Manitoba Student Loans

Are you a resident of Manitoba planning to pursue post-secondary education but are worried about tuition? Or are you thinking of pursuing a degree while working to speed up your professional growth? No matter what the case may be, if finances are holding you back, you’re in luck! Manitoba Student Loans can help you accomplish your education dreams without having to worry about the expenses they come with allowing you can channel your career in the right direction. It’s a great way to secure your future. 

The Manitoba Student Loans cover full-time and part-time students and students with permanent disabilities. One of the biggest advantages of these loans is that once you apply and fulfill the eligibility criteria, you automatically become eligible for the Canada Student Loans program, which can further supplement your schooling expenses so you don’t have to worry about managing your job and your studies.

Excited to learn more about Manitoba Student Loans? Read through the following sections to know how to go about it.

Eligibility Criteria

Wondering if you qualify for Manitoba Student Loans? Checking the eligibility criteria below will help you know for sure:

• You must be a citizen of Canada, have permanent resident status, or protected person status.
• You must be a Manitoban, i.e. a resident of Manitoba.
• You should be studying in an authorized institution and course; you can contact Manitoba Student Aid to find out if your course and institution are eligible.
• If you’re a full-time student, you must take up at least 60% of your course load in each term; for full-time students with permanent disabilities, taking on at least 40% of the course load is required.
• If you’re a part-time student, you must take up 20% to 59% of your course load each term; for part-time students with permanent disabilities, taking on 20% to 39% of their course load each term is mandatory.
• Students in private training or vocational school should take on 100% of their course load and have an attendance of over 90%.
• If you are a first-time applicant over 22 years of age, you need to pass a credit check.
• You have a genuine financial need to support your educational expenses.

How to Apply

You can apply for Manitoba Student Loans in one of two ways – online or paper application. However, due to technical issues, the option to apply online is currently unavailable. Here are the details on both methods:

Online Application (Currently Unavailable)

Full-time students can apply online ( ​https://web33.gov.mb.ca/sao/app/en/page1) even if they haven’t received their official acceptance letter yet. All you need to know are details of your school and program along with the start and end dates of the course you’re applying to. You can expect your application to be processed in two weeks. After your application has been vetted, you will get to know the loan amount you are eligible for and the forms you would need to fill. If you didn’t make the cut, you will receive information on why your application was rejected.

Paper Application

You can submit a paper application only if you’re a part-time student or if this is your second application in the same year for the same program. You need to visit the Manitoba Student Aid Office to pick up your paper application. It’ll take about 5 to 8 weeks for them to assess your application, post which you’ll find out the amount you’ll receive, the forms you need to furnish, and if and why you were deemed ineligible for the loan. 

Please note that applications are available from June onwards and it’s recommended you start applying early so you don’t skip any important deadlines. After you’re done applying, you must submit all your documents within 45 days to receive the funds. Here’s a list of the documents and important information that you’ll need: 

• Your basic contact information such as your name, address, and phone number.
• Information on your program – including course load, start and end dates, the name of the institution etc.
• Your income and funding-related information, which would encompass your Income Tax Returns of the previous year, your bank account details, and the student aid you’ve received thus far.
• In case you’re a dependent student, you need your parents’ Social Insurance Number as well as the records of their Income Tax Returns from the previous year. 
• If you’re married, you’ll need to furnish your spouse’s Social Insurance Number along with their previous year’s Income Tax Returns Records.

How Much Can I Get

Eager to know the amount of funding you can get? The exact amount you receive will depend on your financial need, which is calculated by the provincial government using the following basic formula:

Allowable Expenses: 

Allowable expenses can be your tuition fee, expenses on books and supplies, living allowances, and any other mandatory fees. 

As for when you’ll receive your funds, you shall get them once school has started and your application has been approved. Since you can apply for Manitoba Student Loans along with Canada Student Loans, it is important to keep in mind that you will receive the latter at the start of the school year and the former in two disbursements, during the beginning and the middle of the program. 

Also, please remember that this loan is applicable only for one degree, one diploma, and one certificate course. You won’t qualify for more student funding unless the first program was needed to get the second one. The lifetime loan limit for full-time students is 340 weeks. Students enrolled in doctoral studies could be eligible for an additional 60 weeks.

Repayment Process

The great thing about Manitoba Student Loans is that they are interest-free. You can start repaying your loans six months after completing your course. For more details on the repayment process, you can contact Manitoba Student Aid. 

Other Student Aid Options 

Curious to know if there are more funding options available to you? You can check out The Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative, and Business Council of Manitoba – Indigenous Education Awards.