STUDENT GRANT FUNDING INCREASES

Government is increasing funding to two grant programs for post-secondary students: the adult basic education student assistance program, and the B.C. loan reduction program. Both are part of the B.C. student assistance program, which helps post-secondary students pay for their education by supplementing salaries, savings, assets and family resources.

Adult basic education student assistance program

· This student financial assistance program provides grants to eligible post-secondary students enrolled in any of the following three programs:

1. Adult basic education, which includes courses ranging from basic literacy to high school completion, as well as prerequisite courses needed to take post-secondary programs, further training or for employment.

2. English as a second language.

3. Adult special education for those with disabilities.

· Grants are available to students with financial need, and cover such direct costs as tuition, if applicable, books and transportation. (Tuition is free for those who have not graduated from high school.)

· Applications are online at www.bcsap.bc.ca and from financial aid officers at public post-secondary institutions where adult basic education, ESL and adult special education are offered, which include all 12 community colleges, the three university colleges, the Institute for Indigenous Government, the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, BCIT and Thompson Rivers University-Open Learning.

B.C. loan reduction program

· Students are automatically considered each year for B.C. loan reductions, based on the information from their B.C. student assistance program applications. The program helps those students who are most in need.

· The program is available to students enrolled in post-secondary education programs from designated Canadian institutions, both public and private, that are two academic years or longer. For students with dependant children, the program is available for the first five years of borrowing.

· Last year, students with dependents who borrowed the maximum amount were forgiven the following amounts:

§ In their first four years of borrowing – $6,584.

§ In their fifth year of borrowing – $7,820, the full amount they were eligible to borrow from the B.C. student loan program in 2004-05.

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Media contact:	Paul Woolley Communications Director 250 952-6508 250 213-1171 (cell)

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