Q. How do I get my Pathways Scholarship?

Pathways students with at least two years in the Pathways program must confirm their personal email address (not a school email address) with Pathways staff prior to April 1^st of their graduation year.  Scholarship Partners Canada is the outside organization that manages the Pathways Scholarship fund.  Students will receive an invitation email from them with instructions and log-in information to set up their scholarship portal.  Students must upload confirmation of attendance/acceptance to a post-secondary institution prior to requesting scholarship funds.  Once funds are requested, they will be paid directly to the institution and will be reflected in your tuition account with the school.   Here is an instruction video https://vimeo.com/296628004

Q. Do I have to send my school my final transcript?

If you provided your Provincial Student Number to your post-secondary school, then they will be able to access your final transcript.

Q. When do I pick my courses for college/university and how do I know what to choose?

Most universities have course registration in the spring, and it continues until classes begin.  Some courses fill quickly so register early to get the best selection.   You can talk to an advisor at the school if you need assistance with choosing courses.  Universities and colleges have moved to a distance learning model (online) and may not have in-person classes available in the fall.  Continue to check your school’s website for more information.

Q. What other scholarships are available to help me pay for school?

• • NSCC has a $2500 Sobey Bursary. Applications are online and Pathways must provide a recommendation.  If you have not applied for this bursary, talk to the Pathways Post-secondary Coordinator (Elizabeth) or your SPSW.
  • JL Ilsley (or your high school) have many scholarships available. You must use the online application, even if you already filled in a paper copy.
  • There are many other scholarship sites and many deadlines have been extended. Take time to register with a scholarship site and they will send you the scholarship applications that apply to your situation.  Scholartree is one of these sites:  https://scholartree.ca
  • Check your university/college’s website for scholarships. Many scholarships are based on financial need, community involvement, and/or academic achievement.
  • The Nova Scotia African Canadian Scholarship applications are due July 30^th.

Q. I am attending Saint Mary’s, Dalhousie or Mount St. Vincent in the fall, how do I get the additional $1000 Pathways Scholarship?

Confirm your attendance at these Universities with Pathways staff (the Post-secondary and Career Coordinator Elizabeth or your SPSW) by August 30^th.  Pathways will send your name to the university’s admission department and they will add the scholarship to your account.  Saint Mary’s and Mount Saint Vincent split the scholarship into two semesters.  You do NOT have to be in Pathways for two years to receive this scholarship.

Q. When is my first tuition payment due?

NSCC tuition is due in August.  University tuition is usually due in September.

Q. What is the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)? 

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) will provide $1,250 per month for eligible students from May through August 2020, and $1,750 for students with dependents and those with permanent disabilities.

This new grant will provide income support to post-secondary students who will experience financial hardship over the Summer due to COVID-19. The CESB will be delivered by CRA and more details will be communicated soon.

This benefit is available for high-school graduates who have applied for and will be joining post-secondary programs in the coming months.  Students must prove that they are seeking work in order to receive financial assistance.  Again, stay tuned for more details.

Q. Can I get enough money for school?

Students will be eligible for greater amounts of financial aid, including doubling the non-repayable Canada Student Grants for full and part-time students, as well as for students with disabilities, in the coming academic year.  You must apply for a Nova Scotia Student Loan to access these extra loans and bursaries.   Remember, bursaries do not have to be re-paid.

Q. How do I apply for a Nova Scotia Student Loan?

Nova Scotia Student Loan applications are set to open in May.  The application is available online at https://novascotia.ca/studentassistance/Apply/.  Here is what you will need to apply:

• Bank account info (transit #, account #, a void cheque) in your own name
• Information about any investments/RESPs in your name
• Documents that show you have a permanent disability.
• Your and your parents’/step-parents’/spouse’s income tax return information, from last year’s Revenue Canada tax returns.
• Information about your school program, including how many class hours/credits you’ll be taking.
• Scholarship information/amounts, if you know them.
• An estimate of your expected pre-study period and study-period earnings.
• Documents to validate any other sources of funding you will receive while studying (government pensions/support payments, any disability income,Employment Insurance benefits, retraining program funding, spousal/child support payments, etc.
• Documents that will help you validate that you have a permanent disability.

Here are some useful tools for the loan process and budgeting:

Budgeting Tool

Student Loan Process Step by Step

Have more questions or need assistance accessing your scholarship? Contact our Post Secondary & Career Development Coordinator Danielle Truen at 902-817-4383; [email protected]