Stuff you should know

• Most spring classes are now in session! Unlike the previous term, classes will be graded normally in addition to being delivered remotely. Check your eClass if you’re enrolled this term!

• The Province of Alberta has introduced staged plans for re-opening certain parts of the province. Still, physical distancing restrictions are maintained throughout each phase. Check out this post to see what options the University is considering for Fall 2020. 

• The federal government has announced student-specific financial support. This includes:

  • The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB),

  • Changes to federal student loans and grants,

  • Research grant funding extensions,

  • Additional funds to support Indigenous students, and

  • Additional grants for students who volunteer for a set number of hours.

What you’re eligible for: financial support, grants, and jobs

New financial support for students didn’t happen magically. We worked with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations to make sure our government is supporting students in the ways it must, and to make sure a wider variety of students are able to be appropriately supported. As of right now, you could be eligible for:

Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)

• Applications for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) are open. The CESB provides income support to post-secondary students who lost work opportunities due to COVID-19. If you are a domestic student who wasn’t able to receive the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), then you are likely eligible to receive CESB support. Learn more or start your application here. 

Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

• Only domestic students are eligible for CESB. If you are an international student, and you meet all eligibility requirements, you could be eligible for Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). Through the CERB, the Government of Canada is offering $2000/month a month for up to 4 months for workers who lose their income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about CERB eligibility and how to apply

Changes made to the Canada Student Loan Program

• As of March 30, 2020, repayment on all Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprenticeship Loans is paused, interest-free, until September 30, 2020. Additional changes have now been made to federal loans, including doubling student grants for 2020-21, increasing the weekly maximum loan limit, and increased support for Indigenous students.

• In most cases, these changes mean that if you apply for government financial aid, you will receive more than you did this year (through Canada Student Loans), including a greater amount that you will not have to repay after you graduate.

• How you access it: Pending government approvals, the new measures will come into effect on August 1, 2020 and be available to students for 1 year. More information is available here.

Changes to Canada Summer Jobs

• The Canada Summer Jobs Program supports summer work opportunities for people 15-30 years old. To help create opportunities for students during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has:

  • increased the wage subsidy so that employers can receive up to 100 per cent of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage for each employee,

  • extended the end date for employment to February 28, 2021 through the program,

  • and now allows employers to hire staff on a part-time basis, and the ability to adapt projects and job activities to support essential services. More information is available here.

Canada Student Service Grant (and why you should consider volunteering!)

• The new Canada Student Service Grant will provide between $1,000 and $5,000 to support post-secondary education costs for Fall 2020. This grant aims to encourage students to get involved in the COVID-19 response and reward significant contributions to COVID-19 efforts.

• How you access it: More details will be made available on the I Want to Help platform soon, including information about eligibility, the levels of funding available under the grant, how to apply for a national service position, and how applications will be assessed. Details are still coming, but there is more info available here.

• In the meantime, consider looking for volunteer opportunities you want to get involved with. Peer Support Centre volunteer applications are now open, or, you can check out UASU volunteer opportunities, or look at our Volunteer Registry to see what else is out there.