Nova Scotia Student Assistance gives full-time students a mix of Nova Scotia and Canada grants and loans from one application. Three provincial features set it apart: an upfront grant worth 40% of the provincial loan for students at Nova Scotia schools, a 0% interest program for graduates who live in the province, and a loan forgiveness program that can clear the Nova Scotia loan entirely for students who finish an eligible program on time.
How the provinces compare on interest and how federal and provincial loans fit together is on the student loans hub.
What a full-time student can get
| Funding | Maximum, 2026-27 academic year | Repaid? |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia Student Loan | $200 per week of study | Yes |
| Nova Scotia Student Grant | 40% of your Nova Scotia Student Loan, for students at a Nova Scotia school | No |
| Supplemental loan for medicine, law and dentistry | Up to $140 per week of study | Yes |
| Canada Student Loan | $300 per week of study | Yes |
| Canada Student Grants | Set by the federal government, by income and family size | No |
The provincial and federal amounts are calculated using different income information but the same basic criteria. These are program maximums: most students receive less, and an appeal can’t raise them. There is also a limit on the total number of weeks of full-time study that student assistance will fund. (Source: Nova Scotia Student Assistance, loans and grants for full-time studies.)
The federal grants, including those for students with disabilities and students with dependants, are explained in the Canada Student Grants guide, and other provinces’ grants are compared in the provincial student grants guide.
The 0% interest program
The Canada Student Loan part charges no interest. A Nova Scotia Student Loan starts charging interest six months after you leave school unless you qualify for 0% interest. Nova Scotia eliminated interest on its student loans in 2014 through this program, and to qualify you must:
- have entered repayment and hold a Nova Scotia Student Loan;
- have graduated; and
- live in Nova Scotia. If you move out of the province, you stop being eligible.
Borrowers who signed a tax consent on or after August 1, 2020 receive the benefit automatically; earlier borrowers apply once through MyPATH. Since April 2026, graduates no longer reapply each year. The program doesn’t change your monthly payment: it sends all of it to principal, so the loan ends sooner. (Sources: Nova Scotia, 0% interest on Nova Scotia student loans; Nova Scotia news release, April 14, 2026.)
The Nova Scotia Loan Forgiveness Program
Graduates of eligible programs can have their Nova Scotia Student Loan forgiven without applying: Student Assistance reviews each new graduate’s account once the school confirms graduation, and sends a letter with the amount.
| Program | Who qualifies | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate degrees | First non-professional undergraduate degree at a Nova Scotia university, finished within eight years of starting; Nova Scotia loans issued on or after August 1, 2015 | Up to five years of forgiveness, up to $20,400 |
| Certificates and diplomas | First non-professional certificate or diploma at NSCC or a Nova Scotia university, finished within four years; loans issued on or after August 1, 2020 | Up to $4,680 per 39-week study period, $6,240 per 52-week period |
Students with a disability are assessed with more time to finish. Canada Student Loans aren’t covered, though if your Nova Scotia loan is already partly repaid, forgiveness left over on the certificate and diploma program goes to your Canada Student Loan and any remainder comes as a cheque. (Sources: Nova Scotia, loan forgiveness for undergraduate degrees; Nova Scotia, loan forgiveness for certificates and diplomas.)
The federal government forgives part of the Canada Student Loan for family doctors, nurses, teachers and other listed occupations working in rural communities; that and other provinces’ programs are compared in student loan forgiveness in Canada.
Repaying: Resolve and the NSLSC
Nova Scotia loans and Canada loans are managed by two different service providers, which is why borrowers here hear from two organizations:
| Loan | Managed by | For |
|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia Student Loan | Resolve (resolvestudentloans.ca) | Your NS account, payments and NS repayment assistance |
| Canada Student Loan | National Student Loans Service Centre | Your federal account, payments and federal repayment assistance |
Repayment starts six months after you leave school, and both contact you before then with your schedule. You choose how long to take, up to 9.5 years. (Source: Nova Scotia Student Assistance, repayment.) The federal side is covered in the NSLSC account guide, and the student loan repayment calculator shows how long a balance takes at a given payment.
If payments become unaffordable, Nova Scotia has repayment assistance for the provincial loan through Resolve, and the federal Repayment Assistance Plan covers the Canada loan. Missed payments, default and bankruptcy are explained in what happens if you can’t pay your student loan.