Financial Aid Overview - Graduate
British Columbia Student Assistance Program (full-time students)
Students may borrow money in the form of a government student loan on a
promise to repay the loan at a specified time in the future.
Government student loans are available to students who can demonstrate
financial need. Therefore, funds are only loaned to students whose
financial resources from parents, summer employment, part-time work and
other sources do not cover the estimated cost of their education.
Canada Student Loans, a federal program, and British Columbia Student
Loans, a provincial program, both provide interest-free loans for
full-time students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Eligibility
To be eligible for BC funding, students must be residents of British
Columbia as defined by established governmental criteria. Assistance
will be provided to eligible students who will be enrolled in a minimum
60% or nine credit hours of a full program of studies each semester, or
be enrolled as full-time graduate students.
Application
Application for federal and provincial loans is made through a single
application form, available from the Ministry of Advanced Education,
Training and Technology (1-800-561-1818), or from any college or
university. Students may also apply on line at www.studentaidbc.ca.
Students may apply for loans before they have been accepted at the
educational institution of their choice. In order for funding to be in
place at the onset of Fall classes, it is advisable for students to
submit their loan application before June 30. Students who apply after
that date may not receive their loans until well into the semester and
may not qualify for tuition deferments.
Students From Other Provinces
Students from other provinces are required to seek information from their respective provincial student assistance branches.
Government Part-time Loans and Grants
Federal loans are also available for part-time Students. These loans
fund only direct educational expenses such as tuition, books, supplies,
and childcare while the parent is at school.
Canada Study Grants for High-need Part-time Students assist students
who are unable to meet the eligibility requirements of the full-time
loans program and whose income falls below a prescribed threshold.
Students with dependants who receive a high-need part-time grant may
also qualify for additional assistance in the form of a Canada Study
Grant for Students with Dependants.
Eligibility
Students must be Canadian citizens residing in a province that issues
Canada Student Loans, and be taking between 20 and 59% (less than nine
credit hours per semester) of a full course load, or be enrolled as
part-time graduate students.
Application
To be eligible for part-time federal or provincial grants, students
must apply for a federal part-time loan, as grant eligibility is
determined using the federal loan criteria. A single application form
for the part-time Canada Loan and/or Canada Study Grants must be
submitted to the UNBC Awards and Financial Aid Office for consideration.
If applicable, grant monies will be awarded first, and any remaining
unmet need will be met through a federal part-time loan document.
Further information on part-time loans and grants is available from the Awards Financial Aid and Student Employment office.
Canada Study Grants for Female Doctoral Students
To increase the participation of women in certain fields of study at
the doctoral level, the federal government offers Canada Study Grants
as part of the Canada Student Loans Program. Female doctoral students
may qualify for a Canada Study Grant of up to $3,000 per year for a
maximum of three years.
Since funding is limited, grants may not be available for all
applicants, although attempts will be made to assist as many students
as possible. Students are therefore encouraged to apply at their
earliest convenience.
Assistance for Students with Permanent Disabilities
As part of the Canada and Provincial Student Loans Program, three
assistance options are available for full-time or part-time students
with permanent disabilities: Canada and Provincial Student Loan
Assistance, Special Opportunity Grants, and Permanent Disability
Benefits.
Canada and Provincial Student Loan Assistance
Relaxed eligibility criteria for Canada Student Loan Assistance are
designed to encourage full-time or part-time students with permanent
disabilities to participate in post-secondary education. For example, a
full-time student with a permanent disability may be eligible for
full-time loan assistance if he or she is enrolled in a minimum 40% or
six credit hours of a full program of study or is in part-time graduate
studies. To be eligible for federal grants, students must first apply
for loan funding to cover their direct educational costs.
Canada Study Grants for Students with Disabilities
Federal Canada Study Grants are designed to assist disabled students
with exceptional education-related costs associated with certain
permanent disabilities and are to be used for the purchase of goods and
services which will help the students to access post-secondary
education. Technical aids, computer technology, restorative devices,
and vehicle modification are examples of eligible goods and services;
tuition and books will not be funded under this program. Students must
complete a separate application form if they wish to be considered for
a Canada Study Grant. For more information on Canada Student Grants for
Students with Disabilities, please contact the UNBC Disabilities
Advisor.
Permanent Disability Benefit
The Permanent Disability Benefit is designed to assist students who,
because of their disability, are unable to meet the repayment
obligations for a Canada Student loan without exceptional hardship. A
separate application form must be completed for students who wish to
apply for the Permanent Disability Benefit.
Information
Additional information and application forms for federal and provincial
student assistance programs as described above are available in the
Awards, Financial Aid and Student Employment Centre at UNBC, at any
other post-secondary institution in BC, or by contacting the Ministry
of Advanced Education, Training and Technology toll-free at
1-800-561-1818. Information can also be obtained by accessing the
Ministry's web site at www.studentaidbc.ca.
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