Research summary - Access to student financial assistance for adult learners
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
Official title of the full report: Enhancing access to student financial assistance for adult learners: human-centred design for adult learning and upskilling in Canada
Author of the full report: Social Research and Demonstration Corporation
Alternate formats
Access to student financial assistance for adult learners [PDF - 226 KB]
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Why this study
This research shows why adults choose not to go to post-secondary education (PSE), and how student financial assistance (SFA) could be easier for adults to get.
What we did
This project asked adults from across Canada why they did not go to PSE, and what might help them go to PSE in the future.
What we found
- Adults said that less secure work, not enough time, costs, and low self-confidence were why they did not go to PSE
- Adults also had many fears, like not being able to find secure work after PSE, having to pay back student loans, and not being able to finish PSE
- Many adults said that the rules to get SFA were too restrictive
- Some adults said that finding information on SFA was hard because it was not all in one place
- Adults had mixed emotions about student loans. Some adults said that loans were the only way to go to PSE, but others did not want to have more debt. For low-income adults, any amount of loan debt was believed to be too much to pay off after PSE
What it means
The findings will help federal, provincial and territorial governments find ways to better meet the needs of possible adult learners.
Contact us
Learning Branch, Learning Policy & Services Directorate, Planning, Policy and Partnerships Division
Email: esdc.nc.sspb.research-recherche.dgpss.cn.edsc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca