Prince Edward Island adds its own aid to the federal Canada Student Loan and Canada Student Grant. The George Coles Bursary pays up to $3,500 per year toward your first degree, diploma or certificate with no separate application, the PEI Provincial Grant adds up to $525 per month for needs-tested students, the Island Advantage Bursary covers the gap for low and middle income families, and the Debt Reduction Grant can pay off up to $3,500 of your PEI Student Loan for each academic year of study, for graduates who stay on the Island. PEI residents in their first year at UPEI also receive Guaranteed Entrance Scholarships of $500 to $3,000 based on Grade 12 average.
Who this page is for
Prince Edward Island residents applying to post-secondary in PEI or anywhere else in Canada. Out-of-province students at UPEI, Holland College, Maritime Christian College, and Collège de l'Île should still check institutional entrance awards. Many are open to all Canadians.
PEI Student Financial Services
Apply through Student PEI:
- PEI Student Loan: provincial loan portion stacked onto the Canada Student Loan in one integrated application.
- PEI Provincial Grant: up to $525 a month, up to $4,200 per 8-month academic year. Assessed automatically when you apply for a student loan. Programs lasting at least 60 weeks qualify.
- George Coles Bursary: up to $3,500 per year, and up to $14,000 in total, for full-time students working on their first degree, diploma or certificate at UPEI, Holland College or Collège de l'Île who meet PEI residency requirements. At Holland College and Collège de l'Île, Year 1 pays up to $4,500 when tuition is $6,600 or more. No application form. It is credited to your school account in January.
- Island Advantage Bursary: needs-based supplement for low and middle income PEI families. You must apply for a student loan to be assessed.
PEI Debt Reduction Grant
Prince Edward Island residents who finish a PEI post-secondary program and stay in the province after graduation can apply for up to $3,500 per year of study in PEI Provincial Loan forgiveness, counted for the minimum length of your program plus one year. You must have lived in PEI for at least six months right before you apply. Check your eligibility before you leave the Island. Apply through Student Financial Services within three years of finishing your program.
UPEI Guaranteed Entrance Scholarships
UPEI awards entrance scholarships automatically based on Grade 12 average:
- 95 to 100%: $3,000
- 90 to 94.99%: $2,000
- 85 to 89.99%: $1,000
- 80 to 84.99%: $500
Continuing students who hold an 80%+ average receive Academic Excellence Awards on the same tier structure each year through fourth year. No application required.
Holland College
Holland College gives out awards to students each year. Entrance Awards have a spring application deadline. Enrolled and Winter Entrance Awards have a fall deadline. Five Youth in Care Tuition Waivers are reserved each year for current or former youth in care. Apprentices at Holland College can also look at the federal Canada Apprentice Loan (the federal apprenticeship grants closed on March 31, 2025). Search current awards on the Holland College Awards portal.
Other PEI institutions
- Maritime Christian College (Charlottetown): entrance awards. The George Coles Bursary is not paid here: it covers only UPEI, Holland College and Collège de l'Île.
- Collège de l'Île: francophone post-secondary serving Acadian and francophone students. George Coles Bursary is credited in January.
- University of Prince Edward Island School of Veterinary Medicine: specialized awards for AVC students alongside the general entrance scholarships.
Indigenous PEI students
- Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI: education funding for member students of Lennox Island First Nation and Abegweit First Nation.
- John J. Sark Memorial Scholarship: $1,000 award through Student PEI honouring the late Chief.
- Indspire: national funding streams with PEI-eligible awards.
What our directory covers
Below are PEI-eligible scholarships, grants, bursaries, and loans checked on each award's official page. Every listing shows the date we last checked it. For the full Atlantic Canada guide covering PEI together with Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, see the linked blog post.