Canada Student Grants and Loans – What student grants and loans offer
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
The Canada Student Financial Assistance Program offers grants and loans to full-time and part-time students to help pay for their post-secondary education.
- Apply with 1 application, through your province or territory of residence
- You don't need to pay back grants
- You do need to pay back loans after finishing school
- You may be eligible for more than 1 type of grant - when you apply with your province, they will assess your eligibility for all grants
How the funding works
The Government of Canada works with most provincial or territorial governments to offer student grants and loans. In all situations, you apply with your province or territory of residence. The amount you can receive is calculated when you apply.
More detail on how the funding works
“British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Saskatchewan
The Government of Canada and the provincial governments work together to provide integrated student grants and loans.
Alberta, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island
Canada Student Grants and Loans are available alongside provincial or territorial student aid.
Yukon
Only Canada Student Grants and Loans and territorial grants are available.
Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and Quebec
Canada Student Grants and Loans are not available. These jurisdictions operate their own student aid programs.”
How much you can get
The amount you can receive depends on many factors, including:
- your province or territory of residence
- your family income
- if you have dependents
- your tuition fees and living expenses
- if you have a disability
To find out how much you might get in Canada Student Grants or Loans, use the federal student aid estimator.
Note: The estimator does not take into account the provincial and territorial student grants and loans.
List of federal student grants
Your eligibility for Canada Student Grants is calculated when you apply with your province or territory.
Maximum lifetime limit for student aid
There are lifetime limits on the number of weeks you can receive student aid. This includes any payment-free or interest-free periods while you are in school. You also have to start paying back your loan 6 months after you graduate or finish your studies.
Full-time students can receive student aid for a maximum of 340 weeks, except:
- students enrolled in doctoral studies can receive student aid for up to 400 weeks
- students with a disability may receive up to 520 weeks of educational assistance
Registered Education Savings Plan
In addition to grants and loans you can use funds from your Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to help pay for your studies.
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