Financial assistance to students with disabilities is often provided by state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies. State VR agency titles vary from state to state. You may contact a state education agency, or a public library to get the local phone numbers.
During your junior year in high school, you may begin the application process with VR. Your local VR agency will determine if you are eligible for services. To be eligible, you must have an impairment that results in a substantial impediment to employment.
Among the services that may be provided by VR agencies to you once you become a client are:
- Help with tuition expenses
- Room and board
- Transportation/commuting expenses
- Books and supplies
- Telecommunications, and other technological aids and devices
Services provided to you must be authorized in advance in an Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) developed by you and the VR counselor. There are differences between states' VR programs and policies because each state administers its own program within the provisions of a state plan developed under the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act and federal VR regulations and approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, visit the Financial Aid Office's website.
