DCCI Scholarship for Canadian Students with Disabilities
Announcing the 2025 Scholarship Winner:
Disability Credit Canada understands that earning a post-secondary degree opens doors to countless opportunities. Yet, for many Canadians with disabilities, the path to higher education includes additional hurdles. To help in the movement of removing these barriers, we remain committed to ensuring that students with disabilities have every opportunity to reach their academic goals. That’s why, in 2019, we introduced the Disability Credit Canada Scholarship for Canadian Students with Disabilities, an annual $1,000 award for a high-school senior attending a recognized Canadian institution, to help ease the financial load that comes with pursuing higher education.
Beyond this scholarship, we offer resources that help families access the Disability Tax Credit and Child Disability Tax Credit, along with other practical tools designed to relieve financial pressure on students and their caregivers.
DCCI Scholarship for Canadian Students with Disabilities Recipient for 2025
Continuing our tradition of celebrating resilience and academic ambition, we are pleased to announce Brett Pruefer as the recipient of the 2025 DCCI Scholarship for Canadian Students with Disabilities. Brett will soon begin an interdisciplinary Health Sciences program, studying human health through biology and chemistry, as well as the psychological and sociological factors that shape well-being.
BRETT PRUEFER,
AN HONOURS BACHELOR OF HEALTH SCIENCES STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA.
Brett lives with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Major Depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, experiences that can make social connections, day-to-day responsibilities, and sustained motivation more challenging. He also anticipates moments when written communication and self-advocacy in academic settings will require extra effort. Still, he approaches the next stage of his education with purpose, committed to drawing on both science and lived experience to understand health more fully and contribute meaningfully to his community.
We spoke with Brett to learn more about his journey, the challenges he has faced, and his hopes for the future.
Here is how he envisions it:
1) How did you hear about our Scholarship?
I am enrolled in a program called GrantMe that pairs me with scholarships and provides revision suggestions for the essays required by applications.
2) Please tell us about your impairments and some of the challenges you face because of them.
I am diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Major Depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. These conditions have led to difficulties in socializing and relating to my peers, as well as challenges in completing daily tasks and responsibilities due to a lack of motivation
3) What will you study at school and what are your long-term career goals?
I am entering an interdisciplinary program in Health Sciences. I will study human health through the lens of biology and chemistry, as well as the psychological and sociological factors that influence health..
4) How does having this impairment make pursuing a post-secondary education more challenging? Please tell us about the unique challenges you may be facing.
The lack of motivation and energy that sometimes comes with Major Depressive Disorder could lead to difficulties in completing my course requirements. As a person with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I may also have difficulty articulating myself in writing, as well as advocating for myself to professors and other authority figures.
5) How does it feel to have been the recipient of this award?
I am thrilled and grateful to be receiving this award. I know there are many applicants across Canada, and I am honoured to be chosen when so many others are equally deserving.
6) How will this scholarship help you, moving forward?
This scholarship will allow me to save more money for personal and school-related expenses such as textbooks, food, and housing.
7) Is there a message you’d like to convey to future applicants?
Your experience is unique, and it matters. It is important that we use our experiences to shape us into better people and develop new perspectives that help us better understand others, so we can work toward creating a better world for everyone.
Congratulations, Brett!
At Disability Credit Canada, we are proud to recognize Brett’s perseverance and passion for learning, qualities that will surely guide him toward success in Health Sciences and beyond. His story is a powerful reminder of the strength and potential within every student with disabilities.
We also thank all applicants for sharing their journeys with us. To every student starting or continuing their studies, we wish you courage, inspiration, and a rewarding year ahead.