Funding Available

Amount you can borrow

Student Loans are based on need. The federal and provincial governments offer loans to supplement your own earnings and contributions from your family and other sources. A student loan is not intended to cover the entire cost of your education and living expenses.

The Student Assistance Office calculates your need based on set criteria and the information you supply in your application. The minimum amount that can be issued for a Canada or Nova Scotia Student Loan is $100.

If eligible the maximum weekly amounts you can borrow are:

Canada Student Loan - $210 per week of study - negotiable when your classes begin

Nova Scotia Student Loan - $150 per week of study - negotiable halfway through your program

The maximum amount you can borrow in one year will vary depending on the number of weeks in the program you are taking. For example, if you are registered for a 34-week program, the maximum you can borrow is:

Canada Student Loan ($210 X 34) $ 7140

Nova Scotia Student Loan ($150 X 34) $ 5100

Maximum for 34 weeks $12,240

Canada Study Grant for Students with dependents

Students with dependent children, whose calculated need is greater than $275 per study week, will automatically be considered for a Canada Study Grant. The maximum Grant for 1-2 children is $40 per week of study. For 3 or more children the maximum Grant is $60 per week of study. The total maximum Grant per year is $3000. The minimum Grant that will be issued is $100. You do not fill out a separate application form for this grant because your eligibility is based upon the information supplied on your Nova Scotia Student Assistance application. In order for the grant to be processed, you must submit your Pre-study report to the Student Assistance Office. Once your Pre-study Report is assessed, the grant is processed and mailed directly to your school approximately two weeks after the negotiable date of your Nova Scotia Student Loan.

Canada Study Grant for women in Doctoral Studies

This program makes grants available to female doctoral students studying full time at the Ph.D level. The amount of grant available depends upon the calculated financial need as determined by Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office. The amount of grant is deducted from the amount of assistance.

Additional information on the purpose of this program, eligibility requirements, and amount of grant is available on the Canada Student Loans web site under www.canlearn.ca

Application Procedure

Application forms are available from our office. You can download a Canada Student Loans Program Application Form for Canada Study Grant for Female Doctoral Students from this site.

Deadline Date

Applications must be received by December 31 of the student's current academic year. For example, for a student in doctoral studies in the 2008-2009 academic year, the deadline date to apply is December 31, 2008.

Canada Access Grant for Students from Low-income Families

This grant is available to first-time, first-year dependent students whose families' net income falls within the range of entitlement to the National Child Tax Benefit Supplement. It will cover up to one half of tuition costs to a maximum of $3,000 (but cannot exceed your total amount of assessed financial need. Eligibility for this grant is determined during the assessment of the student loan application.

Eligibility criteria

• be eligible for a full-time Canada Student loan;
• be a dependent student;
• be a first-time student enrolled in their first year at any designated post-secondary EI;
• be a student whose net family income falls within the range of entitlement to the National Child Tax Benefit Supplement; and
• be enrolled in at least a two-year program that leads to a certificate, diploma or degree.

Canada Access Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

This grant of up to $2,000 per loan year will be awarded to students with permanent disabilities who have demonstrated financial need. For example, if you are a full-time student with a permanent disability and have a total assessed need of $14,000, you could be eligible to receive $2,000 in grant funding and $7,140 in repayable Canada Student Loans.

This grant replaces the Canada Study Grant for High-need Students with Permanent Disabilities. Eligibility for this grant is determined during the assessment of the student loan application. Click here for more information.

  Canada-Nova Scotia Access Grant

This grant is available to dependant students in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th year of studies and whose parental contribution is less than $1,000. It will provide up to $2500 to address the amount of the assessed costs that are not covered through student loans and other sources of funding. All applicants to the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office are automatically considered for the grant upon applying for assistance, however you must submit a PSR (pre-study report) to receive the grant. In the 2009-10 year, the Canada-Nova Scotia Access Grant will be made available to dependant students in their 1st year of study to accommodate for the end of the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation and it’s programs.

