Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG)
The Canada Student Service grant (CSSG)
Created June 29, 2020
Background
Previously, on April 22, the Prime Minister announced various supports for students including the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) as well as an increase of $75.2 million for existing distinctions-based support for Indigenous, Inuit and Métis students.
On June 25, 2020, the government announced the official launch of the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) and that the portal for applications is open.
Full Release: https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/06/25/prime-minister-announces-support-students-serving-their-communities
Key Points
- The Canada Student Service Grant will support students who volunteer during the COVID19 pandemic. For students who choose to do national service and serve their communities, the grant will provide between $1000 and $5,000 depending on their hours.
- As previously announced, these benefits are stackable in that students would be eligible to receive both the CESB and the Canada Student Service Grant provided they meet the conditions for both.
- All students and recent graduates who meet the eligibility criteria can receive the Grant for volunteering between June 25th and October 31st, 2020.
How to Apply
Eligibility
- You must be a Nisga’a citizen, Canadian citizen, permanent resident, refugee, First Nations, Metis or Inuit aged 30 years old or younger. You must be aged 30 or under as of December 31st, 2020.
- You must be enrolled part time or full time in a recognized post-secondary education program in Spring/Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 or have completed your post-secondary studies in December 2019 or later.
- Recognized post-secondary education programs include courses taken at a university or college level at a designated or certified educational institution in Canada, including recognized Indigenous institutions. Courses taken at a secondary-level vocational training institution in Québec are also included.
- NOTE that while you can receive both the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) and the CSSG you CANNOT have received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and receive the CSSG.
Application Process
- Visit https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/volunteer/initiative and click ‘apply’
- You will need to provide:
- A piece of identification such as a valid driver’s license, provincial or territorial identification, or, a valid passport; and
- A proof of registration from a recognized post-secondary institution for Spring/Summer 2020 or Fall 2020; or
- A proof of graduation from no earlier than December 2019
- You have until August 21, 2020 to register and apply for the grant
- Further information is also available at https://www.iwanttohelp.org/en-CA/
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What if I’ve already started volunteering? Can those hours count?
A. Yes, if you are already volunteering with a charity or not-for-profit organization. If you would like your hours to count towards the Canada Student Service Grant, the organization with which you are volunteering can submit the opportunity for approval before August 21st, 2020 — as long as it meets all of our requirements.
Q. What if I live somewhere that doesn’t have many volunteer opportunities or I don’t have access to transportation?
A. Many of the opportunities on the opportunity site are virtual meaning it’s possible to work from home in many instances.
Q. How much money can I receive?
A. The grant ranges from $1000 to $5000 depending on how many volunteer hours you accumulate.
- 100 hours for $1,000
- 200 hours for $2,000
- 300 hours for $3,000
- 400 hours for $4,000
- 500 hours for $5,000
Please note that the grant is only in increments of $1000 meaning if you worked 150 hours you would still only get $1000.