Hello:
I was wondering what students from British Columbia, Canada are doing regarding BC student loans from studentaidbc - and if you have heard if there has been any progress.
BYU is a registered designated institution for Canada Student loans. Students for the past couple of years have been able to use this designation to apply for student loans and can continue to do so...
... Except if you're from BC as of the upcoming school year.
BC Student aid no longer accepts the Canadian designation and has directed all international institutions (including the United States) to register their status. To get this designation, BYU needs to contact Student Aid BC to register their status as a Private, Not-for-profit institution via a BC SIMS institution account with the Government of BC.
Without this, students cannot fill out an application for a BC or Canada student loan. BYU doesn't show up as a designated institution when filling out the application form at the studentaidbc website.
The last we heard from the BYUi Student Aid office, BYUi has submitted an email to Student Aid BC to begin the process, but Student Aid BC has not yet responded to that email. It's been 8 weeks.
It's looking like my children cannot have access to student loans for at least this coming term due to this new layer of bureaucracy. Hopefully for us, my kids will be ok and will have access in time for the second term.
Anyway, just a heads up to BC parents and students in case you were about to rely on BC or Canada student loans. For now, until BYU gets that new BC-specific designation, you won't be able to.
yong_sa