How Can StudentAid BC Help With Post-Secondary Education?

Our guest blogger this week is James. James works with StudentAid BC, supporting all British Columbians to have an opportunity to participate in post-secondary education. Thank you for joining us, James!

If you have been looking at post-secondary education or training, you may be asking yourself, “where’s the money going to come from?” Well, if you’re a B.C. resident, you might not have to cover the full cost all by yourself. StudentAid BC is here to help.

StudentAid BC helps British Columbians make college and university more affordable by offering loans, grants and other financial aid programs.

• Loans = money that you will have to repay but is interest- and payment-free while you are in school full-time.
• Grants = money that you will not have to pay back.
• Other financial aid programs = money to support students with permanent disabilities, former youth-in-care, as well as programs to help repay loans, just to name a few.

Now you might be asking, “how much money can I get?” StudentAid BC funding is calculated by comparing the amount you need to live and go to school with your personal and family resources. So the amount of funding you may be able to get depends on your financial situation.

You may also be wondering, “What will my education costs be?” Tuition, books, and student fees, as well as living expenses, such as rent, utilities, food and transportation costs add up if you are not remaining at home for the duration of your studies. Planning is key! Create a realistic budget.

In 2017-2018, StudentAid BC provided over $625 million in funding to over 60,000 full-time and part-time students. The Province also reduced the interest rate on student loans by 2.5%.

Visit StudentAidBC today to learn more.