Canada Student Loans and Grants
Explore Your Options
Getting a post-secondary education is within your reach! Canada Student Loans and Grants, together with provincial or territorial financial assistance programs, can help you get the money you need to go to school.
What's available in loans?
- Up to $210 per week in federal loans for full-time students; and
- Up to a total of $10,000 in federal loans for part-time students.
What's available in grants?
- Up to $250 per month for full-time students from low-income families;
- Up to $100 per month for full-time students from middle-income families;
- Up to $2,000 per school year for students with permanent disabilities;
- Up to $8,000 per school year for services and equipment for students with permanent disabilities (a separate application is required);
- For low-income full-time students with dependants: up to $200 per month for each child under 12 years of age;
- Between $40 and $60 per week of study for low-income part-time students with dependants; and
- Up to $1,200 per school year for part-time students from lowincome families.
Use the Student Financial Assistance Estimator on CanLearn.ca to get an idea of how much you could qualify for.
Am I eligible?
To be eligible, you must be:
- a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a "protected person"Footnote 1; and
- accepted into, or enrolled in, a full- or part-time degree, diploma or certificate program at a designated postsecondary institution.
Canada Student Loans and Grants are available to students across Canada, except for those whose permanent address is in Quebec, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut.
How do I apply?
- Apply through your provincial or territorial student financial assistance office—visit CanLearn.ca for a contact list.
- When you apply, you will be assessed automatically for Canada Student Loans and Grants, and for loans and grants available through your provincial or territorial student financial assistance program.
When do I repay my loan?
You do not have to begin making payments until six months after you graduate, leave school or change your status to part-time (if you have a loan for full-time studies); however, interest will accumulate during this six-month period.
What if I need help repaying my loan?
The Repayment Assistance Plan allows you to pay back only what you can reasonably afford. If you qualify, your payments will be based on your family income and family size. In certain cases, you may not need to make any loan payments until your income increases. If you already have a student loan, contact the National Student Loans Service Centre to discuss your options.
Want more information?
- CanLearn.ca/explore
- Your provincial or territorial student financial assistance office
- National Student Loans Service Centre
Toll Free: 1 888 815-4514 (within North America)
800 2 225-2501 (outside North America)
TTY: 1 888 815-4556 - 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232)
Note: This publication reflects information and policies in effect at the time of printing. For the latest information, visit CanLearn.ca.
You can order this publication by contacting:
Publications Services
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
140 Promenade du Portage
Phase IV, 10th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0J9
Fax: 819-953-7260
Online: http://www12.hrsdc.gc.ca
This document is available on demand in alternative formats (large print, Braille, audio cassette, audio CD, e-text diskette, e-text CD, or DAISY), by contacting 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you have a hearing or speech impairment and use a teletypewriter (TTY), call 1-800-926-9105.
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2011
Paper
Cat. No: HS48-4/2010
ISBN: 978-1-100-51496-3
PDF
Cat. No: HS48-4/2010E-PDF
ISBN: 978-1-100-15654-5
1 Protected persons are immigrants who have been granted “refugee protection” by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Such persons may include “Convention Refugees” and “persons in need of protection.” Protected persons are eligible to receive financial assistance from the Canada Student Loans Program provided they have a Protected Persons Status Document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and a Social Insurance Number valid for their entire study period (and meet the eligiblity requirements that apply to all students applying for a Canada Student Loan). (Return to reference 1)