Financial Aid and Awards

This information pertains to distance learning through Thompson Rivers University, Open Learning (TRU-OL). If you require information about on-campus learning at TRU Kamloops, click here.

Applying for Financial Assistance
Forms and Information in PDF
Residency Requirements
Part-time Bursaries and Grants
Full-time Student Loans and Grants
StudentAidBC
Full-time Online Fee Deferral
Full-time Single Parents Bursary Endowment Fund
TRU-OL Emergency Bridging Loan Fund
Government of Canada's Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP)
Other Sources of Assistance
Annual Awards and Bursaries

Applying for Financial Assistance

Students should contact Financial Aid and Awards for part-time or full-time application forms and information.

Email OLfinaid@tru.ca
Phone 1.800.663.9711 Ext. 2 (toll-free in Canada) or 250.852.6802 (Kamloops and International)
Fax 250.371.5668

Applicants may submit part-time application forms to the TRU-OL Financial Aid and Awards office. Faxed copies are not accepted.
Applicants may submit full-time application forms online at www.studentAidBC.ca or paper forms to the Ministry of Advanced Education.
Students making up a full-time course load from more than one institution or TRU division, including on-campus courses at TRU Kamloops or Williams Lake (split-enrolled), must inform each institution's or TRU division's financial aid office before registering.

Forms and Information in PDF

The following financial aid forms and information are provided in PDF format to download and print:

Note: Fee deferral is also provided as an online service (refer to instructions on this page).
Contact Financial Aid and Awards for any assistance required with the online fee deferral process:
Phone 1.800.663.9711 Ext. 2 (toll-free in Canada)

"Comprehensive Financial Planning for Education"

Funded by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, this resource is available online at www.ufv.bc.ca/future/cfpe/contents.htm and provides "hands-on" opportunities to explore financial planning through a series of learner-oriented modules:

The Career I Have Chosen - Is It Worth the Money?
Mastering Money and Spending Habits
Living on a Shoestring
Money for Education: Non-repayable Sources
Money for Education: Repayable Sources

Each module includes worksheets and exercises, as well as a list of printed and web-based resources.

Residency Requirements

Currently, only Canadian citizens and permanent residents (landed immigrants) are eligible to apply for financial assistance.

Detailed information about residency requirements for part-time and full-time assistance is provided at http://www.studentAidBC.ca/.

Full-time Assistance

The Canada Student Loans Program defines a student's province of residence for the purposes of full-time assistance as the last province lived in for twelve consecutive months as a non full-time student, or if the student has immigrated within the last year, the province in which they landed.

Canadian citizens or landed immigrants (permanent residents) who do not qualify as residents of BC may apply for full-time government loans and grants through the province of which they are considered to be residents. If the student's chosen program of study is available at institutions in their province of residence, the student may not be eligible for provincial loans and grants through some provinces while studying in BC.

Part-time Assistance

Applicants must be resident in BC at the time of application to receive part-time assistance through TRU-OL. For students not residing in BC, the Part-time Canada Student Grant (CSG) can be applied for directly through the government in the province in which the student is residing.

Part-time Bursaries and Grants
(non-repayable aid)

To apply for part-time funding which includes: The Canada Student Grants, CKNW Bursary, Barbara Guttmann-Gee Bursary or Open Learning Bursary, for studies commencing between August 1, 2010 to July 31, 2011, download a Part-time Studies Application in PDF format along with the TRU-OL Registration Form . Then mail the original completed application and Course Registration to: TRU Open Learning, c/o the Financial Aid and & Awards Office, P.O. Box 3010, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N3. Allow up to four weeks for processing. (Instructions about opening PDF files are provided on this website.)

The programs listed in this section pay for all direct educational costs, including tuition and fees, required textbooks, miscellaneous allowance and some childcare when applicable.

Upon approval of a bursary or grant application, the student is registered in the requested course(s), or, if already registered, is reimbursed by cheque or credit card refund if applications are received within two months of the original date of registration.

Bursaries and grants are available to applicants who demonstrate financial need (according to the formula used by StudentAid BC) and, for Canada Student Grant only, all students must be studying between 20% to 59% of a full-time course load. Applicants must be in good standing with any previous Canada or BC student loans.

Canada Student Grant for Part-time Students (CSG)

This federal grant program (CSG) provides funding to low income students registered in qualifying post-secondary courses who are pursuing a certificate, diploma or degree. The maximum funding per student per program year (August 1 to July 31) is $1,200.

Erm Fiorillo - Hal Davis CKNW Orphans' Fund Bursary

Established by the CKNW Orphans' Fund, this endowment provides funding to students in distance courses who are single parents. Preference is given to those not already receiving funding through other programs and who have not previously completed a post-secondary program of study.

