To be considered for financial assistance, students must:

• Be a JBNQA beneficiary;
• Have a Secondary School Diploma or be at least 18 years of age and have not been registered in the youth sector for at least 12 months prior to their application;
• Not be receiving amounts under any student assistance program;
• Intend to return to school on a full-time basis (20 hours or more per week).

Individuals who are eligible for other funding, such as EI, may wish to review their options before accepting a student allowance from the Cree School Board. Your Local Employment Counsellor at Apatisiiwin Skills Development will be happy to meet with you to review your funding options.

When you apply for a program using our application portal, you will automatically be considered for both admission to adult education and financial assistance.

Payments are calculated to cover the basic cost of living for a student and their dependents. Amounts will vary depending on a student’s marital status and number of dependent children. Students can inquire as to the exact amount upon approval of their application.

In addition to receiving bi-weekly payments, students may also receive reimbursement for childcare expenses for child(ren) six years of age and under. Please note that only expenses from public daycare or after school programs can be reimbursed. To request reimbursement, students must submit a form along with the receipts from their public child care provider. Forms can be requested at your local adult education office or by emailing .

Students who are receiving an allowance, grant, or funding from another source are not eligible to receive a student allowance from the Cree School Board. If you previously received an allowance from Apatisiiwin Skills Development for attending a Sabtuan Adult Education Services program, do not reapply for an ASD allowance this year. Your funding, if eligible, will be provided directly by the Cree School Board.

Yes, as long as it does not interfere or disrupt your studies and no school is missed. Students must commit fully to their studies to receive financial assistance from Sabtuan Adult Education Services. Any missed days may result in decreased payments, and repeated absenteeism may result in the removal of a student’s funding.

Yes, so long as it falls within the school calendar year. Students will continue receiving their allowances through all school holidays (including Goose Break), with the exception of summer holidays. Consistent attendance before and after holidays is required to continue receiving funding.

Please let us know as soon as possible, ideally in advance, if you will miss school for any reason. The Cree School Board has policies in place to respond to these circumstances.

Your local Apatisiiwin Skills Development (ASD, formally CHRD) office is a great resource for reviewing programs and exploring options, including EI and adult education student financial assistance. We recommend contacting your Local Employment Counsellor to discuss which funding is best for you.

Students who are not eligible for financial assistance may contact Apatisiiwin Skills Development to explore alternative funding options.

A dependent child is defined as:

1. a child of the student
2. a child of the student's spouse or of both
3. a child for whom legal adoption procedures have been undertaken
4. a child who has been adopted in accordance with Cree tradition

and who

5. is not married or living in a marital state with another person
6. is 18 years of age or under
7. is living with the student
8. is not himself receiving assistance under this Policy

A dependent spouse is a person who:

1. is married to the student
2. has been living with the student in a common-law relationship for at least 12 consecutive months (an affidavit must be provided), or
3. is the father or mother of the student's child and is living with the student and is not himself receiving assistance under this Policy.

JBNQA stands for “James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.” Beneficiaries are those identified as benefiting from the provisions under this agreement.

Students applying for allowances will need to prove their beneficiary status by providing a beneficiary number. Note that this is not the same as an Indian Status Registry Number.

To obtain your beneficiary number including those of your dependents, contact your local Band Registry Clerk.