The Government of Canada recognizes that students and recent graduates are being significantly affected by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As many post-secondary students adapt to the new reality brought on by COVID-19, they are concerned about the effect of the pandemic on their ability to continue their studies, secure and retain summer employment, pay their bills, and save for tuition in the fall. Additionally, students who are about to graduate might struggle to find employment in their field of study, which may, in turn, have a negative impact on the value of their education over the long term.

The government has announced a series of measures as part of its COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan that will help Canadian students and recent graduates overcome these challenges and support their future success.

Official Website: www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html

The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provides financial support to post-secondary students and recent post-secondary and high school graduates who are unable to find work due to COVID-19.

This benefit is for students who do not qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance (EI).

From May to August 2020, the CESB provides a payment to eligible students of: $1,250 for each 4-week period or $2,000 for each 4-week period, if you have dependents or a disability.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) made it very easy for you to determine whether you are eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit or not. Visit the CRA website to verify your eligibility. The CRA may ask you to provide supporting documents to confirm your eligibility at a later date.

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/emergency-student-benefit/cesb-who-apply.html

How to Apply for the CESB?

Apply for your Canada Emergency Student Benefit after May 15th, 2020 6:00 am PST online or by phone.

Get Ready to Apply:

The CRA prepared questions to ensure your application will be quick and easy. Follow this link to make sure you are ready to apply to the Canada Emergency Student Benefit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/emergency-student-benefit/cesb-how-apply.html

Note: All applications for this benefit must be submitted before September 30, 2020

If you have any questions about the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, Payment amounts and dates for CESB eligibility periods, if you need to determine how many CESB eligibility periods you can apply for or if you have any other questions, please visit the official CRA website. Note, there is a lot of articles about this program and you should trust only information from the official sources.