The 2020 BC Budget was released on February 18 revealing some exciting news for post-secondary students. BC students are now eligible to apply for grants.

The new BC Access Grant was developed to help students alleviate financial burden in relation to post-secondary schooling. This grant system provides upfront funding for low and middle-income students who could earn up to $4000.

Carole James, B.C.'s finance minister, expressed in her budget speech, "Starting in September 2020, the new B.C. Access Grant will provide upfront funding to more than 40,000 students who may otherwise struggle to pay for post-secondary education."

This grant is meant to aid students struggling to pay their tuition fees. Furthermore, it aims to make post-secondary education more accessible to students who could not previously afford to attend.

However, this grant system is also limiting in that it only applies to students that are part-time or are enrolled in a program shorter than two years. This limits the accessibility and does not alleviate the financial burden of full-time students who may also experience financial difficulties in regards to post-secondary education.

Despite the limitations, this grant system is a step in the right direction for alleviating financial burden for students.