Part-time funding for British Columbia students

Funding overview

The part-time student loan program covers:

  • Tuition
  • Books
  • Supplies
  • Transportation
  • Child care (up to the funding maximums)

Part-time funding does not cover living costs. If you need additional financial support for living costs, please contact your Enrolment Services Advisors to discuss your financial plan.

Eligibility to apply

To apply for part-time student financial assistance from StudentAid BC, you must be a resident of British Columbia (BC). 

You are considered a resident of BC if you meet one of the following requirements:

  • You lived in BC for 12 continuous months before starting your studies, excluding any time spent in full-time post-secondary education.
     
  • You are an independent permanent resident or designated as a protected person living in BC at the time of your application, you will spend your study period in BC, and you have not lived in any province for 12 continuous months before your study start date.

    For example, if you are an independent student who arrived in Canada as a permanent resident less than 12 months before the start date of classes and intend to study in BC, you would be considered a resident of BC for student financial assistance purposes.

How to apply online

You should apply for a loan at least 2 months before classes start to receive your funding at the beginning of the term, or up to 6 weeks before the end of your study period. 

To apply for BC part-time funding online, please follow the steps below after StudentAid BC launches their new system: 

  1. Set up your B.C. Services Card account and app if you have not already done so. You will need it to log into the StudentAid BC website for your online application.
  2. Determine your course load and loan-eligible study dates. If you’re unsure, speak to your Enrolment Services Advisor.

    If you are a student with a Permanent Disability (PD) or Persistent or Prolonged Disability (PPD) and you are taking a 40% course load or higher, you are encouraged to apply for a full-time loan, as a part-time loan does not cover living costs.
  3. Find your program and study dates from the application through StudentAid BC. If you cannot locate your program or study dates, check the box indicating that your program or study dates are not listed, and proceed till you submit your application. This will trigger a Program Information Request (PIR) to UBC to confirm your program details before your application can be further processed after your submission.
  4. Submit your application online. You will be required to give your consent to a Canada Revenue Agency Consent and a StudentAid BC Declaration to verify the data provided on your application before you can submit your application. 
  5. Submit the online Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA) in a timely manner. A late submission can delay your loan disbursement.

    You will be prompted to complete an online MSFAA if you are applying for a part-time student loan for the first time or have taken a leave from your studies for 2 or more years. 
  6. Review your Notice of Assessment (NOA) on your StudentAid BC dashboard when available. You will be prompted to accept your Notice of Assessment (NOA) before your application can continue in the new StudentAid BC Student Information Management System.

    ​​The Notice of Assessment describes:

    • The type of funding you are eligible to receive

    • The amount of funding approved

    • When you will receive the funding

    • Where the funding will be sent

  7. Check your application status and inbox for notifications from StudentAid BC. You are strongly encouraged to log into your StudentAid BC account to view updates, changes to your assessment if applicable, and communications from the provincial lender. 

UBC will contact you by email if your enrolment cannot be confirmed.

If you have questions