When you submit your Nova Scotia Student Assistance application, you are applying for assistance funded by both the provincial and federal governments (Nova Scotia Student Loans, Nova Scotia Student Grants, Canada Student Loans, and Canada Student Grants). You should also check with your institution to investigate other sources of financial assistance which may be available to you.

As a potential consumer, it is your responsibility to make sure the school you choose is right for you. Spend as much time and consideration choosing the school as you would a career.

Check out future job markets in your field of interest and contact potential employers. Ask what training they look for in employees. Seriously investigate and compare all schools offering the education that interests you.

The fact that individuals have completed a training program at a College, Private Career College or a University does not guarantee employment. However, a good program should provide graduates with the skills required to meet the minimum employment standards of a particular occupation.

Make appointments to visit the schools and ask for a program outline.

• You must be a Canadian Citizen, Landed Immigrant or Protected Person
• If you are a Landed Immigrant (Permanent Resident) and applying for the first time, you must send a copy of your Permanent Resident Card. For other information which applies to Landed Immigrants only, please click here . If you have become a Canadian Citizen since you last applied for a student loan, send a photocopy of your citizenship card or certificate.
• You must be a Resident of Nova Scotia. Before you can determine if you are a Nova Scotia resident you will need to know what student category you are.
• You must be planning to be a full-time student at a school approved for student loans.

NOTE: You do not have to wait to be accepted by a school before you apply for a student loan. Apply and use the school you are most likely to attend. If the latter changes, complete the Change of Program form. If you have already received your loan documents, return them to us to be cancelled.

The 2010-2011 Nova Scotia Student Assistance application is for full-time students who are planning to enrol in a post-secondary program that starts any time between August 1, 2010, and July 31, 2011. You are considered to be a full-time student if you are taking 60% or more of a full course load. A person with a permanent disability is considered to be a full-time student if he or she is taking at least 40% of a full course load. For more information on determing if your course load is at least 40%, contact your educational institution.  If you would like a Nova Scotia Student Assistance application please click here.

Don't forget when you become a full time student, your existing Canada and Nova Scotia student loans are eligible for interest free status. This is not automatic. You must confirm your enrollment of full time status with the financial institution(s) or Service Provider that hold your loan(s). Your loans can be held at two or more locations. If you are unsure where your loans are held, you can contact the Student Assistance Office for further information.

It is extremely important that you confirm your full time status with the financial institution(s) holding your loans, and reinstate your interest free student status. If you do not, you could be required to make payments while you are a full time student. The processing or payment of your current student loan could be delayed due to your defaulted status.

Generally, the application process follows these steps:

1. Your application is received by our office via the  mail, electronic application, fax or hand delivery to our office.
2. Your application is scanned into our electronic database. This normally takes a few days from the time we receive it. Therefore, if you call or check the status online within the first few days of us receiving it, we will not be able to give you any information on your application.
3. Your application is reviewed by a loan assessor for completeness. If all the required information is here, your loan will be processed. If you are missing information, you will be notified by mail of what our office requires to complete the processing of your application. Depending on the time of year, a final decision on your application can take between 2-6 weeks. Our office receives more than 23,000 applications a year. A large percentage of these applications are delayed because they are missing required information. 
4. If your application is approved and you are awarded a Student Loan, we will send you three things:
   • An Explanation of Assessment which shows your costs, resources, and deadlines you must meet, as well as the amount of your Canada Student Loan, your Canada Student Grants your tentative Nova Scotia Student Loan and Nova Scotia Student Grant.
   • A loan document for CSL.
   • Instructions for negotiating your loan document.

You will need to take the document to your school and have it signed. This confirms you are actually attending the institution full time. If the school listed on your document is different from where you are attending, please forward the documents back to our office to be adjusted. Once the school signs your documents, you only have 30 days to bring them to a participating Canada Post location or to a kiosk at your educational institution. If you wait longer than the 30 days, you must return the documents to the Student Assistance Office to be cancelled and re-issued. Because the loan form is mailed directly to you, it is extremely important that you notify us of any change to your address.

Your tentative Nova Scotia award information can only be finalized once you have submitted your Pre-Study Report. The deadline for submitting your Pre-Study Report is on your Explanation of Assessment. The amount of additional loan and/or grant may be different from what you expect because we will adjust the amount of your loan based on the information in your Pre-Study Report. We encourage students to submit their Pre-Study Report as soon as their classes begin.  You may complete your "Pre-Study Report" online by going to our Online Applications section of our website. If you require a paper Pre-Study Report, contact the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office.

• Use ink when filling out and signing the application form. Do not use pencil.
• Accuracy is very important. Errors cause delays. If you are not sure how to answer a question on the form, contact our office for help.
• Enter dollars only, not cents, in Canadian currency.
• Keep a photocopy of your completed application form for your records.
• Once your application has been submitted, be sure to track the progress via our telephone/website.
• PLEASE NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure all documentation is received by our office.

