How do I repay my student loan (Aide financière aux études)?

✓ Verified answer Written from official pages, with checked citations and a verification date.

General information, not financial or legal advice. You repay your student loan to the financial institution where you handed in your guarantee certificate at the start of your studies, and you remain responsible for the loan. That institution sends you a notice 6 months after your studies end. When your studies end, you have 3 choices: start paying the loan and interest right away, pay only the interest for 6 months, or wait for the notice. If you cannot pay as planned, first talk to your financial institution; the Deferred Repayment Program also exists, in renewable 6-month periods.

Share : WhatsApp Email Facebook

Key facts

Who you repay: The financial institution where you handed in your guarantee certificate at the start of your studies (you remain responsible for your loan).
Notice from your institution: It sends you a notice 6 months after your studies end.
Interest rate: Bank of Canada prime rate plus 0.50%, according to the official page; a fixed rate is possible by agreement with your institution.
Deferred repayment: Each request covers a 6-month period. Among other conditions: studies ended less than 10 years ago and no more than 60 months of deferred repayment in total.
Debt remission: A 15% reduction of your study debt if you studied full-time and finished your program within the expected time (conditions on the official page).
Federal loans: This sheet covers only Québec's Aide financière aux études loans, not federal loans.

Your procedure, step by step

Start the official procedure Official page: Repaying your student loan (Aide financière aux études) (opens in a new tab)https://www.quebec.ca/education/aide-financiere-aux-etudes/remboursement/rembourser-pret

Identify the financial institution where you handed in your guarantee certificate at the start of your studies: that is where you repay your loan, and you make an agreement with it.
When your studies end, choose one of 3 ways to start: contact your institution and pay the loan and interest right away; contact it and pay only the interest (you will have to start paying the loan after the 6-month period following the end of your studies); or wait for its notice.
If you wait for the notice, know that your institution sends it after the 6-month period following the end of your studies, and that the interest calculated during that period is added to the loan amount to be repaid.
Ask your institution whether a fixed rate is possible: the official page says you can agree with it on a rate set in advance.
If you go back to school, you can stop repaying when you study full-time after full-time studies, or part-time after part-time studies: ask your school to confirm your status.
If your financial situation does not allow you to repay as agreed, contact your financial institution. You can also apply for deferred repayment to reduce your payments for a renewable 6-month period (read the conditions on the official page).
Do not stop repaying without an agreement: your institution would then transfer your file to the Collections Service, and you could no longer apply for deferred repayment.
Keep the statements your institution sends you: each year you receive a non-refundable tax credit and a statement to attach to your tax return. Also check whether you might be entitled to the 15% debt remission.

Your progress is kept on this device only: nothing is sent to Demande au Québec. Some steps only apply in certain situations: skip the ones that do not concern you.

General information drawn from official sources. It does not replace legal, medical or financial advice. For your situation, contact the organization concerned or a professional.

Sources

Rembourser son prêt (Gouvernement du Québec (Aide financière aux études))
Remboursement différé (Gouvernement du Québec (Aide financière aux études))
Remise de votre dette d'études (Gouvernement du Québec (Aide financière aux études))

Checked on October 6, 2026. Rules, deadlines and fees can change: always confirm on the official page above. Demande au Québec is an independent website, not a government site.

Did this answer help you?

Thank you! Your answer helps us improve.

Has the official information changed? Let us know

Thank you, noted. We will check the official page.