Educational costs used to determine need. These include tuition, books, living costs, local transportation, return transportation, etc. With the exception of tuition, these are not actual costs, but fixed amounts determined federally, which are the same for all applications. (See Table A  for costs)

The amount a student is eligible to receive after a student's costs have been deducted from the resources. (See funding available)

The amount of Canada Student Loans and Nova Scotia Student Assistance you may be eligible to receive

Refers to dependant and independent single students who live away from their parents' home and married students who live away from their spouse. Single Dependant Students and Married Students will be assessed with the living at home costs if the parents or spouse lives within commuting distance of the educational institution the student is attending.

This term refers to a student who has qualified for, and negotiated a Certificate of Eligibility with a loan provider.

Federally subsidized loan.

The method used to confirm enrollment of Nova Scotia student loans for students attending educational institutions in Nova Scotia.  This replaces the need for a paper loan document to take to the educational institution to be signed and mailed in to the service provider to be negotiated.  Educational institutions in Nova Scotia will access a secure web portal that allows them to view information on their students that requires confirmation and to also request the portion of the loan they require to cover fees as they had on the paper loan certificates in the past.

Working 30 to 40 hours each week and earning at least minimum wage.

Refers to the requirement for students to actively seek full-time work during their pre-study period.

Students are expected to make a Contribution from working during the pre-study period. Based on number of weeks in pre-study period provincial minimum wage rates and average weekly work hours less income tax, CPP, EI contributions and living costs.

Need is what we calculate, by subtracting your total assessed costs from your total assessed resources. This may be a positive or a negative number. The calculated need will be used in determining the authorized award under the Nova Scotia Student Loans Program. If the figure is zero, the student is deemed to have sufficient resources to finance his/her education and does not qualify for financial assistance.

The loan document for a Nova Scotia Student Loan for students who are attending institutions outside of Nova Scotia. The student has this form signed by the educational institution and then mails it to the Service Provider (Resolve Corporation) for processing. The Nova Scotia Student Loan can not be negotiated until halfway through your program.

Provincially subsidized loan.

Amount of Canada Student Loan or Nova Scotia Student Loan issued to a student in excess of the amount the student is entitled to receive.

The period immediately before the start of a student's classes. The length of this depends on what the student was doing the year before and is broken down as follows if the study period begins in September:

• just out of high school in June - 8 weeks
• finished university in April - 18 weeks
• in the labour force - 18 weeks

Funds students have or are assumed to have to contribute towards their educational costs. These are used to determine the calculated need for assistance. For specifics, see "How loan amounts are determined"

The loan document for a Canada Student Loan. The student has this form signed by the institution, and then takes it to an authorized Canada Post location or an on campus kiosk to negotiate the loan. Also known as a "Certificate of Eligibility".

Confirmation of Enrolment for Canada and Nova Scotia Student Loan. Signed by the institution and used when a student is remaining in full-time study, but is not getting additional student assistance funding. Confirms to the lender that the student is still in school and defers repayment of student's loan until the student has completed full-time study.

Your student category is used to determine the amounts of funding you are eligible to receive. There are four categories:

1. Dependant
2. Independent
3. Married
4. Single Parent

This is the fee payable for registration in a program at a post-secondary educational institution. Tuition fees are set by the institutions and are used by Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office in assessing applications.