Financial Barriers for Students with Non-apparent Disabilities within Canadian Postsecondary Education

This study examined the education-related debt, sources of debt, and the process of acquiring accommodations for students with non-apparent (such as learning disabilities and mental health disabilities) and apparent disabilities in Canadian postsecondary education. A third group emerged during analyses, students with medical disabilities, which appeared unique from both apparent and non-apparent disabilities. This study involved a survey of 1,026 students with disabilities from across Canada. Students with apparent disabilities received significantly greater amounts of funding from government student grants and bursary programs. Students with medical disabilities received greater social assistance, had significantly higher projected education-related debt loads, and expressed greater concern regarding financial barriers and debt repayment. The findings regarding education-related debt and financial barriers for students with non-apparent disabilities and medical disabilities suggest a need for further investigation and potential policy implications for these specific cohorts of students.