Sky's post gives you all the steps necessary to do this. Now t6he personal side!

I have been on SSDI since 2002. I just graduated with my AA last month and begin as a junior at a state college in August. Going to school has not effected my SSDI at all. But being on SSDI HAS effected my schooling...in positive ways. First, at the community/jr college level, in my state, there is a thing called a Board of Governor's Grant (BOGG). This is a grant that waives tuition, health service fees, and half of parking fees. To get this grant you have to fall into certain economic categories, and show proof of this with tax returns etc...unless you receive SSI or SSDI...then you get the grant, all you have to show is the letter you get from social security each year. The grant is good for a school year. This is in California, but other two-year colleges may have something similar...the school's financial aid office can tell you.

The Disabled Students department at colleges is usually very helpful. Their job is to ensure that the disabled student is able to succeed. They can provide you with accomodations that you may need. I receive extra time on exams and a quiet room to take them in, a tape recorder for lectures if I want it (some teachers don't allow recording, if you go thru disabled students, they have to allow it), drinks in class (some classes/teachers don't allow food/drinks, but some meds cause cotton mouth...computer labs are one place where there are generally NO exceptions, disabled or not), consideration for absences (anxiety/panic makes it hard to attend classes at times), and a general "heads-up" that I may get up and leave the classroom with no warning (I have never had to do this). There are many other accomodations that are specific to different diabilities...ranging from special equipment for those who are paralized to someone to take notes for those who have trouble with that.

Now that I am heading to a regular university, SSDI has helped me with financial aid. Being on SSDI puts a person in the lowest economic category...which opens up lots of grants and scholarships that would not be available otherwise. Many grants and scholarships are based on grade point average AND financial need. I have a friend who attended the same school as me, graduated at the same time as me, is transferring to the same school, at the same time...our GPA's were .01% different (hers higher). We both applied for grants and scholarships through the school "foundation" (one scholarship app and essay for many scholarships). I received two grants and three scholarships, these total enough to cover all of my direct school expenses for a year (tuition, health services, class fees) and a little extra towards books. My friend got nothing...because her having an actual job bumped her up an economic category!

Last year I got a letter saying that it was time to review my SSDI claim (supposedly these come every 3, 5, or 7 years depending on your disibility). It had a few questions for me to answer and then I had to send it back in. By a few I mean I think there were four. I remember it asking if my disibility was the same, better or worse (boxes to check) and if I had attended any school, then if yes to school, was it court ordered, thru rehab, or other. I put yes to school and other...and sent it back. A couple weeks later I got a letter back saying my claim did not need to be reviewed at this time. So *in my experience* school appears to have no bearing on SSDI!

I hope some of this helps.