B.C. loan forgiveness program

Recent graduates in select in-demand occupations can have their B.C. student loans forgiven by agreeing to work at publicly-funded facilities in underserved communities in B.C., or working with children in occupations where there is an identified shortage in B.C.

What is available?

If you qualify for the B.C. Loan Forgiveness Program, the Province of British Columbia will forgive the outstanding B.C. portion of your Canada-B.C. integrated student loan debt at a rate of up to a maximum of 20% per year for up to five years.

If you complete five years of employment, all or a percentage of your B.C. student loan debt will be forgiven.

Am I eligible?

You may be eligible if you:

  • are in repayment of an outstanding B.C. student loan (not restricted in default, delinquent or bankruptcy)
  • have graduated from an accredited post-secondary educational institution
  • are or will be employed (full-time, part-time, and/or casual/on-call) at a publicly funded facility in an eligible occupation either with children or in an underserved community in B.C.
  • are not enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies

Notes:

  • To receive benefits under this program you will be required to demonstrate a minimum number of in-person hours of service in an eligible occupation at a publicly-funded facility either in an underserved community or working with children (see the What are my responsibilities under this program Section).

Eligible occupations in underserved communities are:

  • Nursing (including licensed practical nursing, nurse practitioners, registered psychiatric nurses and registered nurses)
  • Physician, including residents
  • Midwifery
  • Medical laboratory technologist
  • Diagnostic medical sonographer
  • Speech language pathologist
  • Audiologist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Respiratory Therapist
  • Polysomnographer

Eligible occupations working with children throughout B.C. are:

  • Speech language pathologist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Audiologist
  • Physiotherapist
  • School psychologist
  • Technology educator
  • Teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing or the visually impaired

Eligible Underserved Communities
100 Mile House
Ahousat / Hesquiaht First Nation
Alert Bay / Namgis First Nation
Alexandria / Alexandria Indian Band / ?Esdilagh
Alexis Creek / Tl'etinqox-T'in Government / Yeneskit'in Government
Anahim Lake / Ulkatcho First Nation
Ashcroft / Cache Creek / Ashcroft Indian Band / Bonaparte Indian Band / Oregon Jack Creek Indian Band
Atlin / Taku River Tlingit First Nation
Balfour
Bamfield
Barriere / Simpcw First Nation / Whispering Pines Indian Band (Clinton Indian Band)
Bella Bella / Waglisla / Heiltsuk
Bella Coola / Nuxalk Nation
Big White
Blue River
Blueberry River
Boston Bar / Boston Bar First Nation
Bridge Lake /
Burns Lake / Francois Lake
Canal Flats
Canim Lake / Canim Lake Band
Canoe Creek Band / Dog Creek / Esk'etemc First Nation
Castlegar
Chase / Scotch Creek / Adams Lake Indian Band / Little Shuswap Indian Band / Neskonlith Indian Band
Cheslatta
Chetwynd / Saulteau / Saulteau First Nations
Christina Lake / Grand Forks
Clearwater
Clinton / Highbar First Nations
Cortes Island / Klahoose First Nation
Cranbrook / ?aq'am (St. Mary's)
Crescent Valley
Creston / Lower Kootenay Band
Daajing Giids / Skidegate Band
Dawson Creek
Dease Lake
Doig River
Edgewood
Elkford
Fernie
Fort Babine
Fort Nelson / Fort Nelson First Nation
Fort St John / Taylor
Fort St. James
Fort Ware
Fraser Lake
Galiano Island
Gold Bridge / Bralome
Gold River / Mowachaht-Muchalaht First Nation
Golden
Granisle
Grasmere / Tobacco Plains Band
Grassy Plains
Greenville / Nisga'a Village of Laxgalt'sap
Greenwood / Midway / Rock Creek
Halfway River
Hartley Bay
Hazelton / Gitanmaax Band / Glen Vowell (Sik-e-Dakh) / Hagwilget Village (Tse-kya) / Kispiox Band (Anspayaxw)
Holberg
Hornby Island
Hotsprings Cove
Houston
Hudson's Hope / West Moberly First Nations
Invermere / Windermere / ?Akisq'nuk (Akisqnuk) / Shuswap Band
Kaslo
Kimberley
Kincolith / Nisga'a Village of Gingolx
Kingcome (Dzawada'enuxw First Nation)
Kitimat
Kitkatla / Gitxaala Nation
Kitsault
Kitwanga (Gitwangak Band) / Gitanyow / Gitsegulka
Klemtu / Kitasoo Band
Kootenay Bay / Riondel
Kyuquot
Lillooet / Cayoose Creek Indian Band (Sekw'el'was) / Lillooet Indian Band (T'it'q'et) / Xaxli'p First Nation
Lower Post / Daylu Dena Council (Kaska Dena Council)
Lytton / Lytton First Nation / Kanaka Bar (T'eqt''aqtn'mux) / Nicomen Indian Band / Siska Indian Band / Skuppah Indian Band
MacKenzie
Masset / Old Masset Village Council
Mayne Island
McBride
McLeod Lake Indian Band
Merritt / Coldwater Indian Band / Lower Nicola Indian Band / Upper Nicola Band
Metlakatla
Miocene
Moricetown
Mount Currie
Nadleh
Nakusp
Nee Tahi Buhn
Nelson
Nemaiah Valley / Xeni Gwet'in First Nation Government
New Aiyansh / Nisga'a Village of Gitwinksihlkw
New Denver
Ocean Falls
Pavillion / Ts'kw'aylaxw First Nation
Pender Island
Port Alice
Port Clements
Port Hardy / Gwa'sala-Nakwazda'xw / Kwakiutl First Nation (Kwakwaka'wakw) / Tlatlasikwala First Nation
Port McNeill
Port Renfrew / Pacheedaht First Nation
Port Simpson
Powell River
Prince George / Lheidli Tènneh Nation
Prince Rupert
Princeton
Prophet River First Nation
Quatsino
Quesnel
Redstone Reserve
Revelstoke
Riske Creek / Toosey Band
Rivers Inlet / Oweekeno (Wuikinuxv First Nation)
Saik’uz
Salmo
Samahquam
Saturna Island
Savary Island
Sayward
Seton Portage / N'Quatqua First Nation
Sirdar
Skatin
Skin Tyee
Slocan Park
Smithers
Sointula
Sparwood
Spences Bridge / Cook's Ferry Indian Band
Stellat’en
Stewart
Tachet
Tahsis
Takla Landing / Takla Lake First Nation
Tatla Lake / Alexis Creek First Nation (Tsi Del Del)
Tatlayoko Lake
Telegraph Creek / Tahltan Band
Terrace / Kitselas First Nation / Kitsumkalum Band
Texada Island
Tipella
Tofino / Tla-O-Qui-Aht First Nations
Trail / Rossland / Fruitvale
Ts’il Kaz Koh (Burns Lake Band)
Tsay Keh Dene
Tumbler Ridge
Ucluelet / Toquaht Nation / Ucluetlet First Nation (Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ)
Valemount
Vanderhoof
Wardner
Wasa
Wet’suwet’en (Broman Lake)
Williams Lake / Soda Creek Indian Band (Xatsull First Nation)
Winlaw
Woss
Woyenne (Lake Babine)
Yekooche
Zeballos / Ehattesaht First Nation / Nuchatlaht Indian Band

