If You Need Help Repaying

B.C. debt reduction in repayment program

This program helps those who have exhausted all their B.C. interest relief time, have had their repayment period extended to 174 months, and are still unable to repay their debt due to low income and financial hardship.

The debt reduction in repayment program takes your total outstanding student loan debt, your family’s gross income and the current B.C. student loan monthly payment and puts them through a formula. This determines if StudentAid BC will lower your student loan debt and by how much. Award amounts vary depending on your situation.

Eligibility criteria

To qualify for the B.C. debt reduction in repayment program you must meet all the following conditions:

All the B.C. interest relief available to you has been used.
You have a student loan amortization period of at least 174 months.
At least 60 months must have passed since your most recent study period end date.
Your B.C. student loans are in good standing.

Additional notes regarding eligibility criteria:

If you declared bankruptcy after May 11, 2004, you can still apply for the B.C. debt reduction in repayment program if you meet all other eligibility criteria.
If your StudentAid BC file is under audit, your application will not be processed until the completion of the audit.
If your loan is held at Revenue Services of BC, you are not eligible to apply.

Application / how to apply

Application forms for the B.C. debt reduction in repayment program can be downloaded [227kb]. You can also contact StudentAid BC to request the application form.

Appealing a B.C. debt reduction in repayment decision

If you are not approved for the B.C. debt reduction in repayment program, appeals will only be considered on the basis of exceptional medical expenses affecting your income.
To request an appeal, use an Appendix 6 – Appeal request [2mb] (contains forms for 15 different kinds of appeals; choose and print the one you need).

Debt reduction for Canada student loans

For information about the federal government’s debt reduction program, visit the National Student Loans Service Centre.