Loans
Learn about provincial, federal, and U.S. loans and bursaries.
Government student aid is a form of financial assistance that helps students and families pay for post-secondary education.
The Financial Aid and Awards Office can help you work with your government’s student financial aid program in order to pursue studies at Concordia.
You must apply a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks before the beginning of the semester in order to receive your funding in time for the start of term.
Loans for Canadian & American students
Quebec loans & bursaries
Québec students may apply for the Aide financière aux études’ (AFE’s) full-time or part-time program.
Federal & provincial loans
Find provincial loan options for Canadian citizens from outside of Québec.
U.S. Loans
U.S. students and veterans can apply to government and private loans.
Repaying your loans
You will be required to start paying back your loan once you:
- have graduated from your studies; or
- have transferred to part-time studies; or
- have left school; or
- are taking time off school for more than six months
You pay back the loan provider through your bank. You will need to contact your financial institution to make a repayment agreement or request a grace period for your payment (also called a ‘partial exemption period’ or a ‘payment postponement’).
Some loan providers will send you a repayment agreement by mail with the option to set up a pre-authorized debit. This will allow your financial institution to automatically withdraw the payment every month from your bank account.
In some provinces and territories, federal and provincial/territorial student loans are issued separately. This means that you could have more than one loan account and more than one loan issuer to arrange payments with. Please be sure to contact each loan provider to arrange to repay them. Make sure you keep them up to date on any changes to your address or phone number to avoid any delay in receiving critical information.
Returning students
Going back to school? Once you have been accepted and registered, contact the Financial Aid and Awards Office for information on the funding options available to you. If you are returning as a full-time student, you may also be eligible for interest-free status during your periods of study. Let us know so that we can advise your loan provider.
Going back to school? Once you have been accepted and registered, contact the Financial Aid and Awards Office for information on the funding options available to you.
If you are returning as a full-time student, you may also be eligible for interest-free status during your periods of study. Let us know so that we can advise your loan provider.
- Your total income and expenses should be two separate sums. Budgeting is to improve your financial situation by having more income than expenses.
- If your expenses are greater than your total income, you will need to consider making changes to balance your budget. This will mean cutting some expenses.