Canada Grants for Full-Time Students

Federal Student Grants, also known as Canada Student Grants, might cover a part of your full-time academic costs without you having to repay the money. We all day-dream about pursuing full-time programs to enhance our skills, but the crippling fear of accumulating a mountain of student-debt can hold us back. Well, it is time to break free as Federal Student Grants might just be the bridge that connects you to your seemingly ever-elusive career goals. Now that we have established that Canada Student Grants may provide the necessary financial aid to full-time students, it is time to ask the million-dollar question. How do you qualify for the federal grant for full-time students?

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for Federal Grant for Full-Time Students, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You must take up a full-time study program. This could be an undergraduate degree, a diploma, or a certificate course. All you need to ensure is that you have enrolled in a full-time course at a designated institution.   
• You must be in need of financial aid from the government. The Federal Student Grant is reserved only for students who are seeking help to pay for higher education.
•  Your family income should not surpass the maximum income threshold. To ensure that the grant is provided to those from low and mid-income families, there is a cap on the upper limit of a family’s annual income.
• You don’t reside in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, or Quebec. Students from these provinces cannot apply for Federal Student Grants as these provinces have their own financial aid program for students.

Income Threshold for Eligibility

Wondering if you make the cut for Canada Student Grants for Full-Time Students based on your family’s income? Well, look no further! Here is all you need to know about the income threshold to be eligible for this grant:

Based on your family’s gross annual income from the previous year and the number of family members, your eligibility to receive the maximum grant amount and the income threshold for grant cut-off is calculated.

If you are a family of one person:

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $32,102.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $63,615.  

 If you are a family of two people:

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $45,399.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $89,004.

If you are a family of three people:

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $55,602.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $106,278.

If you are a family of four people:

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $64,204.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $117,021.

If you are a family of five people,

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $71,782.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $126,929.

If you are a family of six people:

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $78,634.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $136,236.

If you are a family of seven people or more:

• To receive a maximum grant, your family’s annual incomeshould be less than $84,933.
• To qualify for the grant, your family’s annual income should be less than $144,457.

How to Apply

To make things easy for students seeking financial help, the federal and provincial governments require you to apply for student aid with the province or territory of your residence. This application for student aid will check your eligibility for federal as well as provincial loans and grants. In other words, you only need to fill one application to open the door to multiple financial aid possibilities. 

How Much Can You Get

By now, you must be curious to know how much you can expect in terms of financial aid from federal grants. Let’s talk numbers that you all have been waiting for. Based on your family income, you can receive up to $6,000 under federal grants for the school year of 2022-2023 i.e. up to $750 federal grant each month. It is to be noted that the maximum federal grant amount has been doubled when compared to the $3000 grant in the school year of 2019-2020. The school year starts on August 1st and will continue up to July 31st.

Skills Boost Canada Program

During the academic year of 2017-2018, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour rolled out a Skills Boost Program that encourages people to go back to school. According to this program, if you graduated from high-school at least ten years ago and have enrolled in a full-time academic course, you could receive $1,600 as grants in addition to the $6,000 that you might get from Federal Grants for Full-Time Students. Can there BE a better time to pursue your desired full-time program?

Other Federal Financial Aid Options

What if you are not eligible for a Canada Students Grant for Full-Time Students? Don’t lose heart as there are a plethora of financial aid options for you to choose from. You can check out other Federal Student Grants or Federal Student Loan programs to help you achieve your academic goals. If loans are not your cup of tea, you can also look for Federal Student Scholarships and Federal Student Bursaries.

Next Step? Contact a career counsellor at a registered college or university to know more details about supporting documents required to avail a Federal Student Grant.