How to apply for New Brunswick student aid

Student aid in New Brunswick is needs-based and depends on several things, including family income. The federal and provincial governments offer loans, grants and bursaries. Loans must be repaid; grants and bursaries don’t. Students with disabilities may get extra support, and part-time students have their own page.

Per the official full-time students page, you need to:

• Be a New Brunswick resident, as the program defines it
• Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, or registered under the Indian Act
• Be in (or qualify for) an approved degree, diploma or certificate program of at least 12 weeks at an eligible school (check the designated schools list)
• Take at least 60% of a full course load, or at least 40% if you’re a student with a disability
• Have assessed financial need and satisfactory academic standing
• Not be in default on a previous student loan
• If you are 22 or older and applying for the first time, not have a history of credit abuse (this applies to provincial funding only)

The official page also lists who is not eligible, including international students and people who have reached the lifetime funding limits. Read that list on the full-time students page before you apply, along with its definition of a dependent student.

Use the official application checklist. Have ready:

• A valid Social Insurance Number, your email and mailing address
• Your program name, school, and study start and end dates
• Line amounts from last year’s income tax return
• Any scholarships and bursaries you’re getting
• Extra information if you’re a dependent student, married or common-law, a single parent, or a permanent resident or protected person

1. Create your account on the NB Student Aid Portal. You need a valid SIN; accounts made without one are deleted, and each SIN gets only one account.
2. Fill in the full-time application in the portal.
3. Upload your supporting documents in the portal.
4. Watch the portal’s messages for anything else they ask for.

If you can’t apply online, the official page says to call Student Financial Services to ask for a paper application.

You apply once per study year. Applications are normally processed in 3 to 5 weeks once all your documents are in, so apply well before school starts. The official page says your application, documents and any changes must be received six weeks before your study period ends. The pages we read don’t say when the next application opens, so confirm it on the official site. The official Student aid page also lists the dates it is currently processing, which can run behind the normal times, so check it after you apply.

• Your Notice of Assessment, in the portal, shows how much funding you get and when.
• If it’s your first time, or you’re back after a break of two years or more, your notice has a 10-digit number you need for your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA). Watch for a welcome email from the National Student Loans Service Centre, then see how to sign your MSFAA. You usually only sign it once.
• If your situation has changed since you applied (for example, your income dropped), ask Student Financial Services at 1-800-667-5626 whether you can request a funding review. The official Student aid page says reviews are normally processed within four to six weeks.

Your money is released after your agreement is complete and your school confirms you’re enrolled. Your Notice of Assessment says when. For loan and payment questions, sign in to the National Student Loans Service Centre.

• Will my aid cover it?
• How student aid works
• Find other aid you may fit