Parental and spousal revenue, as well as child support payments, will count less toward determining eligibility for student financial assistance.
QUEBEC — Students who see their financial aid reduced because of their family situations will get some relief from the provincial government.
In the budget plan released Tuesday, Quebec announced it is increasing the amount of parental and spousal income that will be exempt from consideration when determining a student’s need for financial assistance, and increasing the exemption for child support payments.
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Under the new thresholds, two parents living together will be able to make up to $75,000 a year, up from $55,000, without that income being considered in establishing the student’s need for financial assistance. For a parent living alone, the threshold increases to $65,000 from $50,000.
Similarly, a student’s spouse will be able to make up to $63,000 a year, up from $48,000, without it negatively affecting financial aid eligibility.
Students who are parents of young children will also see more child support payments exempted from consideration. The current threshold is $4,200 per child, and it will increase to $6,000, or $500 a month.
The government estimates these changes will cost $206 million over the next five years.
Another $64 million has been budgeted to review the way student loans are given so that students with dependent children who can only study part-time have lower student debt burdens.
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