The 2019-20 student loan year is underway and students can now submit their applications for student financial assistance for academic programs beginning on or after August 1, 2019.

This year the provincial government is providing approximately $82 million in financial assistance to about 20,000 students.

They have also made recent updates to the Canada-Saskatchewan Integrated Loan Program to help eligible students pay for post-secondary education

Kirk Wosminity Executive Director of Student Services and Program Development at Advanced Education talks some updates to the program this year.

"There's the Saskatchewan advantage scholarship which students now have to apply for. The scholarship will be awarded to students with the most demonstrated financial need through the student loan process. We are also rolling out a grant only option so students who don't want to take out the repayable loan portion can choose to just accept the grant if they want."

There is also Skills Boost top up to the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students which provides $1,600 per year ($200 per month of an eight-month school year) in additional grant money for full-time students who have been out of high school for at least 10 years.

"Students can use there loans and grants for Tuition book costs but also it's used to help pay for the necessities of life like food and rent and those sorts of things."

students are encouraged to apply early (two months before the program start date). 

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for financial assistance.

More information on Saskatchewan student loans can be found at www.saskatchewan.ca/studentloans or by calling 1-800-597-8278.