Barbara Guttmann-Gee Bursary

Established by BC Open University 1991 graduate Barbara Guttmann-Gee, this endowment provides funding to female students in distance courses. Preference is given to older females in financial need and those pursuing a TRU-OL certificate, diploma, or degree.

Open Learning Bursary

This endowment gives preference to the applicants in distance courses, who do not have access to other sources of financial aid and those pursuing a TRU credential.

Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program (ABESAP)

This provincial grant program provides funding to students enrolled in Adult Basic Education courses; Grade 10, 11, or 12 completion; ESL (English as a Second Language); or Basic Literacy. First time ABESAP applicants may only be funded for up to two courses, and must successfully complete both courses before being concurrently funded for more than two courses.

To apply for ABESAP funding download an ABESAP Application and TRU-OL Registration Form in PDF format and submit the original completed forms to: TRU Open Learning, c/o Financial Aid & Awards Office, P.O. Box 3010, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 5N3. Allow up to four weeks for processing. (Instructions about opening PDF files are provided on this website.)

Full-time Student Loans and Grants

Students may apply through StudentAid BC at www.studentaidbc.ca or may use a paper application, which must be submitted a minimum of six weeks before the funding is required. Students may also check their loan application status on the web at www.studentaidbc.ca.

Six Key Steps to Apply

Read the following section about StudentAid BC. Make sure that self-paced study and highly structured full-time loans will work for you.

Select your study period from one of twelve possible terms.

Apply to www.studentaidbc.ca or request a paper application. Ensure paper applications are submitted a minimum of four weeks before funds are required. Keep a copy of your application number and your pass code if you apply online.

Register full-time with TRU-OL by the registration deadline :
a) Online, with a credit card or fee deferral
b) By phone, with a credit card, at 1.800.663.9711 (toll-free in Canada)

Mail, scan & email or fax the Study Contract

to TRU-OL Financial Aid and Awards after selecting a study period and signing it. (You may skip this step if you completed an online fee deferral.)

Wait a minimum of four weeks after submitting your application to receive your documents at your home address from the Ministry of Advanced Education in Victoria.

Note: The ministry does not mail these documents more than three weeks before the start of a loan period. Once you receive your documents, you have approximately one week to cash them before the TRU-OL confirmation of enrolment expires.

Financial Aid and Awards Distance Education Terms

Term	Start Date	End Date
September	September 1	December 31
October	October 1	January 30
November	November 1	February 28
December	December 1	March 31
January	January 1	April 30
February	February 1	May 31
March	March 1	June 30
April	April 1	July 31
May	May 1	August 31
June	June 1	September 30
July	July 1	October 31
August	August 1	November 30

The late deadline for registration online (by credit card or online fee deferral) is the tenth (10) day of each month. The deadline for paper registration is the day prior to the start of the study period.

To Check Your Application Status
(with your S.I.N. and application number)

Online at www.studentaidbc.ca.

From Vancouver, phone 604.660.2610
From Victoria, phone 250.387.6100
From elsewhere in BC, phone 1.800.561.1818

Contact Financial Aid and Awards 1.800.663.9711 Ext. 2 (toll-free in Canada) if you have questions about using student loans at TRU-OL or have general questions about financial aid.

StudentAid BC

This program provides Canada student loans and BC student loans to BC residents who demonstrate financial need and who are enrolled full-time in post-secondary programs.

The maximum award for both educational and living costs is $320 per week for eligible students without dependents and $510 per week for eligible students with dependents.

To be considered a full-time student in the program, it is necessary to register in and complete a minimum course load of nine new credits per four-month loan period. (Repeat registrations can be used only when no assignments were passed in the previous registration.)

For distance education students this is a shorter completion schedule than TRU-OL imposes. This can be a challenge for students unfamiliar with studying at home and it is recommended that new

TRU-OL students begin with part-time study or that they familiarize themselves with the new method of study before taking out loans. Information about taking distance courses is provided on this website to help students start and continue successfully as distance learners.

Much of the flexibility of open learning is lost when applying for full-time government student loans.

There are 12 distance education loan periods, each four months long, which start the first of each month. Students are required to register in a fulltime course load within the month prior to the start date of each period (e.g., register in August for the September term). Late phone and web registrations are permitted up to the tenth day of each month after the term start date.

Any continuous-entry registrations received after the final deadline on the tenth of the month can only be applied to the following term (e.g., a January 11 registration can be applied only to the February loan term).

All students receiving student loans or grants are required to sign a Study Contract.

