Bursaries in Quebec
Bursaries in Quebec are delivered through a system that runs entirely independent of the federal Canada Student Loans program. The Aide financière aux études (AFE) splits every student's assessed funding between a repayable loan and a non-repayable bursary. On top of AFE, Quebec's universities and CEGEPs offer their own institutional bursaries, often funded by donor endowments and corporate sponsors.
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When you apply through the AFE portal, the system calculates total need based on your study costs, family income, and personal resources. The shortfall is split: lower-income students receive more of their package as a bursary (non-repayable), and the rest as a loan.
- Bursary portion is non-repayable and grows as family income drops
- For very low-income students, much of the package can be entirely bursary
- Calculated and disbursed annually — you must re-apply each year
- Apply early to avoid disbursement delays at the start of term
Quebec's universities maintain extensive bursary funds beyond the AFE, often through donor-funded endowments. Apply via your school's financial aid office.
- McGill: Need-based bursaries, Entrance Bursary Program, in-course awards
- Université de Montréal: Bourses d'études need-based + program-specific funds
- Concordia: Concordia University Bursary Fund + emergency bursaries
- Université Laval: Bourses du Fonds de soutien financier
- UQAM: Bourses d'études + Programme d'aide d'urgence
If you are a Canadian citizen from another province studying in Quebec, you remain on your home province's student aid system (e.g. OSAP for Ontario residents) and are not eligible for the AFE. However, you can still apply for institutional bursaries at your Quebec university.
- Out-of-province Canadian students: stay on home province's student aid
- International students: not eligible for AFE; apply for institutional bursaries
- Quebec residents: AFE + institutional bursaries (the standard combination)
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