Check your school designation

To be eligible for student aid, you must attend a designated institution and be enrolled in an eligible program.

You can also check the student loan repayment and rates of the institution you wish to attend.

Is your institution designated?

The government designates post-secondary institutions for both federal and provincial student aid. As outlined in the StudentAid BC policy manual, designated institutions are expected to focus on your success, and on ensuring you improve your overall employability.

  1. All public universities, colleges, and institutes in B.C. are designated
  2. Not all private training or out-of-province institutions have been designated by the government

Find out if the institution you are planning to attend is designated.

Institution City Province Country Designated

Is your institution accredited?

The provincial accreditation and designation process ensures that standards of integrity and educational competence are met by private institutions offering post-secondary education in B.C.

The StudentAid BC designation process is voluntary for private institutions in B.C.

Students may apply for StudentAid BC funding once an institution has met the following and has been approved for StudentAid BC designation:

Private institutions in B.C. have met one of the following:

  • Designated by the Private Training Institutions Branch, Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills;
  • Accredited by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia;
  • Accredited by the Degree Quality Assessment Board;
  • Accredited by an act legislating authority of an institution.

Institutions outside of British Columbia (within Canada) must be recognized by their provincial authority.

Institutions in the United States must be listed on Title IV - Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for institutions in the United States.

Institutions outside of North America must be listed in one of the following:

  • International association of Universities
  • World of Learning
  • Association of Common Wealth Universities
  • Title IV - Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for institutions in the United States

International medical institutions must be listed in FAIMER (the Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research) AND one of the following:

  • International Association of Universities;
  • World of Learning;
  • Association of Commonwealth Universities;
  • Title IV - Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for institutions in the United States.

What do I do if my institution is not designated?

Education institutions can apply for StudentAid BC designation. If your institution is not designated, please contact the institution (e.g. Financial Aid Office, International Office, Registrar’s Office) to request they apply for designation.

Your institution must be designated prior to submitting your StudentAid BC application, and prior to the first day of your study period, as designation is not retroactive. This process should be initiated well in advance of your studies because the application process may take several months to complete. To initiate the designation process, please ask your institution to complete the Designation Application.

If you are not sure if your institution or program of study is designated, contact the institution directly. In the event of any discrepancy between the Institution Search tool and Ministry records, Ministry records will be the official record.

What is the loan repayment rate for your institution?

Canada Student Loan Repayment Rates by Institution

Below you will find information on the repayment of Canada student loans. This information is provided to help students make informed decisions about their post-secondary education investment.

The repayment rate refers to the percentage of Canada loan dollars that have been repaid by former students that attended the institution.  The higher the number, the better the results. Rates below 60.0% are considered high risk. 

For more information on repayment rates visit the CanLearn website: http://tools.canlearn.ca/cslgs-scpse/cln-cln/rtr-rri/af.rri-eng.do