After registration, full-time status for distance courses is maintained by submitting assignments each month and submitting all coursework during the loan period in nine credits (the minimum required for full-time status). Loan documents and grants are not released past the study period midpoint without sufficient academic progress.

Final examinations may be written in the month following the loan period (e.g., examinations may be written in May for a January to April loan).

Failure to submit assignments on a regular schedule throughout the loan period or failure to submit all coursework by the end of the loan period, may be regarded as a "technical" withdrawal from full-time study even though a student does not formally withdraw.

This may result in a portion of the loan being placed in "over award" and becoming immediately repayable ("over award" portions of a grant are retroactively converted to an interest-bearing loan).

Eligibility for further funds, interest-free status and other privileges associated with full-time status may be affected.

Interest-Free Status

Students enrolled in full-time studies who are not negotiating a new Canada Student Loan or BC Student Loan should contact Financial Aid and Awards for information about keeping their existing loans in interest-fee status.

Full-time Online Fee Deferral

In order for student loans or grants to be released, students must be registered in a full-time course load. TRU-OL requires that students pay the course costs in full at the time of registration. The best option is to register with payment (credit card or cheque) and be reimbursed by the student loan or grant. If the student loan is required to pay course costs directly, then TRU-OL's online fee deferral is the best option, as follows:

Go to the web registration system.
Add all courses for the term to the Shopping Cart. (Note: For students completing the second half of an eight-month, six-credit course, or have had a split enrolment received and approved by the TRU Financial Aid Office, these credits are automatically added to the total.)
Click on "Proceed to Registration."
Log in to myTRU. (Note: Students who do not have a TRU-OL student number will be asked to create one. Students with a TRU-OL student number who have never logged in to myTRU will be asked to select a password to create an account.)
Click on "Apply for Deferred Payment" (at the bottom of the Online Payment screen).

Course packages will be shipped in one to two weeks. The total of a student's outstanding fees will be automatically deducted from their loan or grant and paid to TRU-OL.

Full-time Single Parents Bursary Endowment Fund

Established by the CKNW Orphans' Fund, this endowment provides funding to students in distance courses who are single parents, have received the maximum student loan amount and still have "unmet need". Applicants must be returning students and have successfully completed their last full-time term through TRU. The Full-time Single Parent Bursary Application is provided in PDF.

TRU-OL Emergency Bridging Loan Fund

This fund is used to provide short-term bridging loans to enrolled distance education students who incur unforeseen delays in their financing (normally student loans). Loans of up to $700, interest-free, are provided for a period of up to 60 days, provided the pending financing is guaranteed and assignable (e.g., an approved student loan).

These loans cannot be issued prior to the first day of a student's study period.The Full-time Emergency Bridging Loan Application is provided in PDF.

Government of Canada's Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP)

Canadian residents and/or their spouses can withdraw up to $10,000 per year from their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to finance full-time studies at post-secondary institutions including TRU-OL. Information is available on the Canada Revenue Agency Website.

Other Sources of Assistance

There are other private bursaries and scholarships available to students attending BC's post-secondary institutions; most of these are available to students registered in TRU-OL courses. Application procedures for these awards vary, and most have restrictions and conditions imposed on them. Information about private awards is also available on the Internet (for example, www.scholarshipscanada.com, www.studentawards.com and www.aucc.ca/scholarships/index_e.html).

Annual Awards and Bursaries

Governor General's Silver and Collegiate Bronze Medals

Refer to information on the TRU website for details.

Rosemary Keene Zonta Club Bursary Endowment Fund

Established by the Zonta Club of Vancouver in memory of Rosemary Keene, this endowment provides annual bursaries to students pursuing a first credential in business and administrative studies or science and technology through TRU-OL. Awards are made once a year. Applicants for Part-time Student Assistance are considered for this bursary. No other application is necessary.

Donald Weir Scholarship in Literature

One award of one free course is made annually to the student(s) achieving the highest standing in any of the 400-level TRU-OL English courses. Recipients are pursuing a TRU-OL Bachelor of Arts degree with either a major or a concentration in English and have completed a minimum of 12 TRU-OL credits. No application is required.

Scholarships for Students from Caribbean Countries

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) in partnership with Canadian Virtual University is pleased to offer scholarships to students from the Caribbean region for the Certificate in Information Technology offered through Thompson Rivers University - Open Learning.

Scholarships for online programs allow international students to remain in their home countries while completing Canadian university courses. All courses are delivered online or through print materials sent in the mail.

Deadline for applications is January 31, 2010. Applicants must begin their certificate program no later than February 28th 2010. Information on eligibility is available from the Canadian Virtual University website.