2020-21 Student Loan Year

If you have been accepted into post-secondary studies, you can apply for money to help with the costs. When you apply, the government will assess your financial situation and offer you grants and loans based on your need.

Important Information

Recognizing the financial impact of the global pandemic, a number of changes to student financial assistance have been implemented for the 2020-21 academic and student loan year. These changes are included in the Government of Canada's comprehensive supports for post-secondary students and recent graduates and in the Government of Saskatchewan's response to COVID-19, including a six month moratorium on student loan repayment, emergency bursaries, and aligning with the Canada Student Loan Program by removing the expected student and spousal contributions.

Governments at all levels want to ensure that post-secondary students have sufficient funding to pursue their education in the upcoming school year.

Effective August 1, 2020, the following changes are incorporated in to the integrated Canada/Saskatchewan Student Loan assessment for new and returning students in the 2020-21 academic year.

• Broadening eligibility for student financial assistance by removing the expected student and spousal contributions for the 2020-21 school year, in recognition that many students and families will struggle to save for school this year.
  • This will exempt expected contributions from students (up to $3,000) and spouses/common-law partners (averaging about $3,000) in students’ needs assessments for both Canada and Saskatchewan student loans.
• Doubling the Canada Student Grants (CSGs) for all eligible full-time(FT) and part-time(PT) students, as well as the CSGs for Students with Permanent Disabilities and Students with Dependents, for the 2020-21 school year.
  • CSG-FT is now up to a maximum of $750 per month of study, or $6,000 for a standard 8-month academic year
  • CSG-PT is now up to a maximum of $3,600 for the loan year
  • CSG-FTDEP is now up to a maximum of $400 per dependent, per month of study, or up to $3,200 for a standard 8-month loan year
  • CSG-PTDEP is now a maximum of $3,840 for the current loan year
  • CSG-PD is now a maximum of $4,000 for the current loan year
• Raising the maximum weekly Canada Student Loan amount that can be provided to a student for the 2020-21 school year to a maximum of $350.

Indigenous students are eligible to access all student loan and grant programs. There are also some features of the Canada-Saskatchewan Integrated Student Loan program specifically for Indigenous students, as well as other supports available to all students that may be of interest to you.

Financial Supports for Self-Declared Indigenous Students

• Indigenous students are not required to make the fixed student contribution. Typically, students are expected to contribute to their educational costs by providing a fixed student contribution up to $3,000 per year. There is no fixed student contribution for Indigenous students, students with permanent disabilities, students with children, and students who are, or were, Crown wards. Therefore, these students may be eligible to receive more loan funding.

• Money you receive from the federal government's Post-Secondary Student Support Program (i.e. band-funding), Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy and Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy is not considered a financial resource when you apply for a student loan. This means that you do not have to declare this type of funding and it will not be deducted from the amount of student loans and grants you would be offered.

Other Features that May Interest You

• Parents are not expected to contribute to your education costs if you are an independent student. If you have been out of high school for four years or more before the first day of class of the current study period, or you have been in the workforce for at least two years (two periods of 12 consecutive months) before the first day of class of the current study period, you are considered an independent student. Independent students may be eligible to receive more money than dependent students because there is no expected contribution from their parents.

• Money is available for students with dependants. If you are a full- or part-time student with dependent children, you may be eligible for monthly living allowances based on your income and the number and age of your children. This also includes a monthly allowance for daycare. Additionally, students with dependants are eligible to access all other student loan and grant programs.

• If you live away from home, you can use your funding to visit your family. If you are a student living in a different community than your family home (e.g. parents or spouse), an allowance may be included for one return trip home for each period of 16 weeks, to a maximum of $600 per semester/term.

Students with permanent disabilities are eligible to access all student loan and grant programs. There are also some features of the Canada-Saskatchewan Integrated Student Loan program specifically for students with permanent disabilities, as well as other supports available to all students that may be of interest to you.

Financial Supports for Students with Disabilities

• If you are a student with a permanent disability who is eligible for student loans, you will be eligible to receive the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities. You will be automatically considered for this grant in your student loan application. This grant provides $2,000 per school year to assist with educational or living costs.

• If you are a student with a permanent disability, you may take a reduced course load and be eligible for loans and grants for a longer academic period.

