you not eligible anymore.

Thank you for the replies everyone!

No, this is my first time applying for the grant because my diagnosis is new (I did not have it last September when I applied for last year's student loan). Also, in Canada, the loans go through the government, not the school. So, my school really has nothing to do with it. It is both the provincial and the federal level of government that deals with my loan (some of my loan I have to repay to Canada, and some of it, I have to repay to my province). And reasoning with the government can be like talking to a brick wall.

I called the office today, and she said it is still being reviewed. I don't know why they approved the main part of my loan without reviewing my entire application though. Grrrr! Anyway, I am keeping my fingers crossed, and hopefully I will get it because I really need that money.