Frequently Asked Questions

What funding can I get from the Canada Student Loans Program?

The federal Budget 2008 announced a series of changes to the Canada Student Loans Program to help more students with permanent disabilities attend university, college or trade school. The key elements are: • Recognizing previous assessments of permanent disability in determining eligibility for specific debt-management measures so that students will not have to send in documentation repeatedly. • Treating all borrowers with permanent disabilities compassionately by eliminating time restrictions on forgiveness of loans issued from 1995 to 2000 (risk-shared loans). • Offering a new Accelerated Repayment Assistance Plan for borrowers with a permanent disability who do not qualify for immediate loan forgiveness. • Providing immediate loan forgiveness for borrowers who will never be able to repay their student loans due to a severe permanent disability. Accelerated Repayment Assistance Plan. Effective fall 2009, an Accelerated Repayment Assistance Plan will be available to borrowers with a permanent disability. For the first time, Canada Student Loans will offer repayment assistance designed for borrowers with a disability. This assistance will ensure the following: • Disabled borrowers with low incomes will not be required to make loan payments, and will see their debt gradually written off over 10 years. • The calculation of repayment assistance will factor in the extra costs faced by disabled borrowers, reducing the amount of their affordable payment compared with that of other borrowers. These changes build on existing programs for students with permanent disabilities, which include extended eligibility for loan assistance. Students with a permanent disability will continue to receive grant assistance similar to what is available through the Canada Access Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities and Canada Study Grants for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities. The Government of Canada understands that students with permanent disabilities face additional barriers to post-secondary education. These new measures support the inclusion of students with a permanent disability by enhancing their ability to benefit from educational opportunities and to develop workplace skills while making it easier for them to repay their student loans if they encounter difficulties after school. Since 2000, Canada Student Loans have been directly financed by the Government of Canada through the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC). To provide efficient service, one division of the NSLSC is responsible for serving borrowers attending public institutions (universities or public colleges). The other division is responsible for serving borrowers attending private vocational institutions (career colleges or trade schools). Borrowers attending a public university, college or technical institution should contact the National Student Loans Service Centre ­ Public Institutions Division Toll-free: 1-888-815-4514 (within North America) Telephone: 1-800-225-2501 (outside North American plus appropriate country code) TTY: 1-888 815-4556 Web site: http://www.canlearn.ca/cgi-bin/gateway/canlearn/id/nslsc.asp Borrowers attending a private trade school, vocational institution or career college should contact the National Student Loans Service Centre ­ Private Institutions Division Toll-free: 1-866-587-7452 (within North America) Telephone: (416) 503-6671 (outside North America, you may call collect) TTY: 1-800-855-0511 Web site: http://www.canlearn.ca/cgi-bin/gateway/canlearn/id/nslsc.asp Human Resources and Social Development Canada Student Loans Program P.O. Box 2090, Station “D” Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 6C6




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