Out of province residents
If you are not a resident of BC, you must apply to the province or territory in which you are considered to be a resident. Student financial assistance includes both loan and grant (non-repayable) funding, and students are automatically considered for all types of funding offered when they submit an application.
For government-issued, student financial assistance purposes, residency is defined as the last province you lived in for 12 continuous months without being a full-time post-secondary student and will depend on whether or not you are a dependent or an independent student.
See provincial and territorial contacts
Alberta Student Aid Applicants
When students apply for Alberta Student Aid, they can choose their study period. At SFU, we use the following study period dates for the 2024-2025 academic year:
- Fall 2024: September 4 - December 31, 2024
- Spring 2025: January 6 - April 30, 2025
- Summer 2025: May 12 - August 31, 2025
You can combine study periods within an academic year, however any incorrect program information (year of study, program etc.) will delay your funding. We recommend students apply for funding on a term-by-term basis. This means completing a separate application for each term for which you require student financial assistance. If you apply for Alberta Student Aid using dates outside of these study period dates, your funding may be delayed, as you will need to adjust your study period dates.
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Applicants
OSAP students (all undergraduates, and graduates in per unit programs) must apply for funding on a term-by-term basis. This means completing a separate application for each term for which you require student financial assistance. If you have submitted an application for multiple terms, when Financial Aid and Awards submits your Program Information Form (PIF), we will adjust your application to a single term only. This may mean that you will need to adjust reported resources from multiple terms back down to a single term application. If you have any questions, please reach out to us by email.
OSAP graduate students in research-based programs can continue to apply for funding for one or more terms within the academic year (September – August).
Program Information Forms (PIF)
If your province or territory requires a Program Information Form (PIF) to be completed by SFU Financial Aid and Awards, please provide us with the following details by email (fiassist@sfu.ca) in order to complete your PIF as accurately as possible:
Which terms are you applying for funding for?
(Fall, Fall/Spring, Spring, or Summer). SFU will adjust undergraduate student financial assistance applications submitted for the full academic year to a maximum of two terms. Students that want funding for the Summer term must submit a stand-alone application for May - August.
What is your intended course load each term in units?
Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 60% of a full-time course load (minimum of 9 units or enrolled in a co-operative learning term) each term you require full-time student financial assistance. If you have a recognized permanent disability or persistent and/or prolonged disability (PD/PPD), your full-time enrolment requirement is 40% (6 units).
Do you have a recognized permanent disability or persistent and/or prolonged disability (PD/PPD) through your provincial or territorial student aid office?
Please note that OSAP students are no longer required to complete the Course Load form and must submit a term-by-term application for funding.
What happens if my course load changes after I have submitted my PIF?
Reach out to Financial Aid and Awards (fiassist@sfu.ca) and request that a revised PIF be sent to your provincial or territorial authority so any additional education-related costs can be included in your assessment.
Confirmation of Enrolment
Students are responsible for maintaining interest-free status with their lenders. Please contact your lenders with any questions.
In order to keep your Canada and Provincial Student Loans interest-free, you will need to confirm full-time enrolment either by having full-time student loan funding disbursed, or by applying for interest-free status.
Submit the required online confirmation of enrolment if you have an integrated student loan, or contact your loan provider or provincial or territorial office directly for guidance.
Families from Other Provinces or Territories
If your family is not from BC, students apply through their home Province or Territory for funding.