Loans and Grants

SESMT_204520766

Our programs are licensed with the Private Career Colleges (PCC), previously know as the Private Vocational Training Branch of Alberta. Should you need assistance with funding for your program, you may contact:

Student Aid Alberta Service Centre
1-855-606-2096,  TTY: 1-855-306-2240 (toll free in North America)
Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Student Aid Alberta website link

Loans: are based on individual financial need and is intended to supplement the student’s income, not to replace other financial assistance. Applications forms, paper or online, are available and should be completed as early as possible to allow for sufficient processing time prior to the start of class. There is generally a waiting period of 4-6 weeks between the date of the application and when the loan money becomes available, and students should plan their finances accordingly.

Grants: You may be eligible for a grant if you are taking ESL, a professional program or upgrading that earns you a certificate or diploma. Grant funding is also available to Employment Insurance (EI) recipients as well as those who do not qualify for EI benefits. If you are approved for a training grant, please be advised that it can take 8-10 weeks for processing.

 

Important information for current and graduating students who have student loans

Additional information, resources and links related to student loans and grants:

  1. Link for Alberta Student Loans: https://myloan.studentaid.alberta.ca/ABDLWeb/En/index.aspx

  2. Link for Canada Student Loans: https://csnpe-nslsc.cibletudes-canlearn.ca/Eng/Default.aspx

  3. Apply for government repayment assistance (if needed to help defer interest payments after you graduate): https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/education/repayment-assistance-plan.html

  4. We encourage students to create online accounts with both the Alberta and Canada Student Loan offices

  5. Know that students are responsible for paying back loans regardless of whether they graduate from a program or not. Therefore, it is important to give 100% to studies in order to ensure success. Once graduates find a job in the field of massage therapy, paying off their student loans is usually quite manageable.

  6. Our school has affiliations with several employers of massage therapists through our externship program. Often these employers are looking to hire on externs once they graduate. The NHPC has a job board that is popular with massage therapists looking for employment. Another popular method to search for employment is through: https://ca.indeed.com

  7. Students must start payment on the loan at the beginning of the 7th month following graduation. If students choose to return to school for the second year of the program, they must start payment on all loans at the beginning of the 7th month following graduation from your second year.

  8. Know that it is helpful to know how to budget finances in order to be able to make payments on loans when they come due.

  9. If students need to borrow money outside of their student loans, typically Federal floating rate loans are at prime+2%, fixed federal loans are at prime+5%, Provincial floating rate loans are at prime+0.5%, fixed provincial loans are at prime+2%