	Aide financière aux études - Your file
	Aide financière aux études

Frequently Asked Questions

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section contains answers to a series of questions that students and their parents, sponsor or spouse are likely to ask themselves about the online services offered by Aide financière aux études (AFE).

1. Online Forms [Back to form]

Can my parents, sponsor or spouse fill out a declaration form online?

Yes.

They need not wait for the student to submit his or her application for financial assistance. They can fill out their declaration before or after the student files his or her application. However, their declaration cannot be filed after the deadline, which is 45 days after the date on which the student submits his or her application. That deadline does not apply to declaration of change forms, which are used to report changes that occur during the year.
A message indicates that some information is invalid. Do I have to correct all invalid information in order to be able to continue?

In principle, yes. The online form adapts itself to your situation as you provide information, which is validated once you complete a section and click on Next Page. A message is displayed if information is missing or incorrect. When a message is preceded by an asterisk (*), you must make the corrections requested before going on to the next section.

If you cannot make a correction because you do not have the necessary information on hand, you can interrupt your session by clicking on Suspend and come back to the form later. To pick up where you left off, select the last section in the List of Completed Sections.

If you are not required to follow up on an error message, that is, if the message is not preceded by an asterisk (*), you must check the box next to the statement I wish to go to the next page without making the corrections requested in messages not preceded by an asterisk in order for the information to be accepted as is. Make as many corrections as possible before checking this box and going on to the next section.
What if I need help?

Click on the icon. You will find answers to many of your questions in the short help messages associated with most of the required items. To display a help message, click on the question mark in a circle, which is generally to the left of the information requested. Once you have read the message, click on [Back to Form] to go back to the form.

You can also contact the financial assistance office of the educational institution attended. Its personnel will be able to help you.
Do I have to start over if the connection is lost or in the event of a power failure?

No, nothing is lost. Each section of the online form is analyzed and saved when you click on Next Page. Consequently, you will not have to start over from the beginning if the connection is lost or in the event of a power failure. To resume, select the last section in the List of Completed Sections.
Can I suspend a session?

Yes. You can suspend a session and fill out the form in several stages, if you prefer. To suspend your session, simply click on Suspend. To continue, access the form by clicking on Online Services and following the same procedures as before, then select the last section completed in the List of Completed Sections.
How long can I suspend a form before submitting it?

Thirty days. When you fill out an online form, you can suspend your session, but not indefinitely. Once you have started to complete a form, you have 30 days to submit it. After 30 days, the information saved in the form will be deleted and you will have to start over.
Can I cancel my online application for financial assistance?

Yes, if you have not submitted it. It is easy to cancel an application for financial assistance provided you have not submitted the form. Simply click on Cancel. Any information you have entered is immediately destroyed.

If you later decide to file an online application for financial assistance, you simply need fill out the form again.
Can I change the information I entered in an online application or declaration form?

Yes, if you have not submitted it. You can change the information entered on your form provided you have not submitted it. Use the List of Completed Sections to go to any completed section and change the information you entered. Remember to click on Next Page to save any changes.

If you have submitted an online form, you can no longer change it or correct it. To check if your form has been submitted, look for a date under Form sent on: in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. If it has been sent, the date will be specified and the terms View Only will be displayed at the top of the form.

It is possible to file a declaration of change form after having submitted your application form. You can do so online in writing or you can visit the personnel of the financial assistance office of your educational institution.
What is the deadline for sending any documents requested after submitting an application for financial assistance form or a declaration form?

The delay is 45 days.
Is there a session timeout?

Twenty minutes. After twenty minutes of inactivity, you lose your connection. If you are completing an online form and your session is interrupted, you must return to the homepage and access the form again. To resume filling out the form at the place where you were interrupted, click on the last section completed in the List of Completed Sections.

If you are consulting your online student file and more than twenty minutes elapse without a page change, your session will be interrupted. You will have to return to the homepage and access your file again by clicking Online Services.
Do I need to submit documents with the forms?

Maybe. Consult the Required Documents section of the student's application for financial assistance form or declaration of change form to find out which documents need to be submitted to Aide financière aux études in order to ensure that the student file is processed. Carefully read the details provided for each document concerned.

In the case of the Loans Program for Part-Time Studies, there are generally no documents to be submitted.

