AFE Loan for Studies Abroad (Prêt pour études à l'étranger)

About this award

AFE's loan stream for Quebec residents studying outside Quebec — including in other Canadian provinces and recognized international programs. Lets you keep your Quebec student-aid file open while pursuing a degree at McMaster, Dalhousie, NYU, or any host institution AFE recognizes.

If you're a Quebec resident pursuing post-secondary study at an institution outside Quebec — whether that's the University of Toronto, Dalhousie, a US university, or a recognized European program — the Prêt pour études à l'étranger lets you keep your AFE student-aid eligibility while you're abroad. Without this program, leaving Quebec for school normally means leaving AFE behind (no other provincial aid system covers Quebec residents, since Quebec is opted out of federal Canada Student Loans). The program is loan-only in most cases — the bursary portion of standard AFE may or may not extend to the abroad program depending on whether the host institution is recognized as equivalent. The Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur maintains a list of pre-approved foreign institutions and exchange programs; if your destination isn't on the list, AFE will review your specific program for recognition (this adds processing time, which is why studies-abroad applications run longer than standard domestic AFE). Common use cases include CEGEP graduates accepted to anglophone universities outside Quebec (UofT, McGill via formal exchange, Dalhousie, Memorial), Quebec graduate students taking up named PhD positions at US/UK universities, and Quebec students on formal exchange programs at recognized partner institutions.

Can you get it?

• ✓ Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident or Protected Person — citizenship requirement
• ✓ College, Undergraduate, Graduate — study level
• ✓ Resident of QC — provincial eligibility

How to apply

1. 1

   Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour

   Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.

2. 2

   Collect reference letters2 weeks

   Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.

3. 3

   Submit before the posted deadline~1 hour

   Check the official source for the current deadline: save a copy and submit at least 24 hours early.

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