Oct
26
 
2023

StudentAid BC YouTube Videos

Updated January 18, 2024

Watch our YouTube video series to learn about the student financial assistance journey from start to finish.

Whether you’re just planning for college or university or have already started your post-secondary studies, these short videos will help you understand how student financial aid works.

Learning for Future Grant

The Learning for Future Grant is available to full-time or part-time students who meet the eligibility criteria for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and are enrolled in a program or course below the graduate level that leads, or will lead, to a credential (citation, certificate, diploma or degree).

What is available?

The Learning for Future Grant provides an annual grant of $3,500 per program year (August 1 to July 31) to assist with additional education related costs not covered by the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program (e.g. textbooks, computers, supplies, etc.).

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for the Learning for Future Grant students must:

  • Meet all eligibility criteria for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and;
  • Be enrolled in a course or program of study, below the graduate level, that leads, or will lead, to a credential (citation, certificate, diploma or degree), where each study period is a minimum of 6 weeks or 35 tuition hours in duration. This includes:
    • Unclassified/qualifying studies
    • Continuing Education courses and programs that:
      • Lead, or will lead, to a credential (citation, certificate, diploma or degree)
      • Support entry to the labour market or transition to a credentialed program at an eligible post-secondary institution.

Single/standalone courses that do not lead to a credential are not eligible (regardless of whether they will support a student’s entry to the labour market).

Youth Educational Assistance Fund (YEAF) Transition Plan

Students who applied for YEAF by July 31, 2023, and were approved, are eligible to receive the YEAF grant amount through the YEAF Transition Plan for the duration of their initial program of study, the 4-year maximum or until they turn 25, whichever comes first. This includes students who were previously approved for YEAF in a program or post-secondary institution that is not eligible for the Learning for Future Grant. Students who are eligible for both the YEAF Transition Plan and the Learning for Future Grant may not receive both YEAF and the Learning for Future Grant in the same program year.

To apply for the YEAF Transition Plan, please complete the YEAF Transition Plan Application Form and the YEAF Transition Plan Confirmation of Enrolment Form.

How do I apply?

Students who have previously verified their eligibility for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program or the Learning for Future Grant must submit a Learning for Future Grant Declaration Form annually through the Financial Aid Office at their post-secondary institution.

Instructions:
  1. 1 Download the Learning for Future Grant Declaration form.
  2. 2 Submit your signed Declaration form to your institution’s Financial Aid Office so they can validate your eligibility.
  3. 3 If you are eligible, you will receive the $3,500 Learning for Future Grant for the program year (August 1 – July 31).

First time applicants must submit a Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and Learning for Future Grant Application form to StudentAid BC through the Financial Aid Office at their post-secondary institution.

Instructions:
  1. 1 Download the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program and Learning for Future Grant Application form and complete Sections 1 and 3.
  2. 2 Submit your signed application form to your institution’s Financial Aid Office so Section 2 can be completed.
  3. 3 Your institution will submit your application form to StudentAid BC who will verify your time-in-care with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and/or the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. The verification process can take up to 6 weeks depending on the complexity of your records search.
  4. 4 If you are eligible, you will receive the $3,500 Learning for Future Grant for the program year (August 1 - July 31).

For further information, please review the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program - Frequently Asked Questions and the Learning for Future Grant - Frequently Asked Questions or contact the program at tuitionwaiver@gov.bc.ca.

Am I eligible for in-study payment free status?

If you are enrolled in full-time studies at a designated institution, you may be eligible for in-study payment-free status.

  • You must either apply for further student financial assistance or apply for in-study payment-free status.
  • Your school must confirm your enrolment.
  • You must not have any outstanding interest owed on your student loans.
  • You must not have any restrictions preventing you from being eligible for a funded term.
Note: If you have outstanding interest owing on your Canada-B.C. integrated student loan before the Confirmation of Enrolment is received and after your in-study start date, you will be required to pay any accumulated interest before your loan can be put into in-study payment-free status.

Appendix 2

Why am I being asked to complete Appendix 2: Spouse/Common-Law Partner Information?

A student you know has applied for student financial assistance and must have their spouse/common-law partner complete Appendix 2. Appendix 2 asks for personal and financial information. This information is used to determine how much you may be required to contribute towards the student’s education and how much they may be eligible to receive in federal and provincial grants.

Are you common-law?
You and your partner are considered to be common-law if you meet both of the following:

  • you are currently living together in a marriage-like relationship; and
  • you will have been living together for at least 12 consecutive months as of the student’s first day of classes.

The applicant will have access to information provided on your Appendix 2.

ALL INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION

Q18. Date of marriage or the date you began living together in a marriage-like relationship (yyyy-mm)

This is the date you were married or, if common-law, the date you began living together in a marriage like relationship.

Q21. During the applicant's study period, will you be: Living with the applicant during the study period?

If you must live separately from the applicant during the study period, separate living allowances will be assessed.

Q22. Will you be a full-time post-secondary student for some or all of the applicant’s study period?

During the applicant’s study period, will you also be attending school full-time for some portion of that period? If so, answer YES. If your study period does not overlap with the applicant’s, answer no to this question. If it partially or completely overlaps, answer yes. Full-time is defined as at least 60 per cent of a full course load (40 per cent for students with a permanent disability, or a persistent or prolonged disability). This could be either high school, adult basic education, college prep, summer school, post-secondary or a training program.

