Gouvernement du Québec — Aide financière aux études
Quebec residents keep AFE aid while studying in another province or abroad. Mostly loan only. The host school has to be recognized first.
Published by G Paul · last checked September 1, 2026
If you're a Quebec resident pursuing post-secondary study at an institution outside Quebec — whether that's the University of Toronto, Dalhousie, a US university, or a recognized European program — the Prêt pour études à l'étranger lets you keep your AFE student-aid eligibility while you're abroad. Without this program, leaving Quebec for school normally means leaving AFE behind (no other provincial aid system covers Quebec residents, since Quebec is opted out of federal Canada Student Loans). The program is loan-only in most cases — the bursary portion of standard AFE may or may not extend to the abroad program depending on whether the host institution is recognized as equivalent. The Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur maintains a list of pre-approved foreign institutions and exchange programs; if your destination isn't on the list, AFE will review your specific program for recognition (this adds processing time, which is why studies-abroad applications run longer than standard domestic AFE). Common use cases include CEGEP graduates accepted to anglophone universities outside Quebec (UofT, McGill via formal exchange, Dalhousie, Memorial), Quebec graduate students taking up named PhD positions at US/UK universities, and Quebec students on formal exchange programs at recognized partner institutions.
You qualify if (1) you meet AFE's general residency and immigration criteria (deemed Quebec resident for student aid purposes; Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person), (2) you are enrolled in a recognized program outside Quebec — this can be in another Canadian province or internationally, and (3) the host program has been recognized by the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur as equivalent to a Quebec credential. Some institutions are pre-approved (formal McGill/UQAM/U Laval exchange partner lists, US flagship universities, major UK/EU universities); others require individual review. International students and those without Quebec residency are not eligible. The program covers undergraduate and graduate study; some specialized college-level programs may also qualify if the host institution and program are recognized.
This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.
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No. You need to be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person.
FundMyCourse.ca · checked Sep 1, 2026
Loan amounts mirror standard AFE per-month allowances by level
fundmycourse.ca/scholarships/afe-loan-for-studies-abroad-pr-t-pour-tudes-l-tranger