Eligible expenditures

Funding received from Indigenous Service Canada (ISC) varies year after year and is dependent on the number of students we have enrolled each semester. Funding for each student will depend on program and institute chosen, as well as the financial status of the student during their training.

Eligible expenditures for PSSSP and UCEPP funding are:

• Application Fees

• Tuition & mandatory compulsory fees

• Initial professional certification and examination fees

• Books & supplies required by program of study

• Living Allowance, for full-time students only, as defined by the post-secondary
  institute. Refer to Appendix C – Student Allowance Rates.

• Travel, for full-time students only, as defined by the post-secondary institute, a maximum of 2 return trips from the student’s permanent place of residence to the Post-Secondary Institution. Refer to Appendix C - Travel Rates.

• Official Transcript Fees

• Tutors

Students may apply to multiple institutions, however application fees will only be reimbursed for one (1) institution prior to the program start date. 

Students are responsible to pay any confirmation deposits required by the school, and will be reimbursed prior to the program start date.

Ineligible expenditures include any Health/Dental Insurance fees. Students may choose to opt out of Insurance plans within their Post-Secondary Institutes to avoid paying any fees. Fees could range from $150 - $600 per year.

Retroactive funding is not permitted for studies in a previous fiscal or academic year.

* All new program applications

Tuition

Tuition support may be provided under the following conditions, based on budgetary allocations as provided by ISC:

• Students attending eligible public post-secondary institutions, including compulsory student fees charged by the institution for a student.

Private and foreign post-secondary institutions

For support purposes, students may enroll in any private post-secondary institution recognized by the provincial or territorial Ministry of Education or in an acceptable program of studies in a foreign institution. Tuition support may be provided under the following conditions based on budgetary allocations as provided by ISC:

• Students attending private or foreign post-secondary institutions at the same tuition, or the tuition rate that is the least amount, including compulsory student fees, charged by the public institute which offers the least expensive comparable program; or

• Student attending private of foreign institution at the actual tuition rate, including other compulsory student fees, when it is demonstrated that there is no comparable program available at an institution in Canada.

• Canadians funds - private pay a max of $ 10,000. Students are responsible to pay the balance.

Books

The maximum limit for Books is $1,200 per year (or $600 per semester). In the event there is a surplus of funding, amounts over $1,200 may be refunded upon submission of receipts at the end of fiscal year.

Applicants must provide evidence that books purchased are required by the program (book list or syllabus).

Applicants are not eligible for funding for any school supplies (notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, etc.) or clothing equipment (scrubs, boots, hard-hat, etc.) necessary for the training programs.

NOTE: For students who are advanced funds for textbooks, any unsused balances must be returned otherwise student will incur a debt.

Living Allowance

For full-time students only, as defined by the post-secondary institution, living allowances for the student, and if applicable, each dependent up to the maximum of those established by the First Nations Human Resource Development Commission of Quebec (FNHRDCQ) Living Allowance Rates and amended from time to time.

Student living allowance eligibility is determined after the funding application is complete, and if a student:

• Has no income for the duration of their training - Submit tax return from previous year

• Partial living allowance may be granted to those in receipt of Employment Insurance (EI) at a monthly rate that is lower than the maximum combined allowance and alternate earnings (see next section Alternate Earnings)

Student living allowance is ineligible if a student;

• Is full-time employed during their training

• Is a recipient of Employment Insurance (EI) at a monthly rate that exceeds the maximum combined allowance rate and alternate earnings (see next section Alternate Earnings), and;

• If EI benefits have been exhausted before the training is complete, monthly living allowance will be granted.

Students are obligated to notify the PS Manager of any changes to their financial situation throughout their studies.

Students will be validated periodically to verify EI eligibility.

Alternate Earnings

Casual, Contract or Part-Time Employment

Students in receipt of living allowance are permitted to earn a maximum of $1000 in addition to their living allowance per month without deductions. Earnings above $1000 per month will be deducted from their living allowance, dollar for dollar.

Students who are employed will be required to submit documentation indicating their earnings at the end of each month, prior to their monthly payment.

Employment Insurance Recipients (Lower Rates)

Partial living allowance may be granted if the student is eligible for EI, at a monthly rate that is lower than the maximum alternate earnings. It is intended to encourage returning students to find employment when they are not in training during the summer months. The maximum alternate earning is the eligible living allowance rate plus the alternate earnings described above.

For example: Joe is single and is eligible for EI at an estimated $1,200 per month (or $300 weekly). $1,740 maximum rate ($940 living allowance + $800 alternate earnings) - $1,200 (EI earnings) = $540 Joe would be eligible for $540 per month partial living allowance, under PSSSP.

Residence/Dorms

In cases where the student decides to stay in Residence/Dorms (more commonly for University students), the full Living Allowance expenses are paid directly to the school. Costs for residency fees often exceeds the Living Allowance rates, and the student will be responsible to pay the balance.

For example, if the student is considered Single, they are eligible for $3760 per semester ($940 living allowance x 4 months, September to December), or $7520 per year (for programs September to April).

Meal plans are often included in the residency fees, however students would need financial support for other personal items such as toiletries. No additional Living Allowance will be granted.

Residency deposits are not reimbursable, as only a portion of the fees are paid.

It is important to note that the PSSSP is a subsidy program.

For student allowance rates refer to the Allowance & Travel Rates.

NOTE: Students are encouraged to apply for bursaries and/or loans. If a student has been approuved for a bursary and/or loan this will not affect your student allowance eligibility, as these amounts are repayable to the bursary and/or loan providers.

Travel

For full-time students only, as defined by the post-secondary institution, the actual cost of one return trip to the student’s permanent place of residence from the nearest Canadian PSE institution that offers the program of studies selected by the student, every 16 weeks (not more than two trips per academic year)

Travel support does not include moving expenses such as the removal of household effects.

Students may select any recognized post-secondary institution for their studies. However, travel support is normally restricted to the travel costs to the Canadian post-secondary institution nearest to the student’s place of residence which offers the least expensive comparable program.

For travel rates refer to Allowance & Travel Rates or 100$ a month when relocating - (school bus pass).

Part-Time Students

Part-time student is defined by the program in which the student is enrolled, or being registered in less than three (3) courses per term or semester. Regardless of funding availability, part-time students are eligible for tuition and textbooks only.

Maximum Allowable Support

The conditional amount available to Applicants under the PSSSP Local Guidelines is $30,000 per student for all living allowance, travel, tuition, books, and fees (per fiscal year, April to March). However, after all applications have been reviewed, and in the event in a surplus additional funding may be approved up to a maximum of $53,000 per student.

No student is automatically entitled to the maximum amount. The maximum amount was established to ensure that the most extreme circumstances could be funded as necessary. The actual amount of funding available to a student will depend on the overall amount of funding available in the program and for each recipient.