For first-time applicants, the following information will be posted to your Advanced Education Student Portal account once your application has been assessed:
- An Assessment Summary Letter with information on the amount of your student aid including the payment schedule for your student loan and grants;
- Your 10-digit Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) number; and
- Instructions on what to do with the MSFAA number to get your student aid.
Students who have previously completed a full-time MSFAA and are now applying for part-time student aid must complete a new part-time MSFAA. The part-time MSFAA has different conditions than the full-time MSFAA.
New applicants must complete a two-step online MSFAA process to receive student aid.
Upon receiving your Assessment Summary Letter and 10-digit MSFAA number, you will receive a “welcome email” from the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC). A secure URL in the email will invite you to use your MSFAA number to:
- Verify your identity by registering your account with the NSLSC; and
- Complete your MSFAA where you will be asked to Accept the Terms and Conditions of the agreement.
The MSFAA is a multi-year legally binding contract that must be signed when applying for student aid for the first time. The MSFAA outlines the terms and conditions of accepting your federal and provincial student aid.
The two-step process noted above must be completed to receive your student aid.
The following information will be required to be able to complete this process:
- Your bank account information, including transit, institution and account number;
- Your social insurance number;
- Your 10-digit MSFAA number; and
- Your date of birth.
If you have already signed a MSFAA, you do not need to complete this online MSFAA process again unless it has been at least two years since you last attended a post-secondary institution or if you have established residency in a new province or territory.
If you are a returning student who does not require a new MSFAA, the NSLSC will send you an email from info@csnpenslsc.ca with the subject line “Important Update: Check your Mailbox” when the student loan/grant funds are disbursed.
If you have questions about the MSFAA process, check out NSLSC's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
If your information has changed, please contact the NSLSC to update your account:
Toll Free Telephone (within North America):
1-888-815-4514
Outside North America: 800-2-225-2501
TTY: 1 888 815-4556
If you attend a school that offers electronic confirmation of enrolment, your school will automatically confirm your full-time enrolment with the NSLSC.
If you attend a school that does not have electronic confirmation of enrolment, a confirmation of enrolment form will be sent by mail. If your school is in Canada, the form is mailed to the school; if outside Canada, the form is mailed to you (in which case you must take it to your school for them to complete and send to the NSLSC).
Once your enrolment is confirmed, the NSLSC will electronically deposit funds into the bank account that you provided on the MSFAA. Please review your Disbursement Schedule in your Assessment Summary Letter to determine when your payments will be deposited. NOTE: Your educational institution can choose to remit Federal Loans and a portion of the Federal Grants directly towards your tuition costs. Any outstanding tuition amounts are the responsibility of the student.