Manitoba Funding

Dear Manitobans, what is stopping you from going after your education aspirations? There is no prize for guessing as most of you would agree that paying for post-secondary education from a premier institute is no joke.

However, don’t let finances be a hindrance on your road to successful post-secondary education. You have many financial aid options for getting yourself right back to the classroom.

The province of Manitoba, in particular, offers a multitude of loans, grants and bursaries to help its residents get their college education without the added financial stress. If you are a resident of this beautiful region, then some of the provincial monetary aids available to you are Manitoba Loans and Grants, the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative, the Business Council of Manitoba – Indigenous Education Awards. Apart from these, there are also several federal funding options to choose from too.

Let’s get into the finer details of Manitoba’s provincial funding programs, shall we?

Manitoba Loans and Grants

Manitoba’s popular funding program, Manitoba Grants and Loans, provides a mix of loans and grants to eligible resident students who need help paying for college. Loans and grants are offered as a supplement to your existing resources, based on your financial need. Hence, not all students may be eligible for a student loan.

Applying for the Manitoba Grants and Loans program makes you automatically eligible for loans and grants via the Canada Student Loans and Grants too. Basic eligibility criteria for Manitoba’s student aid program include, but not limited to, being a resident of the Manitoba province and being enrolled at a designated school and study program.

Let’s now look at two sub-programs under the Manitoba Grants and Loans program:

Manitoba Student Loan

This provincial loan program charges no interest on the student loan when you’re pursuing full-time college education. Unlike Canada Student Loans, no interests are accrued on the loan during repayments. The repayment cycle starts only after 6 months of completing  the post-secondary education or quitting full-time school.

Manitoba Bursary

You are automatically considered for the Manitoba Bursary program on applying for the Canada and Manitoba Student Loans programs. Self-identified indigenous learners may qualify for additional financial aid. 

The Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative

With the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative, the provincial government matches the private donations that schools across the province receive from donors. The schools then divide these provincial donations into different non-repayable scholarships, bursaries and/ or grants to help students in need of financial aid.

The Manitoba government has invested millions of dollars in different schools and programs to help you finance your post-secondary education with ease. This year, $30 million will be available to students in the form of financial aid.

Business Council of Manitoba – Indigenous Education Awards

There’s good news if you’re an Indigenous student seeking financial aid to attend university or community college. The Business Council of Manitoba, in association with the Manitoba and Canada governments, offers Indigenous Education Awards. Under this program, a total of $6,000,000 has been awarded to deserving applicants since its launch in 2001.

Indigenous students who are enrolled in a full-time course at an authorized Manitoba post-secondary college qualify for this program. You also need to be a permanent Manitoba resident, who has been residing in the province for the last 12 months.

You can apply for this award to cover extra costs even if you’re already receiving funds from other programs.

Other Financial Aid Options

Didn’t qualify for any of the provincial loans and grants offered by the Manitoba government? No need to worry! Apart from the provincial financial aid programs, the students of Manitoba also have different federal funding options to choose from. You can still seek financial assistance through the popular federal aid programs such as the Federal Student Grant, Federal Student Loan, Federal Student Scholarships, and Federal Student Bursaries

Pick a college soon to explore your post-secondary course options and let Manitoba Provincial Student Aid take care of your financial woes. Find schools today!