Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)

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Student CERB debt reduction

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provided financial support to post-secondary students, and recent post-secondary and high school graduates who were unable to find work due to COVID-19.

Eligible applicants could have received $1,250 for a 4-week period for a maximum of 16 weeks, between May 10 and August 29, 2020. An extra $750 (total benefit amount of $2,000) for each 4-week period was available, if you had a disability or dependants. The last day to apply was September 30, 2020.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the CESB payments, you must have met the following conditions:

You did not apply, receive, nor qualify, for the CERB or EI benefits for the same eligibility period
You were one of the following, when you applied:
- Canadian citizen
- registered Indian
- permanent resident
- protected person
  Who is considered a protected person
  An individual who is recognized by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) and Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) as a person in need of protection.
You were studying in Canada or abroad, when you applied
One of the following was true, when you applied:
- You are or were enrolled in a post-secondary educational program (at least 12 weeks in duration) that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate
  Recognized post-secondary educational institutions
  Courses taken at a university or college level, or secondary level vocational training in Quebec:
  - Educational institutions listed on:
    - Master List of designated educational institutions
    - Master List of certified educational institutions
    - Quebec’s directory of educational institutions and programs (universities, colleges, and secondary level vocational training)
  - Indigenous institutions recognized by their province or territory
- You completed or ended your post-secondary studies in December 2019 or later
- You completed or expect to complete high school or equivalency in 2020 and applied for a post-secondary educational program that starts before February 1, 2021
One of the following was true, when you applied:
- You are unable to work due to COVID-19
  Who is considered "unable to work" due to COVID-19
  Students who may be:
  - self-isolating or in quarantine
  - ill or have underlying health conditions
  - caring for others who are ill or vulnerable to COVID-19
  - caring for dependants while schools or daycares are closed
  - studying abroad and waiting to be repatriated by the Canadian Embassy, or only allowed to work on campus, but cannot find work
- You are actively looking for, but cannot find work due to COVID-19
- You are currently working during the COVID-19 pandemic, but you expect your income from employment and self-employment to be $1,000 or less (before taxes) during the 4-week period you are applying for

If you did not meet the above criteria, you were not eligible for the CESB. Find out how to repay the CESB.

Period dates for the benefit

Review each 4-week CESB eligibility period dates in a calendar:

May 10 to June 6, 2020

Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

May: part of the May 10 to June 6 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					Friday May 1, 2020	Saturday May 2, 2020
Sunday May 3, 2020	Monday May 4, 2020	Tuesday May 5, 2020	Wednesday May 6, 2020	Thursday May 7, 2020	Friday May 8, 2020	Saturday May 9, 2020
Sunday May 10, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 11, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 12, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 13, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 14, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 15, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 16, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday May 17, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 18, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 19, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 20, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 21, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 22, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 23, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday May 24, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 25, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 26, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 27, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 28, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 29, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 30, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday May 31, 2020: part of eligibility period

June: part of the May 10 to June 6 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	Monday June 1, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 2, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 3, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 4, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 5, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 6, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday June 7, 2020	Monday June 8, 2020	Tuesday June 9, 2020	Wednesday June 10, 2020	Thursday June 11, 2020	Friday June 12, 2020	Saturday June 13, 2020
Sunday June 14, 2020	Monday June 15, 2020	Tuesday June 16, 2020	Wednesday June 17, 2020	Thursday June 18, 2020	Friday June 19, 2020	Saturday June 20, 2020
Sunday June 21, 2020	Monday June 22, 2020	Tuesday June 23, 2020	Wednesday June 24, 2020	Thursday June 25, 2020	Friday June 26, 2020	Saturday June 27, 2020
Sunday June 28, 2020	Monday June 29, 2020	Tuesday June 30, 2020

