Canada Student
Loans Program
The Canada Student Loans Program aids students in financing
their education. The Canada Student Loans Program is available
for both students who are full time and part time. This program
also incorporates the Canada Study Grants which fund qualified
students including: students with disabilities, students with
dependants, high-need part-time students, and women in certain
fields of doctoral studies.
If you are a full-time student, or you are planning to become
one, you may qualify for a subsidized loan through the Canada
Student Loans Program. While you pursue your studies the Canadian
Government pays the interest that accumulates on your loan
to the lender. You do not have to make any payments on a Canada
Student Loan while you are in school full-time. After you
have finished your full time studies, interest on your loan
starts to build up though you are not required to start paying
it until 6 months after that. This is the grace period and
after it is over you are required to pay the interest and
the principal. If you are having difficulty managing and repaying
your loans after you have finished your studies you may be
eligible for interest relief and in some cases, debt reduction.
FULL TIME STUDENTS
Eligibility for the Canada Student Loans Program
To be eligible for a full-time Canada Student Loan, you must
fulfill all of the following:
- be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
- be a resident of a province or territory that participates
in the Canada Student Loans Program. Quebec and the Northwest
Territories do not participate since they administer their
own loan programs. (Generally, your province or territory
of residence is where you have most recently lived for at
least 12 consecutive months excluding full-time attendance
at a post-secondary institution);
- You must be able to demonstrate to the provincial or territorial
student assistance office through the completion of an application
form, that you cannot monetarily cover your educational
costs;
- enroll or be qualified to enroll in at least 60 percent
of a full-time course load at a designated post-secondary
educational institution;
- students with permanent disabilities may enroll in 40
percent of a full-time course load; and
- enroll, or be qualified to enroll, in a program leading
to a degree, diploma or certificate. (The program must be
at least 12 weeks in length within a period of 15 consecutive
weeks.)
Amount You Can Borrow
You can borrow, depending on your financial need up to a maximum
of $165.00 for each week of your study period. This is the
maximum you can borrow from the Canada student Loan program
but you might also be eligible from your Provincials loan
programs or through other scholarships and bursaries
Part Time Students
- Canada Student Loans for part-time studies are available
to supplement other financial resources such as your own
earnings, your spouse's earnings, as well as scholarships
and bursaries.
- Interest payments on these loans are to be made while
you are studying. There is the possibility of interest relief
if you income is below a certain level and as such your
interest will be paid for by the Government.
- Low-income part-time students and students with dependants
may also be eligible for a non-repayable study grant
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for a part-time Canada Student Loan,
you must fulfill all of the following:
- be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and living
in Canada;
- be a resident of a province or territory that participates
in the Canada Student Loans Program. You may apply to the
province in which you will be attending school;
- enroll, or be qualified to enroll, in a designated post-secondary
educational institution in courses which are part of a program
leading to a degree, diploma or certificate. Designated
schools are those which have been approved for Canada Student
Loans by a province or territory;
- enroll, or be qualified to enroll, in between 20 percent
and 59 percent of a full-time course load;
- students with permanent disabilities may enroll in between
20 percent and 39 percent of a full-time course load to
be considered eligible for loans;
- have a gross family income of no more than that shown
in the table. (Gross family income means the amount before
taxes and includes wages, liquid assets, income from investments
and monetary gifts.)
How to apply
- Go to your educational institution or the provincial or
territorial student assistance office nearest you. See page
20 for contact numbers and addresses.
- Depending on the province or territory in which you live,
you may be asked to submit your application directly to
either your post-secondary institution or to the student
assistance office.
- Financial aid offices at most colleges and universities,
as well as admissions offices at private and provincial
schools, also have information materials and application
forms for the Canada Student Loans Program.
Canada Study Grants
These grants which are administered by the governments are
available to provide assistance to students with permanent
disabilities, high-need part-time students, and women in certain
doctoral studies as well as help full- and part-time student
loan recipients with dependants finance their education.These
are different from student loans, since Canada Study Grants
do not have to be repaid.
