Tuition Assistance Program

How to apply to the Tuition Assistance Program

Before applying, please see the Benefits Available page to make sure the school you are considering is a designated public or private school in B.C.

Also, please see the Employment Insurance page at this web site and make sure you have looked into your Employment Insurance (EI) status before registering for any courses. If you do not do this, your eligibility for EI may be affected.

Applying for Tuition Assistance Program funding has two parts: your Tuition Assistance Program Application Form and your Tuition Assistance Program School Information Form.

You must complete your Application Form and get a letter back from us saying that you are eligible, before taking a School Information Form to your school’s Financial Aid and Awards Office and having them fill out the specifics of your course selection and costs.

For information about Tuition Assistance Program funding for books, please see the Funding for Books page.

If you have any questions or concerns about applying, please e-mail us at cdt@gov.bc.ca or call 1-877-238-8882.

Choosing a school

Before applying to the Tuition Assistance Program, choose your course(s) and school carefully. See our Choosing a Course section for help with this.

The school you choose should be a designated B.C. public or private school. When you have chosen a school, check the StudentAidBC web site to see if it is a designated school. If the school you want to attend is not on the list, try to find an alternative school that is designated.

If you cannot find a designated school that offers the course(s) and feel it is important that you take the course(s) at a school that is not designated, please call us before applying at 1-877-238-8882 to discuss your options.

Application process

Please note that we need ten to 15 business days to review and process your School Information Form before your course begins. For more information on this, see the School Information Form in our Application forms section.

Application form

We must receive and approve two different forms before you may begin a course funded by the Tuition Assistance Program:

  • Tuition Assistance Program Application Form
  • Tuition Assistance Program School Information Form

See our Application forms page for information on these forms and to download them in Word or PDF format.

Funding approval

After we receive your School Information Form, your course and cost information is reviewed to make sure it meets the program rules. If it does, an approval letter will be sent, listing the course(s) (also books, if applicable) and the funding that have been approved.

A cheque to cover the course cost will be sent to the school. This cheque will be made out to both the school and to you. You will need to endorse this cheque (or make alternate arrangements) for the payment to be applied to your account.

For more information about the Community Development Trust:

  • 1-877-238-8882 from B.C. communities outside Victoria
  • 250-387-5349 from Victoria
  • email: cdt@gov.bc.ca