Parents
Welcome to the Concordia University family! At the Financial Aid and Awards Office, we know that sound management of your student’s investment in their education is a top priority, and planning for paying for university can be complex. We’re here to help!
The investment in a university education is one of the biggest expenses young adults and their families will make. It is important to talk about financial resources and plans early in the decision making process – the sooner everyone knows the costs and resources available, the sooner action can be taken to fill any gaps.
To help students and their families plan for the cost of attending university, we’ve created a few scenarios to help answer the “So, what’s it going to cost?” question.
Special considerations for out of town students and families:
Establishing Quebec Residency for Tuition Purposes
In Quebec, tuition rates vary for Quebec residents and Non-Quebec residents. The Government of Quebec has established 14 eligibility scenarios under which a student may apply for the Quebec tuition rate. Learn more about residency requirements.
To consider: Even though establishing Quebec residency may seem like a less expensive option, you’ll also need to factor in the extra costs associated with extending the amount of time your student stays in school as well as the opportunity cost of lost salary earnings during that time.
Courses Related to French Language and Culture and Tuition Reductions
The government recognizes the value of studying away from home and the positive effects that can be generated by living in and learning about a new culture. To help foster this learning experience, the government recognizes approximately 60 courses related to the French language and culture that can be offered to Non–Quebec residents at the Quebec tuition rate. Please contact the Financial Aid and Awards Office for more details by emailing us at : fundingyoureducation@concordia.ca.
Financial aid and awards activities are connected to and influenced by three other very important processes: Admission to the university; registration; and government student aid calculation and disbursement timelines.
To help you help your student keep on track, here are some key dates.
Admission deadlines for the fall term:
- February 1 for non-Canadian students
- March 1 for Canadian students
See the full information on admission dates.
For financial aid and awards purposes, it is important to know what type of program your student will be in (certificate, bachelor, master’s or PhD) as well as whether they will be attending Concordia full- or part-time. These two factors determine to which loan program your student may apply to and how much funding they can expect to receive. Not all academic programs are eligible for government student aid.
Registration
This is the most important requirement for all students. Only when all courses appear on the student record can costs be confirmed and any calculations for student aid finalized. Registration opens in the spring of each year and students are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Learn more about registration, including the important dates. There's information for undergraduate and graduate students.
For New Students: Students starting their first year of studies at Concordia will need to receive academic advising from their Faculty before they can register. Advising varies from Faculty to Faculty. Learn more about advising.
If your student will be relocating to Montreal to study, they will need to review advising options and complete this important step, as well as registration, as soon as possible. This is essential to making their financial plan line up with the timeline for moving to Montreal.
IMPORTANT: All students who are likely to apply for government student aid should aim to complete their registration (i.e. courses show on student record) no later than May 30 for the coming school year.
Government Student Aid Calculation and Disbursement Timelines
For Canadian families: All Canadian government student aid applications are assessed and approved by the provincial or national program to which your student applies. For planning purposes, please estimate a minimum of 6 weeks time from receipt of a completed application from your student at the government agency for them to calculate your student’s aid. A completed application includes full registration at Concordia, as described above. If registration is not complete, the student’s aid file cannot be correctly calculated.
Government Student Aid programs can also require financial information about parents and, in some cases, action may be required directly from parents. Please ensure any information or action required from you is completed on time.
For American Families: Concordia is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an FSA eligible foreign school. As a foreign school we can only offer U.S. financial aid under the Direct Loan Program (subsidized, unsubsidized, parent plus and graduate plus). As in the United States, your student’s loan will be calculated and approved by our office. In addition, our office works with alternative loan providers such as Sallie Mae and VSAC to help students finance their studies.
For your planning purposes, please remind your student to complete Concordia’s FSA process, including full course registration, no later than June 1. This should allow sufficient time for both the student aid process and the immigration process to be completed in time for an end-of-August arrival in Montreal. Read the full details of Concordia’s U.S. loans application process.
IMPORTANT: Please remind your student that the FSA process between the school and the government takes a minimum of 6 weeks once an application is complete, including full course registration. While we will do our best to minimize wait times for all student files, priority will be given to those complete applications received before the deadline of June 1. Completion of applications received after the deadline and incomplete applications cannot be guaranteed in time for a late-August arrival in Montreal. Should your student’s loan application miss the deadline, please ask them to contact our office at fundingyoureducation@concordia.ca to speak with a financial aid advisor.
Under Quebec law, student information is considered private. So, while it's possible you are paying for your student’s entire education and have always had full access to their information, some new ways of working now come into play. Legally we are unable to supply information from a student file to anyone but that student. View the policy on personal information privacy here.
If your student wishes for you to access their personal information, or discuss their loan file with us, written consent must be obtained. Please ask your student to contact our office at fundingyoureducation@concordia.ca
Can someone other than my child request info about their funding?
Under Quebec law, student information is considered private. Legally, we are unable to supply information to anyone else but the student and authorized internal individuals.
How can my child give me permission to ask questions on their behalf?
If your child wishes for another individual to access their personal information, or discuss their loan file with us, they must submit a valid and completed proxy form to our office. The student may contact our office for information at fundingyoureducation@concordia.ca.
My child is a US student. Can I contact the Financial Aid Office?
If your child wishes for another individual to access their personal information or discuss their US loan file with us, they must submit a valid and completed proxy form to our office.
They can also have the proxy form completed by a commissioner of oath, notary or lawyer.
(Examples of valid photo id: Photo Identification cards with your signature ie: unexpired driver's license, government issued identification card, military identification, passport, Concordia University ID card).
Parents of Concordia students can stay connected and involved with the university through the Concordia University Parents Association. They offer a Handbook for Parents and other useful information. More information for parents is found on the Concordia Parents page.