June 7 to July 4, 2020

Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

June: part of the June 7 to July 4 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	Monday June 1, 2020	Tuesday June 2, 2020	Wednesday June 3, 2020	Thursday June 4, 2020	Friday June 5, 2020	Saturday June 6, 2020
Sunday June 7, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 8, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 9, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 10, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 11, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 12, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 13, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday June 14, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 15, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 16, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 17, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 18, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 19, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 20, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday June 21, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 22, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 23, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 24, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 25, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 26, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 27, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday June 28, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 29, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 30, 2020: part of eligibility period

July: part of the June 7 to July 4 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			Wednesday July 1, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 2, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 3, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 4, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday July 5, 2020	Monday July 6, 2020	Tuesday July 7, 2020	Wednesday July 8, 2020	Thursday July 9, 2020	Friday July 10, 2020	Saturday July 11, 2020
Sunday July 12, 2020	Monday July 13, 2020	Tuesday July 14, 2020	Wednesday July 15, 2020	Thursday July 16, 2020	Friday July 17, 2020	Saturday July 18, 2020
Sunday July 19, 2020	Monday July 20, 2020	Tuesday July 21, 2020	Wednesday July 22, 2020	Thursday July 23, 2020	Friday July 24, 2020	Saturday July 25, 2020
Sunday July 26, 2020	Monday July 27, 2020	Tuesday July 28, 2020	Wednesday July 29, 2020	Thursday July 30, 2020	Friday July 31, 2020

July 5 to August 1, 2020

Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

July: part of the July 4 to August 1, 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			Wednesday July 1, 2020	Thursday July 2, 2020	Friday July 3, 2020	Saturday July 4, 2020
Sunday July 5, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 6, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 7, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 8, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 9, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 10, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 11, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday July 12, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 13, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 14, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 15, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 16, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 17, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 18, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday July 19, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 20, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 21, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 22, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 23, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 24, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 25, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday July 26, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 27, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 28, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 29, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 30, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 31, 2020: part of eligibility period

August: part of the July 4 to August 1, 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
						Saturday August 1, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday August 2, 2020	Monday August 3, 2020	Tuesday August 4, 2020	Wednesday August 5, 2020	Thursday August 6, 2020	Friday August 7, 2020	Saturday August 8, 2020
Sunday August 9, 2020	Monday August 10, 2020	Tuesday August 11, 2020	Wednesday August 12, 2020	Thursday August 13, 2020	Friday August 14, 2020	Saturday August 15, 2020
Sunday August 16, 2020	Monday August 17, 2020	Tuesday August 18, 2020	Wednesday August 19, 2020	Thursday August 20, 2020	Friday August 21, 2020	Saturday August 22, 2020
Sunday August 23, 2020	Monday August 24, 2020	Tuesday August 25, 2020	Wednesday August 26, 2020	Thursday August 27, 2020	Friday August 28, 2020	Saturday August 29, 2020
Sunday August 30, 2020	Monday August 31, 2020

August 2 to August 29, 2020

A table with all the days that apply to eligibility period

August: part of the August 2 to August 29, 2020 eligibility period
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
						Saturday August 1, 2020
Sunday August 2, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 3, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 4, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 5, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 6, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 7, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 8, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday August 9, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 10, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 11, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 12, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 13, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 14, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 15, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday August 16, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 17, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 18, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 19, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 20, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 21, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 22, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday August 23, 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 24, 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 25, 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 26, 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 27, 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 28, 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 29, 2020: part of eligibility period
Sunday August 30, 2020	Monday August 31, 2020

Verifying your eligibility

The CRA will verify that you were eligible to receive the CESB. We may ask you to provide additional details to validate your application.

Individuals who are found to have intentionally made fraudulent claims may face consequences.

To report any suspected misuse: CRA's Leads program

If you need to repay

If you received any benefit payments that you were not eligible for, the CRA will contact you to make arrangements to repay.

For details: Repay COVID-19 benefits

Date modified:: 2022-11-08

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Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)

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Eligibility criteria

Period dates for the benefit

Verifying your eligibility

If you need to repay

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