How do I apply?

Instructions

  1. 1 Ensure you have access to the StudentAid BC Dashboard to receive all notifications and to submit documentation as required. Make sure you supply the same email address for all StudentAid BC program applications. If you are a new applicant, you will need to set up your BC Services Card app to access the StudentAid BC Dashboard.
  2. 2 Read these instructions and conditions carefully.
  3. 3 Complete the B.C. Loan Forgiveness Program application, and confirm checklist is complete.
  4. 4 Submit your application form to StudentAid BC, along with an employment letter. Your employment letter must contain all of the following:
    • must be on company letterhead;
    • current date (this date must be within one month of the date your application was received at StudentAid BC);
    • employer's signature;
    • applicant’s name and job title;
    • employment status (full-time/part-time/casual on-call);
    • hired/start date;
    • name of the publicly-funded facility;
    • name of the community; and
    • whether working with children (for specific occupations).

    Please note an employment offer letter does not meet the requirements of an official employment letter.

  5. 5 Read, sign and date SECTION 2 – Declaration, and return the completed package to StudentAid BC via the document upload option on your StudentAid BC Dashboard.

Download Form

What are my responsibilities?

Once you have been approved for the B.C. Loan Forgiveness Program, there are things you must do to maintain eligibility:

  • One year after your program registration date (your one year anniversary date), you must submit via StudentAid BC online account, mail or courier a signed letter from your employer documenting your hours of in-person service in an eligible occupation at a publicly-funded facility in British Columbia either in an eligible under served community or working with children. The letter must include the following:
    • Letterhead and name of the facility where you are employed;
    • Your name, occupation and community;
    • Dated within 30 days of your 12 month anniversary date;
    • Signature of your employer; and,
    • The number of in-person service hours provided during the 12-month period prior to the anniversary date.
  • Maintain your current mailing and email address information with StudentAid BC.

Note: If your verified in-person hours of service is less than 400 and greater than 99 hours, your benefits under the program for that year will be prorated as indicated below.

Total Annual Hours of In-Person Service Annual Percentage of BC Student Loan Debt Forgiveness
0 to 99 0%
100 to 249 10%
250 to 399 15%
400+ 20%

Important: If you plan on applying for loan forgiveness, any payments you make prior to your approval for loan forgiveness benefits will not be used in the calculation for eligibility. Therefore, the balance at the date of registration onto the loan forgiveness program will be the balance used for the calculation of benefits.

Were you in receipt of B.C. Loan Forgiveness Program benefits prior to April 1, 2015? Please call StudentAid BC at: 1-800-561-1818 with questions regarding eligibility criteria or responsibility to maintain eligibility.