The University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine

1. The federal program, called the Canada Student Loans Program (for full-time and part-time students)

2. Provincial and territorial programs. In 4 provinces, provincial-federal loan programs are integrated. You apply to only 1 place (your province of residence). As well, your loan management and repayment will be through the National Student Loans Service Centre. The 4 provinces offering integrated student loans are: Ontario, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick.

All remaining provinces and territories, with the exception of Yukon, offer stand-alone loan programs. You apply to one place to receive your student financial assistance, but will receive and manage two separate loans. To learn more about the program(s) that you could apply for see the list below.

The student is considered a resident of the province where the parent, guardian or sponsor has lived for at least 12 consecutive months prior to starting school.
If one parent works in another province, the student is a resident of the province where the family home is being kept.
If the parents are separated or divorced, the province of residence is with the parent the student normally live with or from whom the main financial support is received.
If parents move to another province but the student stays in Alberta, for example, to continue your post-secondary education then Alberta will continue to be the province of residence.
If parents live out of the country, then the province of residence is the province in which they last resided or maintained a family home for at least 12 consecutive months before going abroad.
If the student is a Canadian citizen but the parents have not lived in Canada, the student may not be eligible for provincial funding. The student will, however, be eligible for federal funding. Apply through the province of residence.

Residency for independent students:
Single or single parent: a student establishes residence by living in a province for 12 months, not including time spent as a full-time student at a post secondary institution, prior to enrolling in the chosen program. If the student hasn't spent 12 consecutive months in a province, he/she should apply in the province where residency was established while a dependent student.

Married or common law: a student is considered a resident of the province where a working spouse has been employed for 12 months before the start of the academic year. If the student and his/her spouse are both enrolled and applying for assistance, it's desirable that one province support both individuals, usually the province where both are enrolled, provided it is one of the provinces where one of the couple lives.

Residency for landed immigrants:
A student is considered a resident of the province where he/she landed or the province in which the most time has been spent. If, however, the student has not been available to the labour market in that province for 12 months consecutively he/she may only be eligible for federal funding.

Province Specific situations:
In Saskatchewan, a student who has been going to school for four consecutive years will become a resident of Saskatchewan in his/her fifth consecutive year of post-secondary study.

In Ontario, residency can be based on a common-law same-sex relationship. It may also be based on the amount of time the partner has lived in Ontario. However, the partner must have lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months up to the start of the current study period, during which time he/she must not have been enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies.

In Ontario, a student must be out of high school 5years to be considered independent.

In Alberta, a student from another province who completes an undergraduate degree here and stays in Alberta for graduate studies will be considered an Alberta resident.

Also, Alberta students who are deemed to be "dependent" may apply for Special Independent Status if the family's home places them at risk physically, sexually, emotionally or mentally. Special Independent Status grants these students an "away from home" budget of $941 and exempts these students from submitting a Parental Information Form (Schedule 1). Please visit our office and speak with a Financial Aid Advisor to determine eligibility for Special Independent Status.

If students do not meet residency requirements:
Students must provide a detailed explanation of residency history and any relevant supporting documentation. In addition, if students have lived in another province, they must contact that province's student assistance program to determine eligibility for applying, and they must provide a written statement from that province with respect to eligibility for its student assistance program. Forward the documentation to the appropriate provincial Students' Finance office.

(*) The University of Sint Eustatius School of Medicine has received designation in these provinces.