2024-25 Student Aid Information

If you have been accepted into post-secondary studies, you can apply for assistance 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

Effective August 1, 2024, Saskatchewan is introducing the Saskatchewan Student Grant for Low-Income Students with Dependants. This grant will provide eligible full-time students up to $950 per dependant for eight months of study.

All other student aid amounts remain the same as the 2023-24 loan year.

• A full-time student may be eligible for up to $13,900 in loans and up to $5,200 in non-repayable grants, per eight months of study (includes Canada and Saskatchewan student loans, the Canada Student Grant for Full-time Students, and the Saskatchewan Student Grant for Full-time Students).
• A full-time student with dependants may be eligible for a maximum of $3,160 in grant funding per dependant, per eight months of study (includes the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students with Dependants plus the new Saskatchewan grant).
• Students with disabilities may be eligible for $2,800 in grant funding per loan year from the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities.

Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship

The Saskatchewan Advantage Scholarship is available to both full-time and 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. The scholarship will provide $750 per year, with a lifetime maximum of $3,000, to eligible Grade 12 graduates, including those who have completed equivalent credentials (e.g., ABE). To receive this scholarship, students are required to apply for Saskatchewan Student Aid.

Did You Know?

• A grant is assistance 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 assistance you must pay back.

• You can apply for student aid if you are a full-time or part-time student.

• Loans are interest-free while in school. You don't have to start repaying them until six months after you complete your studies. If you have study periods without student aid funding, ensure that your school confirms your enrolment with the National Student Loan Service Centre to keep your loans interest-free. You can request a confirmation of enrolment through your NSLSC.ca account, or you can ask your school to send one.

• If you have challenges repaying your loan, depending on your income, you may be able to defer or reduce your payments by accessing the Repayment Assistance Program.

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

• 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 funding than dependent students because there is no expected contribution from their parents.

• 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.

• If you are taking leave from your studies due to medical or parental reasons, you can apply for the Medical or Parental Leave and your loan will be treated the same as if you were in studies. The leave is available for six months at a time and can be extended twice (e.g., a leave can last a maximum of 18 months total). You must apply within six months of your period of study end date.

Indigenous students are eligible to access all student loan and grant programs. There are also some features of the Saskatchewan Student Aid 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 disabilities, students with children, and students who are, or were, Crown wards. Therefore, these students may be eligible to receive more funding.

• Funding you receive from the federal government's Post-Secondary Student Support Program (e.g., band-funding), Métis Nation Post-Secondary Education Strategy and Inuit Post-Secondary Education Strategy is not considered a financial resource when you apply for student aid. 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.

Students with disabilities are eligible to access all student aid programs. There are also some features specifically for students with a permanent, persistent or prolonged disability, 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 disability who is eligible for student aid, you will be eligible to receive the Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities. You will be automatically considered for this grant in your student loan application. This grant provides $2,800 per school year to assist with educational or living costs.

• If you are a student with a disability, you may take a reduced course load and still be eligible for full-time student aid, and you will be eligible for student aid for a longer academic period.

• If you are a student with a 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 Disabilities. This grant provides up to $22,000 per program year. This includes up to $20,000 for the Canada Grant and up to $2,000 for the Saskatchewan Grant. Examples of eligible services and equipment include: tutors, interpreters, computer software and specialized transportation.

Did You Know?

• Students with disabilities do not have a fixed 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 disabilities, Indigenous students, students with children, and students who are or were Crown wards. Therefore, these students may be eligible to receive more 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 Saskatchewan Student Aid as well as other supports available to students.

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.

• Funding is available for students with dependents. 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 dependents are eligible to access all other student aid programs

Important Information about Part-time Student Aid

Financial assistance is available to help part-time students pay for post-secondary education. Students taking between 20 per cent and 59 per cent of a full course load at a designated post-secondary institution can apply for Part-time Student Aid. Students with a disability taking between 40 per cent to 59 per cent of a full-course load can choose to apply for either full-time or part-time student aid.

Eligible part-time students in Canada can receive up to $10,000 in federal loans, and up to $3,320 in grant funding including the Canada Student Grant for Part-time Students and the Saskatchewan Student Grant for Part-time Students.

In addition, part-time students with dependants may be eligible for up to $2,688 through the Canada Student Grant for Part-time Students with Dependants. Students will automatically be considered for this grant through their student aid application.

Part-time Canada Student Loans, as well as Canada and Saskatchewan grants for part-time study, are assessed based on student income and family size. The amount of funding awarded is calculated based on education costs, including tuition, textbooks, equipment costs, local transportation and daycare.