
Financial Aid and Awards

Depending on your studies or situation, there may be additional sources of funding available for your education.
The Adult Upgrading Grant (AUG) is a provincial government grant that you don't have to pay back.
If you are eligible for AUG, you could receive money to help pay for tuition and fees, supplies, transportation, unsubsidized child care and technology.
Students enrolled in any of the following programs are eligible and encouraged to apply:
Okanagan College has a limited amount of emergency funding to assist eligible students experiencing an unexpected financial hardship. The funding is for students who are progressing in their program and demonstrate that they need financial assistance to complete their study period.
As emergency bursary funds are limited, preference will be given to those students who demonstrate that they have exhausted all other sources of financial assistance, including government student assistance.
The funding is for immediate living and educational expenses (except for paying tuition and fees).
To be considered for an emergency bursary, students must meet ALL of the following criteria:
Paper copies are still available. Please contact Financial Aid & Awards.
The Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund has been established by the Ministry of Advanced Education to assist Indigenous students in emergency situations causing unexpected financial hardships
To be considered for the Indigenous Emergency Assistance Fund, students must meet ALL of the following criteria:
Paper copies are still available. Please contact Financial Aid & Awards.
Okanagan College and the Okanagan College Foundation are dedicated to supporting students who demonstrate a need for financial assistance to purchase technology required for online learning. Okanagan College has a limited amount of emergency funding to assist eligible students experiencing an unexpected financial hardship.
Okanagan College may be able to provide you with funding to help pay for these costs. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Please note that this funding is intended to support students who do not have access to or do not own and laptop/computer needed for their online education. As emergency bursary funds are limited, preference will be given to those students who demonstrate that they have exhausted all other sources of financial assistance, including government student assistance.
If you feel you meet the criteria above, please click the button below to complete the application.
Students who are temporarily short on funds for reasons beyond their control may be eligible for a small, short-term emergency loan. Emergency loans may be considered for items essential to attendance at Okanagan College (e.g. books, supplies, rent, food).
To be considered for an emergency loan, students:
Paper copies are still available. Please contact Financial Aid & Awards.
Complete the Former Youth in Care consent form and email the completed form to financialaid@okanagan.bc.ca.
Am I eligible for a tuition waiver?
To be eligible for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program, students must be:
If you meet the criteria above, please follow the "How do I apply for the tuition waiver" instructions above to apply.
Are there any other funding programs for Former Youth in Care students?
The Learning for Future Grant (LFG) provides an annual grant of $3,500 per program year to students who meet the eligibility requirements for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program to assist with additional education-related costs that are not covered by the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program (e.g. textbooks, computers, supplies, etc.).
If you've been in foster care or had a Youth Agreement, you may qualify for the Agreements with a Young Adult (AYA) program to help cover the cost of things like housing, childcare, tuition and health care while you go to school or do job training, or attend rehabilitation, mental health or life skills program.
Visit agedout.com for more information of other funding opportunities for former youth in care.
For assistance with Former Youth in Care resources, please contact:
Chantal MacLean, Former Youth in Care Support Navigator
Email: cmaclean@okanagan.bc.ca
Telephone: (250) 762-5445 ext. 6714
The Youth Futures Education Fund has been established by the Vancouver Foundation to provide a grant to recipients of the Former Youth in Care Provincial Tuition Waiver, to assist with supplemental educational funding for expenses such as books, housing, utilities, or emergency situations.
Criteria
To be considered for the Youth Futures Education Fund, students must meet ALL of the following criteria:
Procedures
Have questions about Former Youth in Care resources? Meet with us in a virtual drop-in session.
Participants will:
Drop-in dates and times are:
Mondays 10a.m. – 11a.m.
Okanagan College provides short-term relief for students facing food insecurity and hardship. No student should ever have to choose between buying groceries and paying bills. For additional information, please select your campus:
Kelowna: http://ocsu.ca/food-security/kelowna
Vernon: https://vsaoc.ca/services/student-financial-assistance
Penticton: http://ocsu.ca/food-security/penticton
Salmon Arm: http://ocsu.ca/food-security/salmon-arm
If you are struggling to make ends meet, you can register with the Central Okanagan Food Bank and get a food hamper once a month.
For program information and how to register, please click on the links below.