New Canada Student Grants

The new Canada Student Grants will be available to students, starting August 1, 2009. These grants are expected to provide $350 million for the 2009-10 academic year to over 245,000 students. This will rise to $430 million for 2012-13. This is in addition to the current funding levels of federal grants, which results in a total of over $600 million being available to students.

Students do not have to pay back a Canada Student Grant. These grants offer students and their families:

• stable and transparent funding, to allow for better planning and decision-making;
  
  
• access to the grants in all participating provinces and territories; and,
  
  
• assistance based on income and family size.

1. Grant for Students from Low-Income Families -- $250 per month;
   
   
2. Grant for Students from Middle-Income Families -- $100 per month;
   
   
3. Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities -- $2,000 per loan year;
   
   
4. Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities (for exceptional education-related services or equipment) -- $8,000 per loan year;
   
   
5. Grant for Students with Dependants -- $200 per month, per child;
   
   
6. Grant for Part-time Students with Dependants -- $40 to $60 per week of study per child under 12 years of age;
   
   
7. Grant for Part-time Studies -- up to $1,200 per loan year;
   
   
8. Transition Grant for former Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation general bursary recipients.

Students are automatically assessed for grants when they apply and qualify for a Canada Student Loan. Students must apply for a Canada Student Loan through their province or territory of permanent residence (a separate application is needed only for the Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities).

Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut do not provide Canada Student Loans because these jurisdictions operate their own student financial assistance programs. Students from these jurisdictions can contact their student financial assistance office to learn about programs available to them.

For more information, visit the Canada Student Grants section of CanLearn.ca or email info@canlearn.ca to request publications and guides on Canada Student Grants and Canada Student Loans.