Eligibility criteria:

• in receipt of, or entitled to receive, a Nova Scotia Student Loan
• a dependant student
• enrolled full-time at an eligible post-secondary institution in an approved program
• pursuing undergraduate studies that lead to a degree, certificate or diploma where the program length is at least two years and the study period is at least 24 weeks
• assessed with a parental contribution, based on federal criteria, of less than $1,000
• in year 2, 3 or 4 of a program, and, beginning in 2009-10 academic year, in year 1, 2, 3 and 4

Millennium Access Grant for Students from Low-income Families

This grant is available to first-time, first-year dependent students whose assessed parental contribution is less than $1,000. It will provide up to $2,500 to address the amount that the assessed costs are not covered through student loans and other sources of funding. An additional $1,000 may be available in place of student loan to help support more manageable debt levels. Eligibility for this grant is determined during the assessment of the student loan application. No separate application is necessary.

Eligibility criteria:

• be eligible for student assistance in Nova Scotia;
• be a dependent student;
• be enrolled full-time at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution;
• be pursuing undergraduate studies that lead to a degree, certificate or diploma where the program length is at least two years and the study period is at least 24 weeks;
• be enrolled in the first academic year with no previous post-secondary education; and,
• have an assessed parental contribution of less than $1,000.

Is there a limit to how long I can apply?

You can apply for a Student Loan for the number of years in your program of study, plus one additional year. For example, if you enroll in a four-year university program, you can apply for loans for five years to complete that program. If you don't apply for student loans until your third year of a four-year program, you can apply for the number of remaining years plus one year (3 years - the remaining 2 years plus one). We start to count the number of years required to complete your program based on the year you are in when you apply for student loans for the first time. From the time you first apply, each year of study counts whether you continue to apply for loans or not.

If you start another program without having completed the first program, you will be eligible for only the number of years normally required to complete the new program. You will not be eligible for the additional year.

If you switch for a second time, you will only be eligible for the number of years that it takes to complete the new program minus the amount of years that you have already received funding.

For example . . .

John began a 3-year B.A. program in September 2008, so he can take four years to complete the program and still be eligible for Student Loans.

However, in September 2005, after two years of study, he decides to change to a 2-year program at a community college. John will be eligible for a loan the two years normally required to complete this program but not for 3 years. He is not eligible for the additional year, because he did not complete the first program. If he goes on to do another program after he completes this one, he will be again eligible for the normal number of years required to complete the program, plus one additional year.

The amount of money you can borrow is based on the number of weeks you spend in school each year. For example, in most university programs you spend 34 weeks of the year in classes. As of 1995/96, your borrowing limit is 340 weeks. If you have been applying for Student Loans since before 1995/96, your limit is 520 weeks.

Funding Limits

• Starting August 1, 2003, Nova Scotia will fund, at the undergraduate level, two degrees and one diploma, or one degree and two diplomas.
• For graduate/professional students, only one degree at each level will be funded.

Students with permanent disabilities

If you have a permanent disability, you may be able to apply for an extension to the number of years you can apply for loans. You may also be eligible for full-time student loans if you are only taking 40% of a full course load. In order to be eligible for the exemption you are required to submit a "Medical Assessment for Student Assistance Form" with your application. The medical form confirms that your permanent disability prevents you from attending school on a full-time basis. To get a "Medical Assessment for Student Assistance Form" you can contact our office and request one or download it from our web site. Click here for more information.

The Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities

The Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities can provide up to $8,000 per loan year to help pay for exceptional education-related costs associated with your disability. These costs may include tutors, oral or sign interpreters, attendant care for studies, specialized transportation (to and from school only), learning disability assessments, note takers, readers and assistive technology.

To be eligible for this grant, you must:

• have applied and be eligible for a Canada Student Loan
• have a permanent disability that limits physical or mental ability to perform the daily activities necessary to participate fully in post-secondary studies or in the labour force; and
• have a need of exceptional education-related services or equipment that are required to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a post-secondary level.

The Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities requires a separate application and is administered through the Rehabilitation Programs and Services division of the Department of Education. Click here for more information and printing application forms.

Funding for Social Assistance Recipients

If Social Assistance is paying your living costs, living costs and child costs will be allowed on your assessment. Your income from Social Assistance will be included on your assessment. Your file will be processed with your income from Social Assistance as a resource available to fund your education.