Sask. student aid fund shrinks $19M in 6 years
Number of students getting loans is up, but student group says loan amounts are going down
As more full-time students in Saskatchewan are accessing loans from the provincial government, the pot of money for grants has shrunk.
According to financial documents, the Saskatchewan Student Aid Fund, which provides grants and bursaries to post-secondary students, sat at $40 million in 2011-2012.
This spring's budget showed $21 million allocated for that fund — about $18.6 million less.
"What we're actually seeing is that they're squeezing us from both sides," said University of Regina student Julian Wotherspoon, speaking as a member of the group Students Mobilizing Against Cuts.
"They're squeezing us with financial aid and then they're squeezing the university with operational grants and other funding."
This week, the university announced its enrolment was on the rise and it was raising tuition 2.8 per cent across most areas—news that came on the heels of the school's decision to axe some of its athletic teams.
Student say less money coming
"We definitely hear from students who were unable to access bursaries or loans," Wotherspoon said of cuts to the student aid fund.
"We also hear from students who have been on loans for a number of years throughout their degree, but are seeing the amount that they're getting from semester to semester actually go down," Wotherspoon said.
I would love to pay just $1,500 a year like we did when our minister of advanced education went to school back in the '90s, but that's just not the case.- Julian Wotherspoon, Students Mobilizing Against Cuts
Besides being accessed by students looking for loans to pay for tuition, she said student aid is accessed by students with disabilities, those from low-income families, and students with children or other family members living with them.
"This represents money that they would be spending on things like food or, you know, gas in their cars to get here or rent to keep a roof over their head."
17,000 students receive loans or grants
According to the Ministry of Advanced Education, 17,162 students have received loans and grants from the fund. There were 19,805 applications as of the end of April.
Annual reports from the past three years show more full-time students are receiving loan and the government is spending more on loans.
In the 2016-17 school year, 13,864 full-time students received loans. That number is up from 12,889 in 2015-2016 and 12,470 in 2014-2015.
Overall student aid not reduced
In 2016-17, the government spent nearly $60 million on loans, $35 million of which came from the student aid fund and around $25 million from the general revenue fund, which would be replenished "as students repay their loans," according to a ministry spokesperson.
In an email statement to CBC News on Thursday, the Ministry of Advanced Education noted it has made changes to the student loan program to provide up-front money to those in need and continues to offer programs like the Saskatchewan Graduate Retention Program, which provides income tax credits of up to $20,000 for tuition fees paid by graduates who live in Saskatchewan.
Wotherspoon wants money to the student aid fund to be restored.
"I would love to pay just $1,500 a year like we did when our minister of advanced education went to school back in the '90s, but that's just not the case."
A spokesperson from the U of R says this year's changes to the student aid fund have "no immediate effect."
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