Q23. If you will you be a full-time post-secondary student during the applicant’s study period, how many weeks of the applicant's study period will you also be in studies?

Enter the number of weeks you will be a full-time student during the applicant's study period. If you will be a full-time student for only part of the applicant’s study period, your expected spousal contribution will be pro-rated based on the number of weeks during the applicant’s study period in which the spouse or common-law partner is not in full-time studies.
To report the number of weeks of the applicant’s study period that you will also be in study, include all weeks where you will be in study for more than half the week (i.e., four days or more in that week). Use whole numbers only (no half weeks)."

Q24. During the applicant's study period, provide total income assistance/social assistance (welfare) and/or B.C. income assistance for persons with disabilities that you will be receiving:

Normally, students are not eligible to receive Income Assistance (welfare) while attending post-secondary studies, with the exception of students with disabilities in receipt of benefits under the Disability Benefits Program Act. If you are currently in receipt of Income Assistance, you must contact your Employment Assistance Worker or Social Worker and advise him/her of your spouse/common-law partner's intention to take full-time post-secondary studies. Your worker will determine whether you can continue to receive Income Assistance during your study period based on the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction or whether your Income Assistance will stop while your spouse/common-law partner is in full-time studies. If you have a disability and are receiving B.C. income assistance for persons with disabilities now from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, contact your local office to find out if you will be eligible to continue to receive B.C. income assistance for persons with disabilities during your spouse/common-law partner's study period. If you will be receiving income assistance or B.C. Income Assistance for Persons with Disabilities equal to or exceeding $1,500 over the course of your study period, your spouse/common law partner will be subject to an agreement between our ministries. Under the agreement, the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction continues to provide maintenance (shelter, food, etc.) while StudentAid BC considers the cost of the program. These costs are limited to:

  • tuition
  • books/supplies
  • disability allowance
  • transportation costs, and,
  • unsubsidized day-care/baby-sitting costs, if you have dependent children.
Do not include on this line the Income Assistance/B.C. income assistance for persons with disabilities amount claimed by your spouse/common-law partner on the application or you will be assessed twice for these funds.

Q25. During the applicant's study period, will you be in receipt of employment insurance benefits (EI)?

Will you be in receipt of employment insurance benefits (EI) at the time the applicant submits their application? If so, answer YES. If you begin to receive employment insurance benefits (EI) after the student's application has been received, the student will need to submit an Appendix 7, Request for Reassessment, with documentation providing evidence of your receipt of these benefits.

Q26. During the applicant's study period, will you be in receipt of federal or provincial disability benefits?

Will you be in receipt of disability benefits from either the federal or provincial governments at the time the applicant submits their application? If so, answer YES. If you begin to receive federal or provincial disability benefits after the student's application has been received, the student will need to submit an Appendix 7, Request for Reassessment, with documentation providing evidence of your receipt of these benefits.

Q27. During the applicant's study period, how much will you pay for: Your Canada student loan and/or provincial student loan regular scheduled payments made?

Payments are defined as those which have been set under a formal monthly repayment schedule with your service provider and/or bank. Do not include payments or interest penalties on defaulted loans, loan overaward payments, or voluntary payments in excess of the expected monthly payment.

Q28. During the applicant’s study period, how much will you pay for total day-care costs? (Only one parent may claim day-care costs.)

Day-care costs are costs paid to a caregiver to care for your child(ren) aged 11 years or under, to enable the student and/or spouse or common-law partner to attend classes or to work during the study period. If a spouse or common-law partner is at home caring the student's dependent child(ren) during the study period, you cannot claim day-care costs. Enter study period day-care costs you will incur (be responsible for) for your child(ren) aged 11 or under. Do not include the amount of any Child Care Subsidy you may receive, only the amount you pay. Do not include costs declared by the applicant on the application, as only one parent can claim these costs. Do not include food, shelter or clothing costs. These are covered under a moderate standard of living calculation used in the assessment process.

Q29. During the applicant's study period, how much will you pay for: Child support and/or spousal support that you pay?

Enter any child support and/or spousal support payments you pay during the applicant's study period.

Q30. Enter your reported total income from line 15000 of your 2022 income tax return. If you did not file a 2022 income tax return, enter your total income from all sources both inside AND outside of Canada.

Enter the amount from line 15000 of your 2022 income tax return. The amount you report will be checked against Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) records. If the amount you report is different from CRA records, CRA data will be used to determine the applicant’s need assessment calculation and/or grant eligibility. If your previous year total income (as reported on Line 15000 of your 2022 tax return) changes, a reassessment of the applicant’s financial assistance application will be required. If you did not file a Canadian Income Tax Return for 2022, enter your total 2022 income from all sources both inside and outside Canada, which includes employment, pension investment, rental, RRSP, foster parent, net professional income, workers’ compensation, employment insurance and disability assistance. Convert foreign currency into Canadian dollars. StudentAid BC receives regularly updated information from CRA and may, after the point of initial StudentAid BC application assessment, compare income amount(s) declared on the application against CRA records, to ensure that the applicant’s financial need and/or grant eligibility remains up-to-date and accurate.

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