Funding Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Pursuing University Studies

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) what funding help is available to persons with disabilities who are pursuing their first degree but who do not qualify for scholarships by the Society for the Physically Disabled or grants due to age.

Madam, the Government provides substantial subsidies to all Singaporeans pursuing their first degree in the publicly-funded Universities, regardless of their physical conditions.

Students who need additional support can tap on financial assistance schemes, such as bursaries and loans offered by MOE and the Universities. These will help to further defray the cost of their education, including tuition fees and cost of living. Similar assistance schemes are also available from community organisations, other Government agencies and other private or professional organisations.

Students can also use the balance in their Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA) to pay for their degree education.

Together, these schemes ensure that no deserving student is denied an undergraduate education due to financial constraints.

Additional targeted measures are available to support students with disabilities in their educational journey. For example, the SkillsFuture Study Award for Persons with Disabilities targets persons with disabilities who have at least two years of work experience and demonstrated resilience and perseverance in pursuing learning, skills upgrading and skills deepening. The award quantum is up to $5,000 and can be used for Bachelor's degree programmes.

At the publicly-funded Universities, students with special educational needs may also seek financial assistance to procure assistive technology devices and support services to help them overcome the challenges of actively accessing and participating in classes.

The Member also made reference to scholarships awarded by SPD. While this does not come directly under MOE's purview, I understand that their scholarships are awarded based on merit, and not age.