Getting Started

How do I apply?
Am I eligible?
How do I check the status of processing online?
How is my application assessed?
How am I notified of the results?
How do I get my loans?
What about other types of assistance?
What do I need to do before my awards are released?
What do I need to do when I get my loan document?
How do I cash my Manitoba Student Loan Authorization?
Do I need to make loan payments while I’m in school?
How do I keep my loans in interest-free status?
Questions?

If you have never applied for student aid before, this section provides information about the student aid process in Manitoba.

If you have applied before, you are probably familiar with the process already.

How do I apply?

Apply online or by paper application. Submit a separate application for each year of your program of studies.

• If you apply online, within two weeks after submitting your application you will receive a notice advising you of the amount you are eligible to receive and when and where your awards will be available.
• If you apply on paper, it takes up to six weeks to process, and to receive the notice advising you how much you are eligible to receive and when and where your awards will be available.

• To apply online –
  • choose “MySAO - Apply online here!” from the first page of the website
  • create your MySAO account
  • create a password and User ID and enter your personal information.
  • choose the appropriate application year of your studies.
  • complete the Suitability Quiz to see if you are eligible.
  • proceed to the application, and complete the questions about you and your studies.
    • If you don’t have all of the answers ready, you have up to 27 days to return with the information.

  The next time you return to MySAO, you will need your new User ID and password to login and access your account.

• To apply on a paper application –
  • Complete all questions and attach any requested information. If your application is incomplete there will be delays in processing while Manitoba Student Aid requests you to provide the missing information.

Am I eligible?

You must meet eligibility requirements to receive Manitoba Student Aid.

• Online application - complete the online Suitability Quiz to determine if you are eligible. If you are eligible, proceed to the online application. If you are ineligible, you will be advised why you don’t meet the requirements.
• Paper application - your application is manually reviewed to see if you meet the requirements.

How do I check the status of my application?

• Go to the "MySAO - Apply online here!" link on our website
• Login to your account
• Your account can be viewed:
  • to check the progress of processing
  • to see if any information is missing (see My Required Information)
  • to print out the necessary forms
  • to see the amount of award(s) you may be eligible to receive, and details about your assessment
  • to see the balance owed for any Manitoba Student Loans

How is my application assessed?

Manitoba Student Aid considers the financial and educational information you provide to determine your need. Because assistance is supplemental Student Aid may not cover all of your costs.

• Student loans are determined by assessing your financial need for assistance. Factors such as savings, employment contribution, vehicles, parental contribution, and scholarships are taken into account in determining the amount of assistance you are eligible to receive.

  Educational costs - Student Aid also considers the educational costs for your school and program of study.

  Maximum assistance - There are maximum amounts available. Not all students are eligible for assistance, and not all students receive the maximum amounts.

  Work contribution - You may be expected to provide a work contribution, and you and your family may be expected to contribute some funds to your education, depending on your financial circumstances.

  Required Information – Additional information is often required in addition to your application. Manitoba Student Aid cannot process your application without the requested information.

  • Read the Notice of Assistance and attachments you receive in the mail, and also look at the “Required Information” section of MySAO to see if you need to provide more details about your application. The forms will be attached to your notice, or you can print the required forms from MySAO.

• Advise Student Aid in writing if any information changes. You may also need to provide additional information about the change.
  • Making changes – See the Making Changes section of this website for details on what you need to provide depending on what has changed. You can print the required forms from the Review Checklist.
  • Make changes to your address or course load information through MySAO (see “Change My Information”).

• Need more information about the program and how applications are assessed? See the Print it! section of this website. Brochures and some applications can be printed from this section.

How am I notified of the results?

Whether you apply online or by paper, you will receive a notice in the mail. Also look at your MySAO Account “My Award Information” to see how much you will receive.

