Québec — Financial assistance for full-time French courses for immigrants

What you will need

• ✓ For participation allowance: Answer 'Oui' (Yes) to the financial assistance question on your course admission form
• ✓ For childcare/disabled dependent reimbursement: Completed form Demande de remboursement de frais de garde A-0593-CF
• ✓ For childcare/disabled dependent reimbursement: Required supporting documentation attached to the form
• ✓ For childcare/disabled dependent reimbursement: Submission of form and documents to the educational institution registrar

About this award

Depending on your situation, you can receive $230 per week for participating in your courses. Alternatively, if you receive certain other benefits, you can get $25 per week for transportation. You may also receive a maximum reimbursement of $25 per learning day for each child who requires childcare, or for the care of dependents who have disabilities. As this is financial assistance, not a loan, you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are an immigrant in Québec taking full-time French courses and need help covering your basic living, travel, or childcare costs while you learn. You should apply as soon as your session begins, but you have a hard deadline of 60 days from the start of your session to submit your application. No specific notification date is posted publicly — contact Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI) to ask how and when you will be notified of your eligibility. Selection is based on meeting the specific eligibility criteria for each type of aid. Selection criteria aren't published — ask Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI) how they process applications and how many people typically receive this assistance. Ask Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI) during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Note that they do not withhold income tax at source, so you must declare these payments on your annual tax return to Revenu Québec and the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA — the federal tax agency). Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI) whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

To get the $230 per week participation allowance, you must be taking full-time French courses for immigrants in Québec. You are NOT eligible for this specific allowance if you are a person claiming refugee protection in Canada, a member of a consular or diplomatic corps, or a member of an international organization. You also cannot receive this if you already get money from Employment Insurance, Social Assistance (including the Social Solidarity, Employment Objective, and Basic Income programs), the MFOR-I (Workforce Training Measure Program) from MESS (the Ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale — the ministry handling employment and social solidarity), the CNESST (the commission managing workplace health and safety), the Québec Parental Insurance Plan, PAFFARC (the Financial assistance program for skills recognition), SAPU (the Financial assistance for Ukrainian nationals), or the Public Automobile Insurance Plan. To get the $25 per week transportation allowance, you must be receiving money from one of the agencies listed above (such as Employment Insurance or Social Assistance). You are NOT eligible for transportation aid if you are already receiving the $230 weekly participation allowance or if you are taking your courses via distance learning. To get the $25 per learning day childcare reimbursement, you must have a child or dependent with a disability who requires care. You are NOT eligible if the caregiver is your spouse or a family member, if you are claiming refugee protection in Canada, if you are in a diplomatic/consular corps, if you receive PAFFARC funding, or if another agency already covers your childcare costs. If both parents are taking French courses, only one parent can receive this aid.

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.

• ✓ Resident of Quebec
• ✓ Studying French courses

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Check this year's deadline

   We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.

Tips for applying

• ApplicationAvoid waiting until the end of your second month to apply. Instead, submit your paperwork as soon as your session begins to ensure your funding starts quickly. Set a calendar reminder for the 60-day deadline immediately after your first class.
• DocumentationAvoid submitting incomplete childcare forms. Instead, double-check that all required supporting documents are attached to your Form A-0593-CF before handing it to your registrar. Make a digital copy of everything for your own records.
• StrategyAvoid counting on both the participation allowance and transportation aid. If you receive the $230 participation allowance, you cannot apply for transportation aid, which is only for people already receiving money from one of the listed programs. Check your current benefit statements to see which one fits you.
• RealismAvoid assuming this money is tax-free. Instead, set aside a small portion of the funds or prepare your budget for the fact that you must report this as income to the CRA (the Canada Revenue Agency — the federal tax agency) and Revenu Québec.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• Gouvernement du Québec — Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI)Québec — Financial Assistance Program for Skills Recognition (PAFFARC)