Education funding tips
Financial planning lets you know and plan for the costs of achieving your goals.
Audio: Accessing financial aid services (1 minute) – Quinn at Financial Aid
Budgeting
- Look into all types of financial assistance: Talk to Financial Aid & Awards about your eligibility for College bursaries, government loans or grants for full- or part-time post-secondary programs, trades, or upgrading and other access programs, and other funding, like Bursaries, Scholarships & Awards or child care subsidies.
- If you receive student financial assistance, always check with Financial Aid & Awards before changing your program or course credit load, as changes can affect your eligibility for different kinds and amounts of funding.
- Assess your current expenses and develop a detailed budget with education, living, and potential emergency expenses, and review it with family or friends. Online tools are available at www.canlearn.ca.
- Get used to your budget and see if it is practical by living within your limits before starting school.
- Consider studying part-time if your program allows, if full-time costs are too high.
- Look for money-saving ideas: second-hand books and clothing, discounted groceries, taking the bus, low-cost entertainment, etc.
Working and school tips
Audio: Camosun's Student Employment Services and online postings (2 minutes) – Cathy at Student Employment Services
Work smart to avoid limiting your study time and scholastic success.
- Check your program information for out-of-class study requirements before arranging work.
- Don't work any more than you have to! Look into Financial Aid & Awards and follow a budget.
- Try to find work related to your studies or career goal and thats supports your learning. Co-operative Education offers paid work experience for credit.
- Try to find work close to home or college so you don't lose more study time for travel to work. Take the bus and use the time to study.
- Talk to your employer early if you'll need time off for assignments or exams; check if co-workers will cover for you in advance.
- Ask your employer about reading at work during slow times if that's a possibility.
- Work as much as you can during Christmas or summer breaks so you can work less when classes are in session.
- Check out on-campus student work through Student Employment Services
Last updated: February 8, 2011 12:41 pm