• As noted above, read your letter or MySAO information carefully.
  • You may need to provide more information before your awards are released.
• Missing Information - If any forms are attached to your Notice letter or listed as Required Information in your MySAO account, have them completed by the required dates and return them so Manitoba Student Aid can continue processing your application.
• Deadlines - There are deadlines for submitting information – two months before the end of your study period. Funds can’t be released if your study period has ended.

How do I get my loans?

If you are awarded assistance, it will be disbursed as two different loans – Canada Student Loan (federal assistance) and Manitoba Student Loan (provincial assistance).

Read your Notice of Assistance Letter or MySAO carefully for information about when each portion of your awards will be available, and what you must provide before they can be released to you.

• The Canada Student Loan is disbursed first and cannot be cashed before the first day of classes.

• The Manitoba Student Loan is disbursed midway through the school year.
  Students studying outside of Canada: Please note that you must have a Canadian bank account in your name to receive Manitoba Student Loans. Any payments made to institutions must be made in Canadian funds.

What about other types of assistance?

If you meet the eligibility requirements, you may also receive other assistance that does not require repayment.

• Some are automatically assessed when you apply on your application.
• Others may require further applications.
• Read information on your Notice of Assistance and in MySAO to see what other information is required.
• Read the Funding section for details about the types of assistance available through Student Aid, and the requirements for each type.

What do I need to do before my awards are released?

• Before your loans are made available to you, you must first provide any required information, and must complete all required parts of your application.

• You can login to your MySAO account to see what information is still needed to process your application.

• If you are still missing information (see the “My Required Information” part of MySAO), you can print out the required forms from your account. Have them completed as required, and return them to Student Aid.

• Read your Notice of Assistance to see where your loans or other awards will be (sometimes they are sent directly to you; other times they are sent to your educational institution).

What do I need to do when I get my loan document?

Read the back of your loan certificates carefully. They provide information on what you need to do next. Canada Student Loans and Manitoba Student Loans each have different requirements.

• Canada Student Loans are cashed through the National Student Loans Service Centre. See www.canlearn.ca for details.
  
  • Obtain any necessary signatures. You may need to have an authorized official from your institution sign the loan to verify that you are currently enrolled as a full-time student. (Some institutions such as the University of Manitoba have electronic confirmation, where the confirmation is done automatically for you.)

• Manitoba Student Loans are cashed through the Loan Services Unit of Manitoba Student Aid. You can deliver your loan documents to Manitoba Student Aid in a variety of ways:
  
  • Present the documents personally at 401-1181 Portage Avenue, or
  • Take the loan documents to Manitoba Student Aid representatives at your school, if applicable (check with your awards office for dates and times), or
  • Mail the loan documents to Manitoba Student Aid (or have a friend or relative drop it off)

• Regardless of the method used to present Manitoba Student Aid with the signed loan document, you will also need to:
  
  • provide a photocopy of identification that has your name and signature on it, and
  • provide a personalized cheque marked "void", or have a Manitoba Student Aid Direct Deposit/Repayment Form completed and stamped by your financial institution.

You can expect to recieve your Manitoba Student Loan within three to five business days after cashing your loan documents.

How do I cash my Manitoba Student Loan Authorization?

• For more details, see How do I cash my Manitoba Student Loan Authorization (Loan Agreement)?

Do I need to make loan payments while I’m in school?

• You won’t need to make payments or pay interest on full-time loans while you are taking your studies.
  • If you drop below the minimum required course load or withdraw from studies, you will be expected to start repayment earlier than if you completed your studies.

• Normally repayment begins six months after you cease to be a full-time student.

How do I keep my loans in interest-free status?

• If you continue school but don’t receive new loans you will need to complete forms for both the federal and provincial loans to delay payment and interest on your loans while you are going to school. You can request these from Manitoba Student Aid.

Questions?

If you are unsure of what to do at anytime during the process of applying for or receiving your loans and other awards, contact our Manitoba Student Aid Inquiry services in person or by phone. Our helpful staff would be glad to answer any questions you may have!