Federal Support for Students and Recent Graduates

The federal government recently announced nearly $9-billion in financial support for post-secondary students and recent graduates. The Government of Canada is also expanding its federal employment, skills development, and youth programming to create 116,000 jobs, placements and training opportunities to help students find employment and further develop their skills over the coming months.

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit and the Canada Student Service Grant will help students continue their studies get the experience they need to start their careers.

Canada Emergency Student Benefit

• Provide support to students and new graduates who are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. This benefit would provide $1,250 per month for eligible students or $1,750 per month for eligible students with dependents or disabilities. The benefit would be available from May to August 2020.

Canada Student Service Grant

• Will help students gain valuable work experience and skills while they help their communities during the COVID‑19 pandemic. For students who choose to do national service and serve their communities, the new Canada Student Service Grant will provide up to $5,000 for their education in the fall.

In addition, to help students continue their studies in the fall, the government will:

• double the Canada Student Grants for all eligible full-time students to up to $6,000 and up to $3,600 for part-time students in 2020-21. The Canada Student Grants for Students with Permanent Disabilities and Students with Dependents would also be doubled.
• broaden eligibility for student financial assistance by removing the expected student’s and spouse’s contributions in 2020-21, in recognition that many students and families will struggle to save for school this year.
• enhance the Canada Student Loans Program by raising the maximum weekly amount that can be provided to a student in 2020-21 from $210 to $350.
• increase existing distinctions-based support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation students pursuing post-secondary education by providing an additional $75.2 million in 2020-21.
• extend expiring federal graduate research scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships, and supplement existing federal research grants, to support students and post-doctoral fellows, by providing $291.6 million to the federal granting councils. In addition, the government intends to enhance work opportunities for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows through the National Research Council of Canada.

The student benefits outlined above will require additional legislation, which will be brought forward in the coming days. We will provide more details as they become available. NACC and CCO are working to ensure that our students’ interests are reflected in relevant legislation.