Students with Disabilities
- If you have a permanent disability such as deafness, blindness,
other physical or learning disabilities, you may be eligible
for a Canada Study Grant of up to $5,000 a year to cover
exceptional education-related costs associated with your
disability. To be eligible, you must:
- Have a permanent disability which limits your ability
to participate fully in post-secondary studies or in the
labour force (proof required);
- If you are applying as a full-time student, you must be
enrolled in courses that represent at least 40 percent of
a full-time course load.
- If you are applying as a part-time student, you must be
enrolled in courses representing at least 20 percent of
a full-time course load.
The grant may cover such exceptional expenses as the costs
of a tutor, an interpreter, attendant care, or special equipment.
To apply, you must first complete an application for a full-time
or part-time Canada Student Loan (available from your provincial
or territorial student assistance office) to establish your
financial needs. You then submit a separate application form
for the Canada Study Grant (CSG) to the same office.
High-need Part-time Students
Part-time students with demonstrated financial need may qualify
for a grant of up to $1,200. To be eligible, you must meet
the requirements for a part time Canada Student Loan. In addition,
you will be required to:
- explain why you can only study on a part-time basis (e.g.
you have family or other responsibilities that do not permit
full-time study); and
- have a gross income of no more than 14,100 for a single
student and 23,300 for a married student with no children
or a single parent with one child
Applications may be submitted to:
- The student assistance office in your province or territory;
or
- financial assistance offices at most colleges and universities.
Students with Dependants
Full-time and Part-time Students with Dependants
If you have children or other dependants, and can demonstrate
financial need in excess of $275 per week in combined federal
and provincial loans, you may be eligible for a new Canada
Study Grant. Full-time students with dependants
A grant will be available to full-time students with dependants
who qualify if their assessed need is in excess of $275 per
week.
- Students with one or two dependants: $40 per week.
- Students with three or more dependants $60 per week.
Part-time students with dependants
In order to qualify for the grant for part-time students
with dependants you must first qualify for assistance under
the part-time Canada Student Loans Program
The Canada Study Grant (CSG) for part-time students with
dependants:
Effective August 1, 1998 a grant will be available to part-time
students with dependants to assist them with their education
costs. Eligible students will qualify for grants if they have
assessed need in excess of, and after receipt of, the maximum
grant for high-need part-time students ($1,200) and Canada
Student Loan for part-time students ($4,000). In conjunction
with the Canada Study Grant for high-need part-time students
(Maximum of $1,200), the aggregate amount of CSG assistance
for part-time students shall not exceed $3,120 in any given
loan year. Therefore, the CSG for part-time students with
dependants will be available for up to $1,920 in any given
loan year, to assist in covering allowable education costs.
Women in Doctoral Studies
If you are a female student pursuing full-time doctoral studies,
you may qualify for a Canada Study Grant of up to $3,000 a
year for a maximum of three years. This special grant is intended
to help increase the participation of women in certain fields
of study at the doctoral level. To be eligible for this grant,
you must apply and qualify for Canada Student Loan assistance
for the current academic year. The eligible fields of study
are:
Engineering and applied sciences: Engineering
(all fields), Aerospace Sciences, Architecture, Forestry.
Agriculture and biological sciences: Agriculture,
Biophysics, Biochemistry, Botany, Microbiology, Veterinary
Sciences, Zoology.
Mathematics and physical sciences: Astronomy,
Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Geography,
Geology and Related Fields, Mathematics, Metallurgy, Materials
Science, Meteorology, Oceanography and Water Studies, Physics,
Resource Management.
Arts, social sciences and related fields: Business
Administration, Commerce, Management, Administrative Studies,
Economics, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Religious
Studies, Theological Studies.
Other: Dental Specialties, Physical Education,
Law and Jurisprudence.
Information and application forms are available from the
student assistance office in your province or territory, from
financial assistance offices at most colleges and universities,
as well as from admissions offices at vocational schools.
In some provinces, you submit your application directly to
your educational institution. In others, you apply directly
to the provincial or territorial student assistance office.
CONTACT
Human Resources Development Canada
Education Support/Student Assistance Branch
25 Eddy Street, 10th Floor
Hull, Quebec K1A 0M5
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 2090Station "D"
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6C6
Tel. (819) 994-1844
Toll Free 1-888-432-7377 (English)
1-800-733-3765 (French)
TTY Line: (819) 994-1218
Web site: www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/student_loans/engraph/index.html
