Frequently
Asked Questions
- What's Available? Do I Qualify?
- Institution and Program Designation
- How do I Apply for Student Aid?
- How do you Assess my Application?
- Your Award Information
- Pay Back Time!
- Contact Us
1. What's Available? Do
I Qualify?
What is Manitoba Student
Aid?
The Manitoba Student Aid Program provides supplemental financial
assistance for post-secondary educational purposes to Manitobans
with limited finances. See Our
Program for further details.
What types of assistance are available?
The basic types of assistance for full-time students are Canada
Student Loan and Manitoba Student Loan. The maximum Canada Student
Loan is $210 per week of study and the maximum Manitoba Student
Loan is $140 per week of study.
For more detailed information on these and other types of assistance,
see the section on Our Program,
Types of Assistance for Full-Time Students
What are
the basic eligibility requirements?
There are several eligibility requirements. These are detailed
in Our Program, Eligibility
Requirements
I am a part-time student.
Do I qualify for assistance?
If you are a part-time student, you may qualify for assistance
under the part-time program if you meet the requirements as outlined
in Our Program Types
of Assistance for Part-time Students.
Are my
school and/or program eligible?
To determine if the school and program you are planning to attend
are eligible, see our section on Your
School and Program.
2.
Institution and Program Designation
I’ve been
trying to apply for student aid online but the system says my institution
/ program isn’t designated. What does this mean and what should
I do?
Your institution or program must be “designated”
(approved) in order for you to receive a student loan, bursary
or other student financial assistance.
If your institution or program is not “designated,”
this means you are not eligible to receive student aid funding
for this particular institution or program until the approval
process has been completed.
You will need to submit an application for student aid in paper
format.
Once Manitoba Student Aid receives your application, it will
be forwarded to the Designation Unit to begin the approval process.
What does the
approval process involve?
Manitoba Student Aid will request specific information from your
institution that will help determine if the institution meets
designation criteria. These requirements are intended to support
consumer protection and accountability between government and
the institutions.
The institution will be asked to provide information about the
campus, the administrative supports available to students, faculty,
program of study, and financial information specific to the program
of study.
Manitoba Student Aid staff will review the returned information
for completeness and evaluate it against established criteria
that all institutions / programs must meet.
The institution or program is then either formally designated
or found to be ineligible for designation for the purpose of Manitoba
student loans, bursaries, and other assistance.
Manitoba Student Aid will advise the institution and student
of this outcome. Unfortunately, if the institution or program
is ineligible for designation, you will not be able to receive
government financial assistance to attend that institution or
program.
How long does
the approval process take?
Manitoba Student Aid recommends that you apply for student aid
well in advance of your program start date. It takes four to six
weeks to review and process the institution’s documents
once they arrive in our office. You
should allow an average of twelve weeks to allow time for the
institution to respond, and for Manitoba Student Aid to process
the information.
Twelve weeks? That’s a
long time! What can I do to speed up the process?
Provide Manitoba Student Aid with the name, phone number and
e-mail address for the Registrar or the contact person of the
Student Awards Office. Check the institution’s general calendar,
course catalogue, or program guide for this information.
If your institution is designated but the program you’d
like to take isn’t: Along with your student aid
application, provide a photocopy of the full program outline.
The outline should include entrance requirements, course dates,
and the number of hours of classroom study. This information should
be available in the course catalogue or program guide. If that
is not available, provide us with the school’s contact person
as noted above.
You’ll be copied on initial e-mail correspondence between
Manitoba Student Aid and the contact(s) you provide for your institution.
This is done so you can follow up with your institution to encourage
them to respond to Manitoba Student Aid in a timely manner.
Should I check with Student
Aid to see if my institution has followed up?
No. We recommend you direct your follow-up efforts to your institution.
I was copied on an e-mail from
Manitoba Student Aid to my institution. Can I use that e-mail address
/ contact to find out the status of my request for student financial
assistance?
