BC Resident (part-time)
Graduate students in a per-unit specialty program who are enrolled in 2 – 5 units at SFU exclusively are considered to be studying part-time. Note: students with a recognized permanent disability (who have been approved through StudentAid BC) who are enrolled in a minimum of 4 units per term can be considered to be studying full-time; to discuss your options, please contact us.
Part-Time Student Funding (SABC)
StudentAid BC (SABC) assists eligible BC residents with part-time student financial assistance. Explore part-time student funding to learn more about eligibility requirements and how much funding is available to support part-time studies.
The assessment for part-time students is different than for full-time students. The part-time studies program only covers: tuition and supplemental fees, books and supplies, transportation and child care up to the funding maximums. Part-time funding does not cover student living expenses.
Please note:
If you are enrolled in a research-based graduate program, or in more than 6 units in a specialty or course-based graduate program, see the BC Residents (Full-Time) section. If you are enrolled in less than 2 units, you are ineligible for government student loan funding.
Before You Apply
- If you are enrolled in Co-Op, you are considered a full-time student, and are not eligible for part-time funding.
- Some programs are ineligible for StudentAid BC funding, please see: Ineligible Graduate Programs to ensure your program is eligible.
- You may indicate your SIN as 999 999 999 on the application for security purposes, however, make sure your correct SIN is updated on go.sfu.ca under Personal Information. If not, we cannot process your application.
- If you cannot electronically sign your application, we suggest printing page 7 of the application form, hand-signing it, and scanning/taking a photo of the page. You may submit that page as a separate attachment, along with your completed application form. We can open a variety of file extensions, though standard PDF, document and/or image files are preferred.
- Monitor your postal mailbox (for your StudentAid BC notice of assessment) and email (for an email from the National Student Loan Service Centre (NSLSC) on how to process your Master Student Financial Assistance Agreement (MSFAA)) for updates on your application, and instructions on how to proceed to receive your funds. Failure to follow these instructions to complete your MSFAA will result in you not receiving part-time funding.
How to Apply
- Download the application form from StudentAid BC (fillable PDF).
- Fill out the form and read through all the information.
- Submit your completed and signed application to our office.
Deadlines
Fall 2024 Application: November 20, 2024, 3:30 PDT
StudentAid BC is changing how students apply for funding starting Spring 2025. Check back here in early December for updates. As a result of these changes, we will not be able to process late applications for the Fall term. If you have concerns about this, please contact us.