Scholastic Standing

To continue receiving student financial aid, the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, Canada Student Financial Assistance Program policy and StudentAid BC policy require you to maintain a satisfactory scholastic standing.

You will not be eligible to receive more student financial assistance, or continue on in-study payment-free status if:

• You withdraw from a full-time course load on two separate occasions while in a funded term.
• You fail to achieve satisfactory marks in 68 weeks or more of full-time study while in a funded term.
• You fail to maintain continued part-time enrolment and/or fail to successfully complete all courses for which you were awarded your part-time funding.

Requalifying for full-time student assistance depends on several conditions, including successfully completing full-time studies for two terms without StudentAid BC assistance. If exceptional circumstances prevented you from achieving scholastic success, you can also appeal this decision if it will cause financial hardship to complete two unfunded terms.

If you are a student from a province other B.C., please contact us for more information about Scholastic Standing.

Withdrawals in the first 30 Days of your Term

If you are considering withdrawing from full-time study in the first 30 days of the term you are strongly encouraged to connect with us first.  Most federal and provincial grants convert to a loan if you withdraw from full-time studies within the first 30 days of your study period (term).

Withdrawals

If your enrollment falls below a full-time course load, you will no longer be eligible to maintain your loan funding or in-study payment-free status. SFU will notify StudentAid BC that you no longer meet the requirements for your student loan funding or in-study payment-free status. Your funding will be re-calculated based on the number of weeks you actually attended school.

• StudentAid BC will send you a letter explaining how your withdrawal decision affects your student loan funding or in-study payment free status.
• If you receive more student aid than you were eligible for, this is called an overaward.
• Overawards are automatically deducted from any future Canada student loans and/or BC student loans

Your withdrawal, and any resulting overawards can be appealed through StudentAid BC.  If you are a from a province other than B.C., please connect with us for further assistance.

What happens if the Withdrawal (WD) date has passed and I still need to withdraw?

You can apply for a Withdrawals Under Extenuating Circumstances (WE) after week eight of the term. Before that date, withdraw through goSFU and receive a WD notation instead. For the last day to drop courses with a WD notation, and other add/drop dates, visit Academic Dates and deadlines. 

Reach out to us to determine if there are any impacts to your student financial assistance and what steps you need to take next.

Unsuccessful Completion

At SFU, a D grade or better is considered a pass. A course withdrawal, an incomplete grade, or a failure are not considered to be a successful completion of a course, and students can retake these courses and have them count towards their eligible enrolment for student aid purposes.

If you do not successfully complete the equivalent of a full-time course load in your study period, SFU will report this to your provincial authority as an unsuccessful term.  This may impact future government student financial assistance and be appealed.