If the parents, sponsor or spouse must submit documents or if they have chosen to complete a print copy of a declaration form, it is preferable to send everything together in the same envelope.

The application for financial assistance and the required documents should be sent to the following address:

Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur
Aide financière aux études
1041, rue De La Chevrotière
Québec (Québec) G1R 5N7
Can I obtain confirmation that Aide financière aux études has received an on-line application or declaration?

Yes. To find out if your online application or declaration has been received, check the upper left-hand corner of the online form or declaration under Form sent on. If the document has been received, the date of receipt will be displayed. This date is the same as that on which the on-line form was submitted.

The date is also displayed in the Confirmation and Reminders section.
Is it possible to consult the information in an online form once it has been submitted?

Yes. Students can consult their application or declaration of change form after having sent it. The parents, sponsor or spouse concerned can also consult their declaration form until the end of the current award year (August 31).

You can access your form after having submitted it. Consult the List of Completed Sections menu at the top of each page to navigate from one section to another.

The staff of the financial assistance office of the educational institution concerned can also view the application for financial assistance form or declaration form once it has been submitted.
How can I obtain a quick reply to my application for financial assistance?

There are two ways. Once the amount of your financial assistance has been determined, it is posted in your on-line student file. On our Web site, click on Online Services and select your user category. Fill out the Identification section and click on Your file.

You can also call our interactive telephone service at one of the following numbers:
- 418-646-4505 (Québec City area)
- 1-888-345-4505 (elsewhere in Canada or the United States)
Will I receive a quick reply if I fill out an online application for financial assistance?

Yes. If you submitted an application for financial assistance on-line and provided an e-mail address that is accurate, you will receive a quick reply.

In most cases, it will only take a few days to assess the amount of financial assistance to be awarded. When the result is available, you will receive a notice by e-mail inviting you to check your online file to find out the amount awarded. If you did not provide an e-mail address, you will receive a Financial Assistance Statement by mail a few days later.

However, the amount of financial assistance indicated is conditional. If Aide financière aux études does not receive the required supporting documents or if the information provided is inaccurate, the amount of your financial assistance will be adjusted accordingly.

2. Online Student File [Back to form]

Who can consult the on-line student file?

All those concerned. Students who have chosen a password to access the online services of Aide financière aux études can consult their online file at any time.

Parents, sponsors and spouses can also consult some sections of the student’s online file, using their social insurance number (SIN). However, they can only access the information they provided.

The staff of the financial assistance office at the educational institution attended can also access the online file.
What does the online student file contain?

The information contained in the online student file is broken down into a number of sections. (i.e. File update, Notices, Documents received). To access a section, click on the related tab.

Only the sections that concern you will be displayed in the student file. For example, the section relating to the Loans Program for Part-Time Studies will not be displayed if an application under that program was not submitted.
Are help messages available while consulting the online student file?

Yes. For an explanation on a given subject, you can access a help message by clicking on any question mark icon that appears to the left of the text. A brief explanation will appear on your screen. Once you have read the message, click on [Back to File] to return to the student file.

By clicking on any question mark icon next to a heading, you can consult all the help messages available in that section.
Can I consult the information in my online file from previous years?

Yes. You can consult the information pertaining to the current award year (September 1 to August 31) and information from the two previous years.
Some screens have a counter. How does it work?

A counter indicates the number of changes made to a given section in the file. The most recent data are displayed first.

In the case of a student’s address, the counter shows how many times it has been changed since the file was first opened by Aide financière aux études, up to a maximum of nine address changes. For example, “Address 5 of 5” means that there have been five changes of address and that the address displayed is the fifth or most recent.

In the case of assessments, the counter shows how many times a student file was assessed in the current award year. For example, “Assessment 4 of 4” means that your financial assistance for the award year concerned was assessed four times and that the assessment currently displayed is the fourth or most recent.

3. Updating Personal Information [Back to form]

When do I have to provide my personal information?

If you have never submitted an application for financial assistance, you are not required to provide your personal information.

You must provide that information when you file your first application for financial assistance using one of our online forms. As soon as you have recorded your address in one of our online forms, that information will be automatically saved under the tab Your information of Online Services.

