Who gets student loans?

Every year the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) provides approximately $1.5 billion in loans and $80 million in grants to students with a demonstrated financial need. Nevertheless, a gap in postsecondary participation remains between children from upper- and lower-income backgrounds. While it is difficult to estimate the extent to which the CSLP has made it possible for low-income students to obtain a postsecondary education, the study looks at how well loans are targeted to low-income youth, the extent to which the loan amount reflects financial need, and the impact of parental income.