WE DO NOT RETURN DOCUMENTS. SEND IN READABLE PHOTOCOPIES.

2011-2012 application forms

Application forms for the 2011-2012 academic year are available for students attending programs that start any time between August 1, 2011 and July 31, 2012. If you require a paper application, you must contact the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office to have one sent out to you. Only full-time students may use the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office Application for Full-Time Students. If you are a part-time student, you must use the Part-Time Canada Student Loan Application.

Application checklist

Your application will not be processed until you send all the documents needed. Students' applications are delayed each year because they do not send all the documents. Remember to sign the application and if you are a dependant, your parents must also sign the form. Married students must have their spouses sign their form.

Documents you must send

It is recommended that you apply as early as possible. You should submit your application at least 6 weeks before your classes begin to allow sufficient time for processing. Our office needs time to review your application and contact you if more information is needed.

You can apply for Student Assistance to attend only approved full-time programs which lead to a degree, diploma or certificate. These programs must be at least 12 weeks long and be offered by an approved institution. Approved institutions include:

• Universities, Colleges
• Technical Institutions
• Community Colleges
• Private Career College

However, even though an institution has been approved, all of its programs may not have been. The following types of programs are NOT approved:

• Upgrading programs
• Fully-funded transition year programs
• Courses that are not credited toward a degree, diploma, or certificate

You can apply for Student Assistance for some, but not all, qualifying year programs. Check with the Student Assistance Office if you are not sure whether a particular institution or program has been approved for Student Loans. Nova Scotia will not fund Private Distance Education Institutions that are not licensed with Nova Scotia Private Career Colleges.

University: If you are attending university, you need to be taking at least 60% of a full course load each term to be considered a full-time student. A full course load is normally five courses per term. To be considered a full-time student, you need at least three courses per term.

Private Career College: If you are attending a private career college, you are considered a full-time student if you are getting at least 20 hours of instruction per week.

If you are a student with a permanent disability and only able to take 40% of a full course load, you may still be eligible for a student loan.

NOTE: If you are a student with a permanent disability, please click here for information which may apply to you.

Definition of a full-time student in summer session

Before you can understand the rules that determine if you are full-time during the spring and summer sessions, you must first clearly understand what makes you full-time during the regular academic year (September to April).

During the regular academic year, you must take at least 60% of a regular course load to be full time. That means you must be registered in at least 3 credits at all times. Each credit therefore has a weight of 20%. Five courses is 100%. Five courses is usually 15 hours of class time each week. Therefore, 60% would be 9 hours of class each week.

Most universities offer two intersessions in the May to August period. Your courses in these sessions may be in class or distance courses. If all your courses are intersession courses, you are considered a full-time student if you have a minium of 12 wks study and complete 1 credit (6 credit hours) in each session.

Also, if all of your courses run through the entire May to August period which include regular in-class courses and distance courses which have a specific start and end date, usually beginning in May and ending in August and, correspondence courses which do not have a specific start and end date, you need to be taking a total of 1 1/2 credits (9 credit hours) during this period and you complete all correspondence courses by the end of August.

If you are taking a combination of intersession courses and regular or correspondence courses, you are considered a full-time student if you have a minimum of 12 weeks of study and:

• Your courses in Regular and Correspondence total 1 credit (6 credit hours) and your courses in the intersessions total 1 credit (6 credit hours) or,
• your courses in Regular and Correspondence total 1/2 credit (3 credit hours) and your courses in the intersessions total 1 1/2 credits (9 credit hours). You must have at least a half credit course (3 credit hours) in each session.

You will need a "Spring/Summer Session Confirmation of Program" form available from the Student Assistance Office. 

If you take a correspondence course, you must begin and complete the course during the spring and summer sessions.

 If you were required to begin repaying a previous student loan and did not make the regular payments you agreed to make when you signed your loan agreement, you will be in default.

If you defaulted on your Canada Student Loan, you will not be eligible for either a Canada Student Loan (CSL) or a Nova Scotia Student Loan (NSSL). If you defaulted on your NSSL, you will not be eligible for a NSSL but you may be eligible for a CSL.

You can apply to become eligible again by writing to the following addresses, giving your Social Insurance Number and the reason for defaulting on your loan:

Step by step to your Canada Student Loan

Effective March 1, 2001, banks, credit unions and caisses populaires will no longer issue funds for the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP). Instead, any new Canada Student Loans will come directly from the Government of Canada through the National Student Loans Service Centre.

To provide better service, the National Student Loans Service Centre will be responsible for serving borrowers attending both private (career colleges or trade schools) and public institutions (universities or public colleges).

