Financial Aid for Students - Native Education

Financial Aid

To help our Indigenous learners reach their educational goals, our Financial Aid Advisor helps with finding financial resources. Support is provided with the following:

Do you have tuition free programs?

Yes. Our Adult Basic Education (IABE) program is tuition free, and if eligible you can get your fees, books and Upass covered by the Adult Upgrading Grant.

Another cerprogram that you can apply to with free tuition and books is Office Administration & Employment Training (OAET); most Indigenous applicants are eligible for the scholarship that ACCESS offers for this certificate at NEC.

We also have entrance scholarships for our certificate programs provided you meet the eligibility requirements.

All certificate and diploma programs are not tuition free unless you acquire funding through sponsorship.

NEC Scholarships & Bursaries

Students interested in NEC can apply for scholarships & bursaries through Financial Aid. These are designed to help Indigenous students overcome financial barriers to post-secondary education. Awards do not have to be paid back and are relatively easy to apply to. All have different eligibility requirements and awards are determined by meeting the criteria specific to each award.

These bursaries are dependent on the program, the time of year, and your eligibility.

NEC has a comprehensive list of bursaries in their Student Handbook.

NEC internal student awards

We recognize the hard work and commitment that our students continue to achieve as they pursue their educational goals. Every year, we give over $5,000 in bursaries at the annual Student Awards Ceremony held in July. NEC is grateful for our community partners, donors, and sponsors who continue to support our the goals of our students

Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP)

Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada provides financial assistance for Indigenous learners that want to pursue post-secondary studies. In BC, the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres administers the PSSSP and University College Entrance Preparation (UCEP). Visit their website to see if you’re eligible to access the Post-Secondary Student Support Program.

About Band funding

To answer your question about funding, your first step is to contact your Nation’s post-secondary funding representative to make your funding inquiry. A google search may help if you do not already have contact information.

Most Nations fund only post-secondary certificates, diplomas, and degree programs, and have application deadlines throughout the school year, so if you miss one, you might apply before the next deadline.

When you contact your Nation, you might expect that:

1. Funds are available and an application will be emailed to you.

2. Your Nation’s cut off date for funding has passed, but there may be a waiting list that you could still apply to or apply again before the next cut off date.

3. Your Nation’s cut off date has passed and the next opportunity to apply won’t be till the fall

4. Check with your Nation if they provide living loans