Student Loans & Distance Learning

I have particularly the Canadian context in mind with this question.
Do any of you know whether student loans are available to those that wish to study full-time towards a post-graduate degree from an international distance ed. provider (my interest is in SATS)?
Do any of you have some online links to such information?

 

Yes, there is some loan assistance available for dl in Canada. I know that the federal government provides CSLs for Athabasca (and I'm assuming the OLA of BC, and dl services of Mount Saint Vincent, and Queens). Provincial governments such as Alberta and Saskatchewan also have provided support (under provincial student financial aid programmes) for dl students as well.

You can find out more about loans at http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/student_loans/c/index_e.html. This site also has links to provincial and territorial ministries of learning so that you can check on exactly what is available for your province. (http://www.canlearn.ca/nslsc/tools/provincial/nlindex.cfm?langnslsc=en)

Keep in mind that while a university may allow "cash" paying students 6 months to complete a 3 credit course, students receiving CSL assistance are required to do so in 4 months, in the same fashion that campus-based students.

 

Thanks for the reply and the links.

Kamsack, SK, how about that! We are SK people ourselves (originally Kennedy, SK., near Kenosee Lake-Mouse Mountain Provincial Park, but also lived in many other places in SK)

 

That would probably be another half hour from Whitewood? If so, then it's 2.5 hours from me...

 

As I said once before and was ignored.

I once knew someone from Kamsack. It wasn't you so it must have been the other guy.

If it was for the Saskatchewaners and Newfoundlanders I think I might be the only person left in Alberta.

 

You must be, while Ralphie is off getting tanked in D. C.

 

Ralph is a better premier drunk than all the rest are sober. He says he's on the wagon.

 

I can now give somewhat of an answer to my own question. (Now I can't assure this path contains the shortest path of links for your particular province, but I believe it will get you were you need to go if you are persistent.)
Start here http://www.canlearn.ca/nslsc/apply/...fm?langnslsc=en
From this page you will have to submit the correct information. At the resulting page you will have to choose the " Determining Eligibility...Student Loan" from the menu. In the case of Ontario, can follow the link to the OSAP page, and do a school search. If the school has approval (conditional or full), then you are away. If not, you will have to contact the provincial agency (OSAP in my case) to get the appropiate form for the school to fill out for approval. Once the school has the approval form, you need to apply/finish the application process for entrance to the school, apply for the student loan or interest relief, and wait out the process.
As far as receiving student loans for distance education, the person at OSAP I talked to said that if the institution and program can be approved, then usually receiving a student loan or interest relief is not a problem, even for distance ed.
I will get to see the results first hand, I guess.

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Alan Easton