COVID 19: Information and Resources
As student advocates, we remain concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on student issues, including loan repayment, student employment, and other financial implications. We will be keeping the below section updated, including institutional responses to ongoing COVID-19 measures.
StudentsNS offices remain open with our staff working remotely. If you have any questions or concerns, please see our Contact Us page.
Returning to Campus
Institutional Responses
Bursaries are available to support students for emergency financial relief. Students facing financial hardship due to COVID-19 should email financial.aid@smu.ca, to provide information about why they are experiencing hardship, and how financial support will help their situation.
Student Emergency Fund: To be eligible to apply to the Student Emergency Fund, a student must:
Be academically eligible - must normally be registered in a credit- based degree or diploma program.
Demonstrate financial need in the application, specific to student related costs and resources.
Not able to apply for the regular StFX General or Limited bursary programs because:
need occurs outside of bursary program eligibility dates,
the timelines for bursary awarding will not meet the urgent need of the student;
the regular bursary funds have been expended for the current budget year;
or the student does not qualify for regular bursary funding but demonstrates urgent financial need.
Demonstrate commitment to doing all they can to manage and contribute to their finances, including accessing government student loan or bank line of credit, or other funding programs as applicable. The purpose of the Student Emergency Fund is not to provide a means for students to avoid incurring typical student debt (student loans/bank education loans).
This fund may not normally be used to address outstanding student account balances or past debt. The Student Emergency Fund is not intended to replace lost wages when students are eligible for aid, such as government run programs, to support the loss of part time and summer wages.
Application can be found here.
Federal Supports
COVID-19 Specific Measures:
Creation of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. Available to domestic students who are ineligible for CERB and make under $1,000/month. Amounts range from $1,250/month to $1,750/month for students with disabilities or dependents (see:
Expansion of non-repayable aid through doubling the Canada Student Grant, Canada Student Grant for Students with Disability, and Canada Student Grant for Students with Dependents (see:
Increasing the maximum federal student loan amounts from $210 to $350 per week of study (see: Support for students and new grads affected by COVID-19)
Removing expected spousal and individual income contributions in loan assessments (see: Support for students and new grads affected by COVID-19)
$75.2 million to indigenous student supports through the Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP), the Métis Education Strategy and the Inuit Education Strategy (see: Support for students and new grads affected by COVID-19)
Funding to Canada’s Granting Agencies to extend student scholarships through the summer (see: Support for students and new grads affected by COVID-19)
Creation of the Canada Student Service Grant, which can provide up to $5,000 for students volunteerism (see: Support for students and new grads affected by COVID-19)
Six-month, interest-free payment grace period on all Canada Student Loans (see: Income Support for Individuals Who Need It Most).
Pre-Existing Loan Repayment Assistance:
Graduates who are not yet making $25,000 annually (or scaled to family size) will not enter Canada Student Loan Repayment for six months (see: Repayment Assistance Plan Eligibility).
Repayment Assistance Plan: Additional assistance to reduce or eliminate monthly payments is available based on income level and other considerations.
Repayment Assistance for Borrowers with Severe Disability: In addition to a reduced monthly payment, or no monthly payment at all, you may be eligible for a further reduced payment amount to help with expenses related to your disability.
Provincial Supports
COVID-19 Specific Measures:
Six-month, interest-free payment grace period on all Nova Scotia Student Loans (see: Support for individuals, families and businesses).
Pre-Existing Loan Repayment Assistance:
Loan Forgiveness Plan: All Nova Scotia students studying at a Nova Scotia institution who graduated after August 1, 2019 will have the entirety of their NS Student Loan forgiven.
Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP): Available to graduates who do not qualify for the above Loan Forgiveness Plan and who are making under $25,000 annually.
0% Interest: Available to graduates who do not qualify for the above Loan Forgiveness Plan and are eligible Nova Scotia Residents.
Other Resources:
HealthyMindsNS: A suite of 24/7 online mental health supports, ranging from peer support to online therapy.
Bystander Intervention and Community Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A made in Nova Scotia zine outlining how to engage in effective sexual violence bystander strategies during COVID-19. Content by Johannah Black, Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre, and art by Emma Kuzmyk, Vice President Academic, The StFX Students’ Union.