• If you are a student with a permanent disability enrolled in a program at a post-secondary educational institution, you may be eligible to receive the Canada-Saskatchewan Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. This grant provides up to $22,000 per program year. This includes an increase in the Canada Grant Cap from $8,000 to $20,000 (subject to Government of Canada legislative and regulatory approval) and up to $2,000 for the Saskatchewan Grant. Examples of eligible services and equipment include: tutors, interpreters, computer software and specialized transportation.

• If you are a student with a permanent disability enrolled in an adult basic education or apprenticeship program, you can apply for the Canada-Saskatchewan Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities without applying for a student loan. You may also be eligible for the Provincial Training Allowance.

Did You Know?

• Students with disabilities are not required to make the fixed student contribution. Students are expected to contribute to their educational costs by providing a fixed student contribution up to $3,000 per year. There is no fixed student contribution for students with permanent disabilities, Indigenous students, students with children, and students who are or were Crown wards. Therefore, these students may be eligible to receive more loan funding.

An adult learner is someone who enrols in post-secondary studies after at least 10 years away from high school. Adult learners are eligible to access all student loan and grant programs. There are also some features of the Canada-Saskatchewan Integrated Student Loan program specifically for adult learners, as well as other supports available to all students that may be of interest to you.

Financial Supports for Adult Learners

• The Government of Canada provides a Skills Boost top-up to the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students for full-time students who have been out of school for at least 10 years. If you qualify, you will receive $1,600 per year ($200 per month of an eight-month school year) in additional grant money.

Other Features that May Interest You

• A change in your employment situation does not have to be a barrier to returning to school. Working and unemployed Canadians whose employment situation has significantly changed from the previous year (e.g. lost a job, left a job) may have their current income used to assess Canada Student Grant eligibility. This means a person who experiences a drop in income may qualify for additional assistance.

• Money is available for students with dependants. If you are a full- or part-time student with dependent children, you may be eligible for monthly living allowances based on your income and the number and age of your children. This also includes a monthly allowance for daycare. Additionally, students with dependants are eligible to access all other student loan and grant programs.

• Students with children are not required to make the fixed student contribution. Students are expected to contribute to their educational costs by providing a fixed student contribution up to $3,000 per year. There is no fixed student contribution for students with children, Indigenous students, students with permanent disabilities, and students who are or were Crown wards. Therefore, these students may be eligible to receive more loan funding.

Financial assistance is available to help part-time students pay for post-secondary education. Eligible part-time students in Canada could get up to $10,000 in federal loans in addition to grant funding. Students taking between 20% and 59% of a full course load (or between 20% and 39% if you are a student with a permanent disability) at a designated post-secondary institution, can apply for Part-time loans and grants.

Part-time Canada Student Loans and Grants and Saskatchewan part-time grant is assessed based on student income and family size. The amount of funding awarded is calculated based on education costs, including tuition, learning supplies (i.e., textbooks and equipment costs), local transportation, and daycare.

In response to concerns about the impact of COVID-19, the Canada Student Grant for part-time students has increased from up to $1,800 to up to $3,600 for the 2020-21 loan year.

How to Apply

Canada Student Grant for part-time students with Dependants

If you are a student with dependants who is eligible for part-time student loans and whose income is below the low-income threshold, you may be eligible to receive the grant up to $120 per week up to a maximum of $3,840.

Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

If you are a student with a permanent disability who is eligible for part-time student loans, you will be eligible to receive the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities. You will be automatically considered for this grant in your student loan application. This grant provides $4,000 per school year to assist with educational or living costs.

Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities

Part-time students with permanent disabilities may be eligible to receive up to $22,000 to help offset exceptional, education-related costs.

Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship

The Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship is available to part-time students. If you are a Grade 12 graduate (2012 or later) and enrol in a Saskatchewan post-secondary institution, you may be eligible to receive the Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship of $500 each year (maximum of $2,000). To do this, students will be required to apply for a part-time student loan.

Request grants-only funding

Applying for a part-time student loan to access grants does not mean you have to take a loan if you prefer not to. When you apply for a part-time student loan, you are assessed for a mix of non-repayable grants and repayable loans. You can choose to receive grants only by indicating this on your part-time application form.

Did you know?

• A grant is money that you do not need to pay back. If you withdraw from school, some or all of the grant funding you receive will convert to a loan.
• A loan is money you must payback.
• You can apply for financial assistance if you are a full-time or part-time student.
• Loans are interest-free while in school, and you don't have to start repaying them until six months after you complete your studies.