Repayment Assistance Plan

If you’re struggling to repay your student loans, the Repayment Assistance Plan may be an option.

On this page:

• Eligibility
• How repayment assistance works
• Apply for repayment assistance

Eligibility

You may be eligible for the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) if:

• you’re currently repaying an Alberta and/or Canada student loan
• your student loans are in good standing
• you’re having difficulty making payments

Learn more about financial eligibility requirements at Student Aid policy, Repayment Assistance Plan.

How repayment assistance works

If you’re eligible, your monthly payments will be reduced to something more affordable based on your family size and income. In some cases, you will not have to make any monthly payments.

There are two stages to the Repayment Assistance Plan:

RAP Stage 1

• Lasts for up to 60 months within the first 10 years after you leave school
• Intended to help with temporary repayment difficulties
• Monthly payments reduced
• Government pays any interest not covered by your reduced monthly payments

RAP Stage 2

• Available to borrowers who have been on RAP for over 60 months or have been repaying their loans for over 10 years
• Intended to provide long-term relief with ongoing difficulties
• Monthly payments reduced
• Government pays your interest and your principal that exceeds your reduced monthly payments

Apply for repayment assistance

You can apply anytime during repayment to receive assistance for up to 6 months. If you still need help after 6 months, you must re-apply.

The table below outlines how to apply for RAP based on your circumstances:

Circumstances

How to apply

• Canada loans, or
• Canada and Alberta loans

If you have only Alberta loans

Contact the Alberta Student Aid Service Centre to discuss your situation.

If you have a disability

If you have Canada loans, or Canada and Alberta loans, submit a Repayment Assistance Plan for Borrowers with Disabilities application through your NSLSC account.

If you only have an Alberta loan, contact the Alberta Student Aid Service Centre to discuss your situation.

If you are residing outside of Canada

You don’t qualify for the Repayment Assistance Plan for your Canada loans.

You can still apply to Alberta by contacting the Alberta Student Aid Service Centre.