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If you are eligible under the Loans and Bursaries Program and you must purchase a desktop or laptop computer to pursue your studies, you could be entitled to an additional loan amount of $2 000, which is awarded only once over the course of your studies.

You may still qualify for the additional loan even if your computer expenses do not total $2 000. In that case, you will not be required to remit the remainder to Aide financière aux études.

If the use of a laptop is required in your program of study, the additional loan can be $3 000. However, we recommend that you ensure that such an amount is necessary, considering the fact that you are not required to spend the full amount of the loan. To limit your debt, you may decide to limit the loan to $2 000, even if your program of study requires the use of a laptop.

To find out whether or not you are required to purchase a portable computer, consult the list of programs recognized for that purpose.

To ensure that your computer expenses are recognized as allowable expenses, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be eligible under the Loans and Bursaries Program for the award year concerned.
• You must have never received an additional loan or bursary from Aide financière aux études to purchase computer equipment.

You must respect the following rules:

• The computer equipment must include a desktop or laptop computer.
• The computer equipment must be purchased between the May 1 preceding the award year concerned and expiry of the 60-day period following the additional loan disbursement.
• You can purchase the computer equipment at the business of your choosing, provided it is located in Québec.
• You must obtain and keep the original proof of purchase, which must be issued in your name. You are responsible for obtaining supporting documents from the retailer that are compliant with the applicable rules.

Keep your receipts

You will be required to submit your original proofs of purchase as soon as the additional loan or bursary is disbursed. You will have 60 days to send us those compliant supporting documents and a letter of accompaniment, in default of which the computer expense will be cancelled and your financial assistance will be decreased accordingly. Do not send the supporting documents before they are requested. You will receive a notice with instructions on how to send them to us.

A simple procedure

1. Apply for the recognition of your computer expenses, which must include a desktop or laptop computer.
   
   If you are eligible under the Loans and Bursaries Program and you have never received financial assistance to purchase computer equipment, you can file your application on line. Under Your On-Line Services, click on On-Line Access to Your File. Fill out the Identification section and click on Full-time forms. Then click on the link Declaration of change form and fill out the Computer equipment purchase assistance application section.
    
2. Observe the rules governing the purchase of computer equipment.
    
• Purchase a desktop or laptop computer.
• Purchase the equipment between the May 1 preceding the award year concerned and expiry of the 60-day period following the additional loan disbursement.
• Purchase the computer equipment, including a desktop or laptop computer, at the business of your choosing, provided it is in the province of Québec.
• Obtain original receipts in your name.
   
3. Keep your receipts.
   
   You will be required to submit your original proofs of purchase as soon as the additional loan or bursary is disbursed. You will have 60 days to send us those compliant supporting documents and a letter of accompaniment, in default of which the computer expense will be cancelled and your financial assistance will be decreased accordingly. Do not send the supporting documents before they are requested. You will receive a notice with instructions on how to send them to us.

Allowable expenses and financial assistance assessment

If you meet the applicable requirements, allowable expenses of $2 000 will be considered for the purchase of computer equipment, which must include a desktop or laptop computer. If the use of a laptop is required in your program of study, allowable expenses of $3 000 will be considered.

In some cases, the additional assistance will not correspond to either of the above amounts. The additional assistance awarded could be less if your financial needs (allowable expenses minus contributions) are less than the loan amount that could be awarded to you for the award year concerned. Note that a number of parameters are considered when your financial needs are established, including the number of months you will be studying during the year.

Loan repayment

You do not have to pay the interest on the additional loan amount as long as you remain a full-time student, because the government will pay it. You must start repaying your loan six months after terminating your studies. However, you become responsible for the interest charges as of the month following the termination of your studies.

Major functional disability

If you have a major functional disability and your computer expenses are recognized as allowable expenses under the Loans and Bursaries Program, the additional financial assistance will be awarded to you as a bursary.

Additional information

For more information, contact the financial assistance office of your educational institution. You can also call our client services at 418 643 3750 (Québec City), 514 864 3557 (Montréal) or 1 877 643 3750 (toll-free elsewhere in Canada and the United States).