To contact the National Student Loans Service Center you may call 1-888-815-4514.

The steps you must take

• We will mail your Canada Student Loan Schedule 1 (Certificate of Eligibility) to you directly. You must have your school complete the Confirmation of Enrolment section of the Schedule 1 to confirm your enrolment as a full-time student. The school will indicate how much tuition needs to be paid. This amount will go directly to the school and the remainder will go to you.

• Now you take your completed Schedule 1 to a designated Canada Post outlet.

To find the designated outlet closest to you, visit www.canlearn.ca and click on the Canada Student Loans logo or call your National Student Loans Service Centre (see phone numbers below).

You will be required to show your Social Insurance Number card (or any other official Government of Canada document that indicates your Social Insurance Number) and any valid photo identification issued in Canada by the federal government or a provincial or territorial government (driver's license, health insurance card, passport or citizenship card).

If a Canada Post outlet is not accessible to you, please call the National Student Loans Service Centre for further instructions.

• The fastest way to get your money is to attach a void cheque or direct deposit information to your loan documents and your funds will be deposited directly into your bank account within five to ten business days.

If you don't attach a void cheque, your loan will be mailed to you by cheque within two weeks, to your address as it appears on your Loan Agreement. So make sure this address is the right one!

NOTE: If you have received Canada Student Loans prior to August 1, 2000, you must let your lender holding these loans know that you are a full-time student. To do this, take copy 22a of your completed Schedule 1 to your lender. If you don't do this, your lender will expect you to start repaying these loans.

Borrowers studying abroad

Follow the same steps as borrowers studying in Canada with the exception that you will have to mail your Canada Student Loan documents to the National Student Loans Service Centre. If you have any questions or if there is a document missing, do not hesitate to call your National Student Loans Service Centre.

For questions regarding this process

Effective August 1, 2008, Nova Scotia began directly issuing Nova Scotia provincial student loans using Resolve Corporation as their Service Provider. The Province is the lender for all new provincial student loans as well as the owner, by assignment, of a portion of existing provincial loans formally held by RBC Royal Bank.

Students that are in study, or those that entered repayment on or after November 1, 2007 now have their loans administered through the Nova Scotia Direct Lend program. RBC Royal Bank, or other lenders, will continue to hold and administer Nova Scotia student loans that entered into repayment prior to November 1, 2007.

• Please refer any inquiries to Resolve Corporation at 1-877-283-1687.
   
• For further information, please visit Resolve Corporation’s website at www.resolvestudentloans.ca

If you have a 2011/12 Nova Scotia student loan and you are attending a post-secondary institution outside of Nova Scotia you will be issued a paper certificate:

• You must sign your Nova Scotia Student Loan document.
   
• An authorized person from your Educational Institution (EI) must sign the Nova Scotia Student Loan document confirming your enrolment.
   
• The Nova Scotia Student Loan document is valid for only 30 days after it is signed by your Educational Institution.
   
• You must send a “void cheque” and the "Nova Scotia Student Assistance Bank Account Enrollment Form" to provide your banking information with your Nova Scotia Student Loan document.
   
• The Nova Scotia Student Loan document cannot be negotiated after the last day of the month of the Period of Study End Date (PSED).

Present paper certificate to Resolve on-Campus kiosk or you can mail or courier to Resolve Corporation copy 1 of your completed loan document. 

If you have a 2011/12 Nova Scotia student loan and you are attending a post-secondary institution in Nova Scotia, your loan will be issued through the Electronic Certificate (e-cert) process:

• The Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office will contact your Educational Institution (EI) to confirm your enrollment through a web portal.
   
• An authorized person from your Educational Institution (EI) will electronically confirm your enrollment and any fees due to your EI for your Nova Scotia Student Loan.
   
• The Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office electronically sends your student loan information to Resolve.
   
• Resolve receives the information electronically from the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office and disburses funds to you as well as your educational institution.

Banking information for disbursement of Nova Scotia student loan:

In order for your Nova Scotia student loan to be calculated and your Educational Institution to be contacted for electronic confirmation of enrollment, you must first submit your Pre-Study Report (PSR). There are two (2) options available to submit your PSR, either online or by paper. If you complete your PSR online, the Nova Scotia Student Assistance office will identify to you whether we require you to submit a Banking Information Form. This form can either be downloaded and printed off as you complete your online PSR or mailed out to you. If you requested your PSR in paper format, then the Banking Information Form will be included with the PSR for your convenience. Remember, your school is not able to access your file to confirm enrollment until your Banking Information Form has been submitted and received by the Nova Scotia Student Assistance office, and so the disbursement of your award cannot be made by Resolve.

If you have any questions about this new process feel free to contact the Nova Scotia Student Assistance office.