Note that after you have sent an initial online form, the only way to update your personal information is via Online Services, under the Your information tab. Remember that you are responsible for keeping your information up-to-date so that we are able to contact you at any time.
How can I update my address?

If you notice that your mailing address is inaccurate or has changed, you must inform us under the tab Your information of Online Services. To do so, simply click on Change. You will be transferred to a search engine for addresses. You will be asked to provide your civic number, postal code and apartment number, if applicable. Afterward, simply click on Search at the bottom of the screen.
If you cannot find your address

If you cannot find your address, click on the button Enter Address at the bottom of the screen.

Important! If you stop or resume living with your parents at their residence after you have filed an application under the Loans and Bursaries Program for the current award year, you must also inform us of that change in your situation by filling out the print form Declaration of Change - Student, which you can obtain by clicking on Forms on our web site.

Mail it to the following address:

Aide financière aux études
1035, rue De La Chevrotière, Québec (Québec) G1R 5A5

We wish to remind you that you must inform us of any change in your situation that occurs over the course of the year and that could affect the amount of assistance awarded to you.

How can I provide or update my telephone number?

You must update your telephone number under the tab Your information of Online Services. You can enter one or more telephone numbers or change an existing number. Simply click on the Enter or Change button and enter your number and extension, if applicable. For each number entered, you must specify the related category. You are not required to provide a number for each category.
Do I have to give an e-mail address?

No, an e-mail address is not compulsory. However, if you provide an e-mail address, be sure that it is valid. Also be sure to enter the same e-mail address in both fields reserved for that purpose, then click on Save.
How can I ensure that I receive all your messages?

Remember to notify us of any change in your e-mail address so that it is always possible for us to reach you.
Important! To ensure that your mail filter does not block our e-mails, be sure to add our e-mail address (afe@education.gouv.qc.ca) to your list of approved senders (Contacts).
The advantages of providing an e-mail address

Once you have provided an e-mail address, Aide financière aux études will contact you by e-mail. Providing an e-mail address is a fast and easy way to stay abreast of developments in your file. Instead of receiving a notice from Aide financière aux études by mail, you will receive an e-mail asking you to consult your online file.

You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt confirming that Aide financière aux études has received your form.

Note that you will no longer receive certain documents by mail, including the Financial Assistance Statement. However, you will receive an e-mail each time there is a development in your file.

4. Access to our Online Services [Back to form]

Are the online services of Aide financière aux études available evenings and weekends?

Yes. You can access the online services of Aide financière aux études at any time of the day, seven days a week, except Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. till noon, which are the blocks of time reserved for systems maintenance.
Do I have to use a specific Internet browser?

No. You do not need a specific Internet browser, but we recommend that you download Internet Explorer 7 or a recent version of Mozilla Firefox or Safari.
What kind of computer should I use?

Any kind. You can use a Macintosh or a PC. If you are using a Macintosh, the operating system required is System 9 or a more recent version. In the case of a Windows platform, Windows 98 or a more recent version is required.

Java or JavaScript must be enabled.

The browser must be configured to accept cookies. If you are using Internet Explorer, the related function is generally found under Tools/Internet Options. If you are using Mozilla Firefox, you can access that function by clicking Tools/Options/Privacy. If you use Safari, click Edit/Preferences/Security.

It is preferable to work in full-screen mode with a 1024 X 768 resolution.
Can I print an online form or an page of the online student file?

Yes. You can easily print a page of an online form or a page of your online student file by clicking on the appropriate icon .
Does information remain confidential?

Yes. Information remains confidential by means of encryption. Encryption consists of turning text or data into digital gibberish that cannot be restored to its original form without the right key. The information you enter is encrypted when transferred from your computer to the server of Aide financière aux études.

Here are a few tips to ensure the confidentiality of the information you provide. First, never disclose your password to anyone; it is strictly confidential. Second, never leave your computer unattended. If you have to leave the computer for any amount of time, you should suspend your session. That way, no one can read or tamper with the confidential information you have entered.

Once you have completed your session, some of the information you provided may remain in the cache memory of the computer you used. The cache memory temporarily stores data that are frequently used in order to save the user time.

If others have access to the computer you are using, we recommend that you close all the windows of the Internet browser and that you clear the cache memory, the temporary files and the history. To find out how, visit the Web site of the company that markets your Internet browser.

Personal Information Is Confidential