Post-secondary education is an investment in your future. But the simple fact is, there are costs that come with that investment: tuition, books, gas, food, and rent to name just a few. To help with that, we’ve collected a list of the top ten ways to get the financial aid you need.
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CNC Scholarships and Bursaries
Many donors have generously given to support your future. CNC offers more than 300 awards for students. Some are based on academic achievement while others look at financial need. The best thing about these awards are that they don’t need to be paid back!
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External Awards Funding
We’re not the only ones wanting to give you money. There are many private sources of scholarship and bursary funding students can access. Funders like the Irving K Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society and many others offer a broad range of award opportunities.
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Student Loans
Student loans have helped many students attend post-secondary schooling. Offered through StudentAid BC, loans can be accessed part-time or full-time depending on coarse load.
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Canada Apprentice Loan program
Interested in a trade? Well, this one is for you. The Canada Apprentice Loan program is offered by the Government of Canada and helps Red Seal apprentices cover the cost of training. The program offers students up to $4,000 per period of technical training for up to five periods.
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Provincial Loan Services for students from other provinces
Not a resident of B.C.? That’s alright. We get it. Welcome to our beautiful province. We hope you stay. But first, you’re here for that education and provincial loan services are available to non-B.C. residents through their province’s loan service.
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Grants
The benefit of a grant is that you don’t have to pay anything back. StudentAid B.C. offers grants for students with disabilities and students in certain in-demand fields of study. They even have a loan forgiveness program for students who are in eligible programs and dedicate themselves to working in rural and remote locations in B.C.
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Adult Upgrading Grant
Students taking Adult Upgrading, English as a Second Language, or Special Education programs can potentially access the Adult Upgrading Grant to have their fees, tuition, and other supplies covered.
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Youth in Care Funding
This provincial tuition waiver program was created to improve access and educational outcomes for former youth in care. If you’re 19 to 26 years old and were in the care from the Ministry of Children and Family Development for a minimum of 24 months, you may be eligible for this program.
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Emergency Financial Assistance
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that circumstances out of our control can take a toll on our budget. CNC offers Emergency Financial Assistance for both domestic and international students facing hardship.
And finally,
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Budget, budget, budget
Even with loans, even with grants, even with scholarships and bursaries, a budget is necessary to ensuring your money goes where it needs to go. Know your expenses so you know how much is left over for the other things in life, like caffeine, which is necessary for all those long night study sessions and early mornings classes.