Student loan repayments have resumed, following a six-month, interest-free exemption during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Student financial aid is something that the New Brunswick Student Alliance (NBSA) continues to advocate for every year, and this year it’s more important than ever.
Chairperson Patrick Hickey says the NBSA played a major role in bringing about the six-month loan relief.
“We were really happy to see the intervention of the federal government with those supports but there’s still a lot further we need to go to make sure we’re ensuring students are still able to afford their education, have accessible education and get quality education as well,” he says.
Hickey says they are advocating for further support for those working on paying their loans throughout the pandemic.
They are looking to implement another extension as well as lowering the interest rate on student loans.
He says there are still some options available to help lift some of the financial burden off those who are working to repay their loan.
“Students in New Brunswick have access to student loan programs and this year the Canadian portion of the student loans federally was doubled to $6,000 that has been made available,” he says.
There was some confusion surrounding automatic withdrawals earlier this month, Hickey says there was a delay in processing the payment which has since been resolved.
