Post-secondary education made more affordable for part-time students

Patty Hajdu

STARTING this academic year, nearly 10,000 more part-time students from low- and middle-income families will benefit from up to $1,800 in non‑repayable grants per year and up to $10,000 in loans.

This was announced by parliamentary secretary Terry Beech on behalf of Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, on Tuesday.

Additionally, access to grants for part-time students with children will be expanded allowing them to benefit from up to $1,920 per year in grants.

Expanded access to Canada Student Grants for full-time and part-time students and students with dependants helps more Canadians afford post-secondary education. These measures will benefit Canadian women in particular, who often strive to improve their career prospects while balancing family responsibilities.

Women represent nearly two-thirds of the Canada Student Loans Program’s part-time recipients, while approximately four out of five students receiving the Canada Student Grant for students with dependent children are women.

Hajdu said: “Helping more Canadians afford post-secondary education will help grow our economy and strengthen the middle class. Far too many Canadians face challenges when pursuing post-secondary education—not only because of the cost of education itself but also because of the financial pressures and time constraints of supporting our families. Our government has Canadians covered, no matter their circumstance—whether they are going to college or university for the first time, returning to school or upgrading their skills.”
Kathy Kinloch, President, British Columbia Institute of Technology, said: “The British Columbia Institute of Technology has always supported unique paths to post-secondary education. As we empower our students to embrace the challenges of a complex world, we work alongside the government and our industry partners to enhance education access opportunities for all learners.”

The Government of Canada is investing:
– $107.4 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $29.3 million per year thereafter, to expand eligibility for Canada Student Grants for students with dependants.
– $59.8 million over four years, starting in 2018–19, and $17 million per year thereafter to expand eligibility for Canada Student Grants for Part-Time Students and to increase the threshold for eligibility for Canada Student Loans for part-time students.
-Expanded access to Canada Student Grants for students with dependants, starting in the 2018–19 academic year, allows more:
– full-time students with children to receive up to $200 per month per child; and
– part-time students with children to receive up to $1,920 per year in grants.

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