Unfortunately, no. Designation staff does not have access to
your loan application or to any other information about you.
How can I check the
status of processing of my application for student financial assistance?
You can call our General Inquiry line, or you can check the status
of your application online.
To check the status online see the Student Aid website www.studentaid.gov.mb.ca,
and choose “Go to MySAO” (My Student Aid Online).
Students who submit a paper application will receive a temporary
password from Manitoba Student Aid.
Questions?
WINNIPEG
Manitoba Student Aid
401-1181 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G OT3
Phone: (204) 945-6321 |
BRANDON
Manitoba Student Aid
Provincial Building - 3rd Floor
340 9th Street
Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6C2
Phone: (204) 726-6592
(during office hours) |
Toll-free in Manitoba (outside Winnipeg): 1-800-204-1685
Out-of-province: 1-204-945-2313
Telephone device for the hearing impaired: 1-204-945-8483
(in Manitoba) 1-866-209-0696 (within North America)
3. How do I Apply for Student
Aid?
How can I apply?
You can apply online or by paper.
Apply online at www.studentaid.gov.mb.ca,
and you should receive notification of your results within two weeks.
Paper applications are available at Employment Centres and Manitoba
Student Aid after July 1. It may take up to five
weeks to process a paper application, or longer if the application
is not completed properly, so plan ahead. Answer all the appropriate
questions, sign the declaration and consent forms and, if applicable,
have your spouse or parents sign too.
How long does it take to process
an application?
It takes up to two weeks to process an Internet application and
up to six weeks to process a paper application. See Our Program
How,
Where and When to Apply.
Is there a deadline date?
For Canada and Manitoba Student Loans, all information including
any required documentation must be received no later than two months
before your program ends. Furthermore, funds cannot be released
after your program end date.
4. How do you Assess my
Application?
How am I assessed?
To determine financial need, an assessment is performed taking
into account your allowable costs and expected resources. The simple
formula is:
Need = Allowable Costs – Expected Resources
See Our Program How
Financial Need is Determined.
I do not
live with my parents. Why do you consider me a dependent student
when I am over 18 years of age?
Canada Student Loans policy states that you are considered as a
dependant (even if you do not live with your parents) unless you
meet the independent student criteria. See
Independent Student Status.
How much money do my parents
have to contribute?
If you are a dependent student, your parents are expected to contribute
to your education based on their annual income and the number of
dependants in your family. See Our
Program for sections on Expected Contributions and Parental
Contribution for a more detailed explanation. Also, see sample charts
of Moderate Standard of Living (for Manitoba) and Weekly Expected
Parental Contribution.
Why do you use my vehicle as
an asset?
Once you have decided to return to school, paying for your educational
costs should be a priority.
Monies used to finance and operate a vehicle
could instead be used to finance your education. An allowance for
public transportation is made in the assessment of need. If you
own, lease or are the main user of a vehicle, and the fair market
value is less than $5,000, it will not be used as a resource in
the assessment of your need.
How can I find out if my
application has been received or processed yet?
Call 945-6321. Our interactive voice response
(IVR) system can tell you the status of your application and advise
you on the amount of your loan/award, if your application has
been processed. The system is available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week.
If you have questions that are not answered by the IVR, you can
choose to speak to an operator. This service is available weekdays
from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. During peak periods, it may be necessary
to wait before your call can be answered.
I have consumer and credit
card debts. Are these included under my expenses while attending
school?
Personal debts are not considered in a student’s assessment
of need. As "needs-based" programs for post-secondary
studies, Canada and Manitoba Student Loan programs are designed
to take into account only the student’s allowable educational
and living expenses.
You are encouraged to plan ahead. See our section on Budgeting
for School for some additional information.
What should I do if some information
changes after I have submitted my application?
If information changes, you must notify Manitoba Student Aid in
writing. See Our Program - What
To Do if the Information You Reported Changes.
Is the information I provide
subject to audit and verification?
Yes. The information you provide is subject to audit and verification.
