Government Student Aid Overview
What is Government Student Aid?
The Government of Canada offers student grants and loans to full-time and part-time students. Grants and loans help students pay for their post-secondary education.
- Apply for grants and loans in one application, directly with your province of residence.
- Students don't need to repay grants. Applicants might be eligible for multiple grants.
- Loan repayments start after students finish school.
Benefits of Government Student Aid
- Interest free for students while students studying full-time.
- No payments required while students are studying full-time.
- No co-signer or collateral required.
- May include Grants and Bursaries.
- Interest-free repayment for Canada and Manitoba student loans
- Repayment assistance available for those experiencing financial hardships
How Much Funding Can I Get?
The amount you can receive in grants and loans is calculated when you apply with your province or territory.
Assessments are done for each student independently.
The amount you can receive depends on several factors, including:
- your province or territory of residence
- your family income
- if you have dependents
- your tuition fees and living expenses
- if you have a disability
Watch a Video About How Government Student Aid Works
The National Student Loan Service Centre offers the Government Student Loans and Grants Orientation Webinar.
We recommend this 17-minute presentation for all first-time borrowers. It provides a thorough overview of the application process and includes information on how to apply, what loans and grants are, the stages of a student loan, repayment information and how to use your National Student Loan account.
We recommend that all first-time borrowers watch this video.
The NSLSC.ca website has resources for borrowers. You can access them by opening the "Resources" tab in NSLSC's "Learning Hub". This page has the most recent information for all students at any point of your loan lifecycle.