FAFSA alone not enough? How vocational rehab funds saved me $14K with my son's IEP

wait what?? my daughter has an IEP for processing issues and im freaking out about how were gonna pay for college next year. our SAI came back at like $22k which is INSANE cause we def dont have that kinda money. who exactly do u contact for this?? is it just called vocational rehabilitation in every state?

This is absolutely correct information. I'm a college access advisor and vocational rehabilitation services are severely underutilized. The exact services vary by state, but they typically can provide: - Tuition assistance beyond what federal aid covers - Funding for required technology accommodations - Additional tutoring services - Career placement assistance after graduation To qualify, students generally need documentation of their disability and evidence it creates barriers to employment. The best part is this funding doesn't need to be repaid like loans. Important note: Students should apply in their junior year of high school as the approval process can take several months.

I tried this in California for my son who has autism and they rejected us because our income was "too high" even though his SAI was still $16k+ 🙄 Apparently they prioritize lower-income families in our county because of limited funding. Total BS because we still can't afford the $16k/year they expect us to pay! The whole system is broken.

thx for sharing this!! my son has a 504 for dyslexia and im gonna look into it asap

My daughter graduated last year with an IEP for learning disabilities and we've been using Vocational Rehabilitation funding for her community college. They're covering about $4,200 per semester after her Pell Grant. The process was pretty simple but took FOREVER - like 4 months from application to approval. So start early! One thing to know: they required her to meet with a VR counselor once every semester to review grades and discuss any challenges. Also, they prioritize funding for programs that lead directly to employment, so they wanted to see a clear career path in her academic plan.

this is gr8 info & all but i tried filing my FAFSA last week and keep getting stuck in an endless loading screen when i try to add my parents information. tried calling but been on hold 3+ hours over multiple days. anyone know how to actually talk to a real person at fafsa??

Working in disability services at a university, I can confirm this is a valuable resource, but there are some important details to understand: 1. VR funding is employment-focused, so students need a clear path to how their degree leads to employment 2. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (usually a 2.5 GPA or higher) 3. Some states have waitlists or funding limitations 4. Services can be terminated if students don't follow through with required meetings I recommend students connect with their university's disability services office immediately after acceptance, as they often have established relationships with VR counselors and can help streamline the process. And yes, completing the FAFSA is still absolutely required as VR is considered the "payer of last resort" after federal aid is applied.

OMGG i just called my states voc rehab office and they said my daughter WOULD qualify with her IEP!!!! theyre sending me the application packet now. THANK U SO MUCH for posting this!!!

This is incredible information! As a parent of a sophomore with an IEP for autism spectrum disorder, I had no idea this funding existed. We've been dreading the college financing conversation because even with good grades, I knew we'd struggle with whatever the FAFSA expects us to pay. A couple questions for those who've been through this process: 1. Do they require the student to be actively receiving special education services senior year, or is having had an IEP/504 in the past sufficient? 2. How detailed do the career plans need to be? My son is interested in computer science but hasn't narrowed down a specific focus yet. I'm definitely calling our state's VR office first thing Monday morning. Thank you Jean Claude for sharing this - you might have just changed our family's entire college trajectory!

This is absolutely life-changing information! I'm a parent of a high school senior with ADHD who has a 504 plan, and honestly I've been losing sleep over college costs. Our FAFSA came back with an SAI of $21,000 which feels impossible given our actual financial situation. I had never even heard of vocational rehabilitation funding before reading this post. I'm definitely calling our state's VR office tomorrow morning to get the ball rolling, though I'm worried we might be starting too late since my daughter is already a senior. For those who've gone through this process - is there any chance they can still approve funding that starts in fall semester if we apply now, or are we looking at having to defer for a year? The timing aspect has me really stressed since most college deposits are due soon. Either way, thank you SO much Jean Claude for sharing this. You've given so many families hope when we really needed it most! 🙏