Nunavut Funding

Mystical, ethereal, charming – these words don’t do justice to describe Nunavut’s pristine swathe of Arctic landscape that includes major parts of the North American continent, as well as a beautiful archipelago. If you belong to this vast and sparsely populated land, you are already privy to its unique natural beauty.

What many might not know, however, is that the Nunavut government has a wonderful education program and student aid systems in place to help guide the territory’s residents in pursuing post-secondary education. Whether you are fresh out of high school or are looking to earn a new degree after grinding in the job market, options like Nunavut Grants, Nunavut Loans, Nunavut Scholarships, and Nunavut Distance Course Reimbursement will help you in acquiring a college education.

But before we explore these programs briefly, let’s take a look at a few basic student categories of Nunavut. These student categories decide which student aid programs apply to an individual.  

Student Categories

If you are planning to attend post-secondary schooling in Nunavut, you need to be aware of these three student categories:

Nunavut Beneficiaries

If you are considered a beneficiary as per the terms of the Nunavut Land Claim Agreement, you are eligible for both grants and loans provided by the Nunavut government.

Nunavut Residents with Nunavut Schooling

Residents of Nunavut who have attended basic secondary schooling up to high school in the territory fall under this category, and are considered eligible for grants and loans.

Nunavut Residents without Nunavut Schooling

If you are a Nunavut resident, but did not attend schooling in the territory, or attended for less than three years, then you fall under this category, and as a result, are eligible primarily for loans only.

With the basic student categories out of the way, let’s get into the student aid programs offered by Nunavut: 

Nunavut Grants

The grants offered by the Nunavut government can be classified into three types: Basic Grants, Supplementary Grants, and Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities.

Basic Grants

Eligible only for beneficiaries and residents who have completed schooling in Nunavut, this grant takes care of tuition fees, book fees, as well as basic travel costs, such as airfare. You can get a basic grant of up to $3428 per semester.

Supplementary Grants

This grant will handle everyday expenses of living including rent, food, and other commodities and is primarily calculated based on the student’s family size and their financial condition. Travel expenses of dependent family members are also taken into consideration.

Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities

With a certificate from a medical practitioner, anyone with a permanent disability can avail of this grant. The expenses covered include the cost of physical equipment as well as special services for study aid, depending on the nature of the disability. You can get up to $8000 for any equipment or services you may require. Or you can get $1000 for each full credit you earn.

Nunavut Loans

Unlike the grants mentioned above, the loan programs are financial aid that needs to be repaid. For this region, there are three major loan systems.

Primary Loan

Covering the basic costs of food, clothing, and accommodation-related expenses, a primary Loan is allocated for Nunavut Residents who have resided in the region for at least three years. Unlike most loans, this one can be waived off if the student ends up living and working in Nunavut in the future.

Secondary Loan

If you are a Nunavut Resident, but haven’t done schooling or lived in the territory for more than three years, then you are eligible for the secondary Loan, which takes care of rent, food, and other daily expenses. However, this loan must be repaid in full, unlike the primary loan.

Needs Assessed Loan (NAL)

This loan can be considered as a supplementary on top of the other loans, depending on the financial needs of the students. Canadian citizens and Nunavut residents are the only eligible candidates for Needs Assessed Loan. It can only be availed for the current semester, not past ones and must be re-applied for each semester.

Nunavut Scholarships

Rewarding academic excellence is of paramount importance for the Nunavut government, and this becomes evident through the following scholarships:

Grade 12 Scholarships

If you have completed Grade 12 from a school in Nunavut with an average percentage of 80 or higher, then you will be awarded $500 for your academic endeavours.

Undergraduate Scholarship

For those bright minds that secure grade A in the first year of their undergraduate degree, they will be awarded a sum of $750 each academic year as long as they maintain these grades.

Master’s Scholarship

If you are directly pursuing a Master’s degree after completing an undergraduate degree program with a grade A, then you are eligible for a $1000 scholarship at the beginning of your post-graduate education.

Doctorate Scholarship

In case you secure a grade A in the final year of your Master’s program and jump straight into a Doctoral degree, then you can receive a $1500 scholarship at the start of your doctoral program.

Nunavut Distance Course Reimbursement

Residents of Nunavut who have completed post-secondary college education via a distance learning/correspondence program will be reimbursed by the government. To receive the course reimbursement, you must have lived in Nunavut for three years or more before enrolling in a distance education program.   

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