Financial Assistance

You may qualify for loans and bursaries through the Québec government’s Aide financière aux études (AFE) if you are a full-time (or deemed full-time) student and meet the following criteria:

• You are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, refugee or protected person within the meaning of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and
• You reside or are deemed to reside in Québec when applying for financial assistance; and
• You need financial assistance in order to pay for your studies.

Students receiving welfare or employment insurance during their studies are not eligible for loans and bursaries.

The amount of assistance awarded is based on the financial situation of the applicant and in some cases, the financial situation of your parent(s), sponsor or spouse. AFE’s assessment simulator helps you estimate the amount of government loans and bursaries you may receive during the academic year.

Please note: The amount entered for tuition should only include your CEGEP registration fees ($162 per semester for full-time day students and $117 per semester for full-time Continuing Education students).

If you are applying for loans and bursaries for the first time, you will need to create a new account on the AFE website at www.afe.gouv.qc.ca. You will need your permanent code (you can find this on your Progression Chart on My JAC Portal) and your social insurance number.

Once you have logged on to your online services account, complete the application for full-time assistance for the relevant academic year.

When filling out an application for Québec’s Loan and Bursary program, you will need:

• John Abbott’s institution code: 935000
• Your Program Code

Once you have submitted your online application, AFE will tell you which documents they need to complete processing; use your Online Services to submit them electronically.

If your parents, sponsor or spouse need to fill out a declaration, have them do it online.

In general, once AFE has received all the required information and supporting documents, your online application will be processed within 4 weeks. If you have submitted a paper application, it can take 6-8 weeks for your application to be assessed.

Please refer to the homepage of the AFE site to check the current processing times.

The decision and assessment of awarded financial assistance will be available in your Online File. You will receive an email asking you to check your file using your Online Services.
If this is your first time applying for financial assistance, you’ll need a Guarantee Certificate. Aide financière aux études will notify you by email when it’s available via your Online Services. You’ll need to print the document and present it to your financial institution to have your loan and any bursaries deposited directly into your account.

Students with loans only will receive a single payment at the beginning of each term. Students receiving loans and bursaries will have a larger sum deposited into their account at the start of the term, with additional aid in the form of monthly deposits.

You are not expected to pay back your loan while you are a full-time student (or deemed a full-time student) but interest is calculated starting the month after your studies come to an end. You will be expected to start paying back your loan 6 months after the end of your studies.

If you want to pay back your student loan more quickly, contact your financial institution directly as soon as you finish your studies to establish an agreement.

For more information, please contact the Financial Assistance Officer at financial.assistance@johnabbott.qc.ca or log on to My JAC Portal and consult the information posted in the Financial Assistance Services community.

John Abbott College Bursary and Scholarship Funds
Each year, the College awards bursaries and scholarships to its students. Generous donors and the John Abbott College Foundation make it possible for Financial Assistance Services to distribute over $40,000 in financial aid annually. Click here to see complete list.

Canadian Second Language Bursary Program please visit http://www.jexplore.ca/