If it is determined that you received more assistance that you were
entitled to receive, penalties will be applied. See Our Program
Audit
and Verification for further information.
5. Your Award Information
When will I receive,
and how do I cash my student loan(s)?
You will receive a Notice of Assistance Letter in the mail outlining
the details of your loan(s). Read the back of the Notice
of Assistance Letter for all details on when and how you
will receive your assistance. Assistance cannot be released before
the disbursement date and is only valid for 30 days after the date
your school signs the document. Funds cannot be released after your
study period end date. See Our Program How
and When Funds are Paid and What's
New at Manitoba Student Aid?
Make sure you know your responsibilities before negotiating
your loan(s). See Our Program Conditions
of the Application for more details.
My tuition is due.
Where is my second disbursement (payment)?
Awards are normally paid out in more than one disbursement (payment).
If you have not received your second disbursement:
- Have you changed your course load? Delays can
be caused if you forget to advise our office that you have dropped
courses or changed your course load. When course load information
you provided on your application does not match the information
provided by your school regarding your current course load, we
must confirm the correct information before your second disbursement
can be released.
- Have you had a change of address and not notified our
office? If you did not notify us of your change
of address and are attending school out-of-province or if your
documents are normally mailed directly to you, your documents
have been sent to your previous address. If your documents are
normally sent to your school, your second disbursement will be
at your school. Please contact them directly.
- Have you submitted all the documentation that was requested
with your Notice of Assistance letter? If we requested
verification/documentation, it will be required before the release
of the second disbursement.
- Have you recently requested a review of your file?
If so, these changes may require a reassessment of your application
and may delay your award.
If your tuition is due and you are in an emergency
situation, check with your school to see if funds are available
to assist you until your award is available.
What if I disagree or am
not satisfied with the result of my Manitoba Student Aid assessment?
If you believe your Notice of Assistance does not accurately reflect
your situation and you have other expenses such as:
- spousal support/maintenance/settlements
- uninsured medical/dental costs
- student loan payments (student or spouse)
- funeral costs
- commuting costs
you may have your file reviewed. Submit a request in writing
along with any pertinent documentation.
See Contact
Us.
What is an overaward?
An overaward means that a student received more assistance than
they were entitled to receive. See Overaward.
6. Pay Back Time!
When and how do I begin paying back
my loan?
All students must contact their lenders (or service providers)
within six months of the end of their full-time studies.
See Repayment for
full details on how to proceed with repayment of your loans for
both full- and part-time students.
Where do I repay my loans?
- For information on repaying a Canada Student Loan issued before
August 1, 2000, you should contact the lending institution that
holds your previous loans.
- For information on repaying a Canada Student Loan issued after
August 1, 2000, contact the National Student Loan Service Centre
for assistance.
- Manitoba Student Loans issued before August 1, 2001,
must be repaid to the Royal Bank (or to the previous lender that
issued the loans).
- Manitoba Student Loans issued after July 31, 2001,
must be repaid directly to Manitoba Student Aid.
What
if I am having difficulty repaying my loans?
If you are having difficulty repaying your student loan(s), there
may be options available to you. See Repayment
for complete details.
Contact Us
How do I contact Manitoba
Student Aid?
If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact
the Manitoba Student Aid offices below. Office hours are 8:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
WINNIPEG
Manitoba Student Aid
401-1181 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G OT3
Phone: (204) 945-6321* |
BRANDON
Manitoba Student Aid
Provincial Building - 3rd Floor
340 9th Street
Brandon, Manitoba R7A 6C2
Phone: (204) 726-6592 |
In Manitoba, (outside Winnipeg) call toll-free:
1-800-204-1685.
If calling from out-of-province, dial (204) 945-2313.
A TTY phone is available for the hearing impaired at 1-204-945-8483
(in Manitoba) or 1-866-209-0696 (within North America).
* You can check on the status of your application 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, by accessing our Interactive Voice Response system.
(October 2006)
|
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