Share your views: Changes to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program

This notice provides interested parties with the chance to comment on Employment and Social Development Canada’s proposal to limit the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students (the full-time grant) eligibility. Changes to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations would limit the full-time grant to students studying at public institutions and not-for-profit private post-secondary educational institutions, with some exemptions.

Join in: How to provide comments

Privacy notice statement

Your participation in this consultation is voluntary. Please note that the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program will not be responding to submissions.

Please do not include sensitive personal information such as health or disability details, Social Insurance Numbers, financial account numbers, or anyone else’s personal information in your email. If you are under the age of majority in your province or territory, consider discussing your submission with a parent or guardian.

We will be collecting your name, email, and stakeholder category to receive your views on the proposed regulatory change and to analyze submissions by stakeholder type. We will not use your information to make administrative decisions about you. We will review all responses, and a summary report (without identifying individuals) may appear in the Canada Gazette, Part II, should this proposal advance.

To learn more about your rights and how Employment and Social Development Canada handles consultation information, please read our consultation and engagement activities privacy notice statement.

Send us an email

Send your views on the proposal below to EDSC.RCN.PCAFE_B2025ADC-CSFAP_B2025NOC.NCR.ESDC@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

Include the following in your email:

• your full name
• the category below that best describes you:
  • student
  • student association
  • educational institution (please specify: Public, Not-For-Profit Private, or For-Profit Private)
  • member of the general public
  • other (please specify)

Your feedback will inform changes to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program.

Background

The Canada Student Financial Assistance Program (the Program) helps Canadians get post-secondary education. It provides the chance to learn new skills and earn a degree, certificate, or diploma. Making sure program funding is used properly is important to control costs and to be fair.

Budget 2025 announced the Government of Canada’s intent to limit access to the full-time grant to students attending public educational institutions and not-for-profit private institutions, to limit the financial risks to Government and ensure students have access to the best educational outcomes.

"Participating province/territory" means the province/territory works with the Government of Canada to deliver both provincial and federal student financial assistance together to students. They are British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Yukon. The remaining province/territories of Quebec, Northwest Territories and Nunavut do not participate and instead deliver their own student financial assistance programs. Therefore, this consultation does not affect any students attending institutions located in these non-participating province/territories.

The full-time grant is the Program’s largest grant and is for low- and middle-income students with financial need. During the current school year (2025 to 2026), full-time students can receive up to $4,200 per eight-month school year or $525 per month (up from its permanent amount of $3,000 per eight-month school year or $375 per month).

The full-time grant has only ever been for students in programs of at least two years (60 weeks) in length. Most students at for-profit private institutions are in programs that are under two years and are therefore not affected by this change. 

Proposal

The change would limit the full-time grant to students who are enrolled in programs at public institutions and not-for-profit private institutions. As a result, starting on August 1, 2026, students studying in programs at for-profit private institutions would no longer be eligible for the full-time grant.

Eligible students would continue to receive the following supports: 

• Canada Student Grant for Part-Time Students
• Canada Student Grant for Full- and Part-Time Students with Dependants
• Canada Student Grant for Students with Disabilities
• Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Disabilities
• Canada Student Loan

Exemptions

The following criteria are being proposed to determine exemptions for students attending select programs of study at for-profit private institutions:

1. There is a demonstrated labour market need in the intended occupation

   The program of study qualifies a graduate to work in an occupation where there is strong evidence of a labour shortage. This criterion helps align the Government objectives of having the workforce Canada needs, while still controlling Program costs.

2. The intended occupation is regulated by the province or territory that designated the program of study

   The program of study qualifies a graduate to work in an occupation that is regulated by the designating province or territory.  This criterion provides quality assurance because these programs are subject to regulatory oversight by the province/territory where the program of study is available.

3. The exemption is not opposed by provinces/territories

   Provinces/territories, particularly the designating province/territory^{Footnote 1}, would have the opportunity to indicate that they do not oppose an exemption due to integrity or quality concerns. It also provides an opportunity for provinces/territories to indicate if the program of study fills a need that cannot be met by the public sector.

   Only a relatively small number of programs of study are expected to meet the criteria for an exemption.

Exemptions for the 2026 to 2027 school year

The following programs of study at for-profit private institutions have been identified for an exemption for the 2026 to 2027 school year. As a result, students enrolled in these programs would continue to receive the full-time grant:

• Nursing
• Dental Hygiene
• Early Childhood Education
• Paramedic

Process for determining exemptions for the 2027 to 2028 school year and onwards

The Program may recommend programs of study that meet the exemption criteria to the Minister. In addition, participating provinces, territories, and/or for-profit private institutions could apply for a program of study exemption.

Existing exemptions would be reviewed on an annual basis, before the launch of student financial applications for each new school year, to ensure that the programs of study continue to meet the established exemption criteria. This would give flexibility to change exemptions based on changing labour market needs and integrity concerns.

Related information

• Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations
• Canada Student Grants and Loans
• Master List of Designated Educational Institutions

Contact us

Canada Student Financial Assistance Program

Employment and Social Development Canada

Email: EDSC.RCN.PCAFE_B2025ADC-CSFAP_B2025NOC.NCR.ESDC@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca